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“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
LAOZI, ANCIENT CHINESE PHILOSOPHER
Need Support?
We understand that going into the exam period can be a stressful time for students and families. We have a considerable amount of pastoral and academic support options available, including mentoring, counselling, revision support and additional support through the Success Hub. If you (or your child) are worried about anything, please do not hesitate to contact the Form Tutor or Head of Year who can arrange the most appropriate support.
In addition:
If you feel that either you or someone you know within the DHSB community could benefit from early help please email earlyhelp@dhsb.org with the details of your concern.
If you have an exam related question then please do not hesitate to contact our exams officer Mrs Stanton on exams@dhsb.org.
If you require more detailed information and avenues of support then visit the Young Minds website.
How to motivate yourself to revise
How to motivate yourself to revise
Sometimes it can be hard for parents to understand. It doesn’t matter how concerned you are about your grades or which University will accept you - sometimes you just have no motivation to sit down and start revising. The amount you need to learn is too daunting, and the process is too boring. It’s sunny outside and you would rather be anywhere than here, at your desk, studying. We’ve all been there.
Study motivation is the key to overcoming this. But how do you motivate yourself to study?
Make a start
The hardest part about revising, is to start revising. So how do you get past that roadblock?
Choose the subject you find least scary and put pen to paper. Note down the things you are confident you know within that subject, and then note down the areas where you know you need to improve. Soon, your brain will be actively engaged on the task, and it will be much easier to keep going.
Once you’ve started, you know there is only a certain amount of hours of work you still need to do. The more ground you cover, the less you have remaining.
Create a routine
If you want to stay motivated and keep up with your schedule, you need to create a routine that will help you.
Like everything, revising is a gradual process of improvement. As you get into a routine, you’ll find it becomes more and more natural to study and stay motivated. That’s why it’s so important to start early, and leave yourself enough time to get into practice.
Don’t panic if things aren’t going to plan
The second hardest thing about revising, is to keep revising. When it comes to doing something you don’t really want to do, every day can feel like a battle.
If you ever feel stuck in a cycle of procrastination and panic, take a time-out. Go to another room, close your eyes, take a deep breath and think:
Remember why you want to study. Think calmly about your goals. But also remember, if you don’t achieve those goals, it is not the end of your world. There will always be a different college or university you can attend and a different career path you’ll enjoy. You can only do the best you can, and that is why you are studying: to do the best you can.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. When we begin to panic, we blame ourselves. Why can’t we just study hard and achieve what we want to? Thoughts like that will only make it harder for you to turn yourself around. Remember: you are human, you are not perfect, you’re doing this one day at a time, and you know what you need to do to make tomorrow better.
What have you achieved already? If you’ve only just begun revising, you might think you’ve achieved nothing. But, what about all of the work you’ve put in this school year, and every school year before that? There will always be times when you could have tried harder, but the only time you are in control of is now. Take back control, put pen to paper, and try again.
Best of luck!
Remember, even if you don’t get the results you want in your exams, that isn’t the end of the world. There are plenty of options even if you don't do as well as you had hoped. By keeping those options in mind, you’ll take some of the pressure off of your shoulders.
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