Making Winning Your Habit!

Someone has rightly quoted, “The distance between dreams and reality is called discipline.” I am sure as a young student, preparing for one of the most important exams of your life, you might have the urge to skip this golden mantra but believe me, whatever you do now is bound to have its corresponding results in the future. There is no shortage of general tips for revision of GCSE science exams on the internet, so I am not going to state those points and make them a cliché. Rather, I want you to look at your schedule from a distinct perspective, which may help you make your mind clearer.

Be your own observer, for once!

I would like to invite you all to look at your own life, as a third person. Make sure not to judge, simply be a witness and observe your daily schedule. Observe how much time you are using as “productive time” and how much as “non-productive.” Do not get me wrong. Productive time also includes your playing sports, listening to music, eating the right nutritious food at the right time, and having a sound sleep, apart from your studies and practice. All these things in moderation are equally important. But for the time left, unnecessary conversations, more time on your cell phones and laptops, over social media involvement, and other such things waste your energy. Learn to put that energy into productive things. Study yourself, your schedule first, before studying the books. This is not just for GCSE exams but for all tasks of life.

Personal Experiences

As a student myself, I have always been crowded with exams. At some point in my life, I had to give as many as 2 exams of 3 hours each, each day in a week. I took so many exams that it would not be incorrect to state that I had lost count of the day or the exact month. Psychology will tell you that whatever you do with your mind repeatedly, it becomes a natural habit for you. From this, we can learn that practice, however many times you have heard it and it remains a cent-percent true, can make solving questions a habit for you. This habit is destined to boost your self-confidence to a whole new level, something which you cannot even dream of. Hence, take your time, every single day, to keep at least an hour of your time, dedicated to keeping on practicing whatever you have learned.

Practical Tips for Speed Learning

My high school chemistry teacher told me that is it scientifically well established, that the brain’s retaining capacity is twice when you have read something again, four-fold when you have recited/spoken it and eight-fold when you have written it. Hence, make it a habit of first quick reading, then detailed reading, then speaking about it as if you are your own teacher and then writing about it.

Take an example of let us say, Energy chapter. First, you quickly revise what you have read already during your study. Then you thoroughly go through easy definitions: closed systems, open systems, conservation laws, type of energy, power etc. Then you speak about them as if you would do in a group discussion. Then, write those definitions down. This will do your theory, guaranteed! Practice again, make it a habit!

Then start with basic problems, you may start with sample problems also. Maybe nothing more than substitution of values, that is okay. This will improve your confidence. Slowly, you may upgrade the levels of your problems. Start making easy mind-maps and graphics for yourself. Creating images for your brain is helpful to remember. Flashcards and other mind-maps help you to connect with the points at a faster pace. But at some point, in time, you must make sure that you time yourself.

Time yourself

Time is important, especially for exams. You are bound to excel if you have managed your time. That is where discipline turns in. You already know the answer, but what good is it if you cannot write it on time? Then, you will get frustrated and may end up spoiling other questions too. Keep calm and drop it, if it is taking too much time. Solve as many previous questions you have done. Try all exam questions you have given. Repeatedly learn from them. Note them and apply them. Yet, keep an eye on the time. Learning this art of being fast yet accurate can be cultivated only when you have truly practiced.

Creating a timetable

I clearly remember how as a child, I used to make all those timetables. Every week I made them but stopped following them after a long period of 2 days! But all jokes apart, making a realistic timetable with fun activities incorporated is easier to follow. A simple timetable, after observing your schedule, is extremely helpful. You may start with the best chapters you know, let us say Motion. Later add the chapters which are a bit difficult for you. It builds up your self-confidence, helps you in time management, brings self-discipline and befriending you with yourself. You will notice and understand the true meaning of this last point only after you have followed your timetable for quite some time. You will realize that being serious is not required, what is required in sincerity. Be sincere, be punctual, be regular and consistent.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy

I would like to invite you to an exceptionally beautiful thing my teacher told me. This is a point worth sharing. My teacher guided us to start enjoying the things you have successfully completed. How good is that feeling, when you have solved an answer, and you flip the page to check if it is correct, and voila! There it is! Perfect as it can be! Learn to enjoy this feeling! Next time you are practicing at home, do take out a moment to just drop the pen after your solution is correct; close your eyes and enjoy that moment. This helps you to enjoy your subject. And surely, this feeling is the highest of all addictions. You will want to solve more problems and get more of this beautiful experience. Let this confidence be your habit.

These are the general and important points I would like to share with you, as I have applied them myself. These are already verified, and they work. Going through videos and other revision notes from websites, such as MDX Tutors, is extremely helpful. It helps you with your revision as well as to test yourself. Consistency, practice, self-discipline, and enjoyment – are bound to get you to the place you want to be. Checkout our Business Directory