School...

I currently study in a British school in Madrid, Spain and at the minute I am preparing to take my IGCSE exams. As it is March, I'm slap bang in the middle of mocks right now and I think that this time can be very stressful for a lot of teenagers and students. I am also one of those people who can find exams overwhelming and stress out very easily. Here are a few tips to remain calm and tips on revision in general!

1. Give yourself plenty of time! - Please don't start studying the night before an exam. It becomes harder to remember facts than if you have been studying for the past few weeks. 
2. Make a revision timetable. - I can never be bothered to draw one up myself so i just literally google for templates.
3. Take breaks often- this time period varies for a lot of people. I tend to take breaks every 40 minutes and relax for about 10 minutes. Don't put the TV on because its hard to be drawn away! I usually make a cup of tea and o on tumblr or twitter for a few minutes. 
4. Making notes- it can be tempting to copy out your entire class book to make notes. This will just take too much time and it can be hard to memorise things. Instead use checklists available from your exam board and make sure you can do all the things. Anything you are not sure on, summarise this shortly. 
5. Study guides- during these last few months study guides have saved me! Many are easy to follow with practise exam questions and checklists. They summarise your course easily and usually come with examiner tips and tricks. They are usually inexpensive to buy but just ensure that they are specific to your exam and exam board. 
6. Sleeping- depriving yourself of sleep during exam periods to study will have the opposite effect. Get at least 9 hours sleep during exams so you are well rested before the exam!
7. Free time- it is important to enjoy yourself whilst you are not studying so 10 minute breaks do not rule your life. At a weekend, keep a morning or an afternoon free to spend time with your family and friends. During the week, but aside a few hours to enjoy things you love such as music or running. Exercise is a great way to get rid of stress and you also feel healthy afterwards and no so guilty about having a chocolate bar after dinner!

I really hope these tips were helpful and I wish you all the luck in the world!