Never mistake “re-reading” for revising
Spending time reading through your textbook, copying out notes word-for-word, or painting your pages in fluorescent highlighters feels productive, but it’s largely a waste of time. It keeps your brain on “autopilot.”
In short, if revising doesn’t feel like an effort, you are probably not getting much benefit from it.
Never study with your phone on your desk
Even if it’s face down and on silent, studies have found that the mere presence of your phone reduces your working brainpower. Every time you glance at a notification, you suffer “task-switching friction,” which costs you time while your brain tries to re-engage with the task you were doing. This can add up to unproductive periods of revision.
Never start with your favourite subjects
It is human nature to open up the textbook of the subject you are already getting Grade 7s and 8s in, because it makes you feel smart and accomplished. But this tends to leave your weakest subjects (the ones sitting at a Grade 4) neglected. Instead, tackle your hardest, most hated topics at the start of your study session when your energy is highest, as this is where you are most likely to be able to make a big difference.
Never leave past papers until the end
A huge mistake is thinking, “I will do past papers once I know all the content.” If you wait until you know everything, you will never start. Past papers shouldn’t be the final test; they are a learning tool. Doing them early exposes gaps in your knowledge and teaches you the “language” of the exam board before it’s too late.
Never sacrifice sleep to pull an “all-nighter”
Cramming until 3:00 AM the night before an exam has been shown to be counterproductive. Sleep is not “downtime” for your brain—it is the exact window when you consolidate what you learned during the day into long-term memory. If you don’t sleep, you are essentially deleting the work you just did, while ensuring you walk into the exam room with slower reaction times and higher anxiety. Don’t do it.
