How to Revise for Exams!

OK people, it's that time of year again ... Exam season. Everyone I know from people in their final year in their degree (5th years for medics/law students) right down to my year 6-ers at work taking their SATs is stressed out. But we need to chill, and take some advice from someone who may or may not have revised for their GCSEs and A-Levels (not). However, this someone has friends and co-workers and teachers and everyone in between that CAN revise, and may I say, are pretty darn good at it. So I've taken an interest, mainly for you lovely people, and devised some of my favourite revision coping mechanisms.

1. Start Early. This may be coming a tad late for some of you, but it's never too early to start revising. Even just a little bit. Just to get yourself used to it and come on, we all know it's better than leaving it till the final 24 hours and then trying to cram it all in at once

2. Preparation is key. This comes from something I've learnt while at university. Revision is SO much easier if you attend all the lectures, do all of the seminar prep and the required reading. This is something that I have failed miserably at. I am currently up to my January reading for Contract Law. And I have to say, revising the topics that I did do the reading for is way easier. Same goes for seminars, this is especially with my Property module. It kind of comes back to you if you've done it before. So, take note for next year (sorry).

3. Make revision timetables and checklists. Splitting your modules up topic by topic into a list that you can tick off when you've done makes it so much more satisfying. This way you can see how far you've come, and how much you have left. Timetables are also a good idea for those A-level students out there. Make sure you don't revise one topic all at once though ... which leads me on to my next point.

4. Delegate your revision. Do not, I repeat do NOT revise one topic per day. This won't work. Even worse is those who try to revise all of their maths course, then their English, then their Spanish, just no. It's been scientifically proven that after 20-30 minutes of the same content, the brain retains less info. So it's such a good idea to set your timer. Spread out your revision into your separate categories. And do short, 15 minute bouts of revision. This has been so good for me.

5. Colour code. I know, I know. It's my favourite thing to tell people. But if everything has a different colour, then it's easier to pick up where you left off in each topic, and nothing gets too mixed up.

6. Find a quiet space. (Preferably not your bed - why are naps SO much more appealing when revising?!) This is key. This can be anywhere. The library, your desk at home, your garden as it's getting nicer outside, even your grandparent's house. My music teacher is kind enough to let me go there to revise sometimes if there's too many people at home.

7. Do not waste your day. Get up and get to it! Waking up early and having a good breakfast, even going for a jog, will free your mind and make you more inclined to retain information when studying. As the evening gets closer, there are more distractions around, people are coming back from work, the pub is more inviting and Game of Thrones is way more appealing than Jeremy Kyle.

8. Condense your notes - then condense some more. This is something that I feel really works for debates or aural exams. If you have pages and pages of notes from lectures, seminars, workshops, readings, you're just not going to learn them all. But if you have say, less than 1 or 2 pages per topic or only flash cards for debates, it's going to be worthwhile.

9. Record your notes. This is AMAZING. Future lawyers and medics (or anyone really) take note. Recording your notes onto your iPhone for example is such an efficient way of revising if your life is insanely busy. Take me for example, I am a law student who has a 45 minute drive to and from uni. I work part time 20 minutes away from where I live and I also like to go to the gym 3+ times a week. Recording my notes means that I can listen to them when I'm driving, when I'm doing my make up and even when I'm on the treadmill. Erm HELLO shortcut!

10. Reward yourself. This may come as a shock to some of you (not). But I find the best way to motivate myself is to reward myself with ... wait for it ... SHOES of course. I have in mind the pair of shoes I want, and I'm not allowed to buy them unless I feel confident in one of my modules. The more I revise, the more confident I'll be and the more likely I'll be able to get the shoes. If you have a sweet tooth a great way to get your required reading done is to strategically place sweets in your book too.

11. Flash cards. This is a bonus tip for you all. Up until this very point of me writing this blogpost, I always copied out chapter summaries to revise. But today, (Yes TODAY - Tuesday 12th May) I discovered the power of the flash cards. I have a multiple choice exam on Thursday and I can't tell you how much these flash cards are helping me out. There like a gift from the gods, (more like a gift from my little Italian beauty of a friend at uni). But honestly, I have never learnt so much in a single night. I can't believe I've got up until this point without using them. They may not be for everybody, but there's no harm in trying!

There you have it! My favourite tips on how to be a revision master! There are other tips out there like placing post-it notes around the house, and using friends and family members to test your skills. However, I find these tips are the most unique and I guess that it depends on what kind of learner you are to know if they're the most successful. But I for one will be using these strategies for my upcoming exams and I hope they do you some good too! If you have any more tips, please leave them in the comments below. I'll talk to you next time and good luck!
CJ x

How to Stay/Get Organised

Let's talk about organisation.
I know there are thousands of you that just don't know how to keep up on tasks, or even how to tackle them to begin with. I used to be one of those people, I never used to do anything and I would always be late for things. Being disorganised would lead to me being so stressed out and I just felt frustrated and busy a lot of the time. But now, I'd say I'm quite an organised person, borderline obsessively organised person.
I'm not claiming to be perfect in any way, I do still drop the ball on a few tasks and I still leave things till the last minute! But my tasks are much more manageable when I stick to my system. Everything has a place and there's a place for everything so to say (although my bedroom is still a mess, but we can ignore that).
In the way of work, or makeup or clothes. My stuff is sorted out just the way I like it and I always know what I have to do. Therefore, I have devised some tips to help you manage tasks more efficiently too!

1. To do lists
I have to have a to-do list at all times. And although it constantly has 20 things on it, I still feel so much better for having it. I even have to-do lists for different areas of my life. I have a University list (sigh, my longest one), a general life list - which reminds me, I need to put windscreen wash in my car! - and a travel list so I know what needs doing before my next trip. You can either write these down in a notebook (my next point), grab yourself a memo or sticky notes pad, or download one of the list apps - these can even sync to your emails and let you know your deadlines! It also helps to have a little memo pad lying around to write these lists on! 


2. Notebook
This is something that I have only recently used religiously, I bought a nice new paperchase one just to motivate me to use it more. In here I have more lists - upcoming blogposts, places I want to see on my next trip, makeup I need to try etc. It's a really good way of having all of your thoughts and ideas in one place so you don't forget them!

3. Diary
I have always loved having a planner for school/college/university. I also put any birthdays I may forget in there. Not only are my deadlines in my diary. but I put in reminders for the week before just so I'm sure I won't forget! If it's possible, write your academic timetable or your work's rota in your diary too and put any extras in there as well.

Notebook, Diary and Memo Pad all from paperchase

4. Colour code
These are two words that I absolutely live by. Pretty much everything in my life is either colour coded, or it's organised by colour in some way. All of my modules at university have a coloured folder and I write my notes down for each topic corresponding to that colour. That way, when it comes to revision, I can easily know what I need. My lipsticks and even my to do lists are colour coded too.  (I know, I'm a little insane)

5. Separate.
An extension of my last point would be to separate chunks of things. This means have a different folder for every subject at school. Organise your wardrobe so that summer clothes are on one side and winter on another. If you can't do that, put coats and jackets in one place, then jumpers, tops, pants, skirts, dresses, playsuits and accessories all following.

Multicoloured folders £2.99 each at whsmith

6. Tackle the most difficult/most urgent task first
Say you have about 20 things to do for school, and one of them is reading a 60 page chapter, and it takes you forever to read. Do that task first. If you don't, finishing the other tasks won't be as satisfying as you still have that pain lingering over you.

7. Break up tasks into manageable parts
For my music exams, I have to learn 3 classical pieces. I should be able to go from terrible to confident in around 100-150 plays. However, I'm not going to sit down a few nights before an exam and play a piece 100 times. I usually like to break it up into either 20 plays a week or 5 plays a day. With each day, I see an improvement. Life is a marathon, not a sprint!

8. Don't hoard
This covers quite a few areas. My grandma is a massive hoarder. She has all of my dads old schoolbooks and wanted to keep mine too, but there were just too many and I had to keep them. Once you are finished with something, don't hold on to it! If you got an A in your first maths exam, you don't need your core 1 past papers any more. If you've lost a bit of weight, you don't need your bigger clothes any more. Once you've finished a product, you need to throw it away, no matter how pretty the bottle is (this is tough for me personally).

9. Make note of other people's routines
This isn't absolutely necessary but I find it helps me a lot with my work. Just because you are organised doesn't mean that other people are, or even, you could double book yourself. You need to know who can help you out in that situation. You don't have to religiously memorise what others are doing, but just take notice of when people are in university or work.

10. Reward yourself and make time to relax
Not to be confused with procrastination, it's important to make time for yourself too. If all you think about is how much work you're going to have to do, then you're going to stress. You need to reward yourself for doing these tasks. My favourite is if I read a chapter of one of my law books, then I can read a chapter of a fictional book. Or if I get all of my seminar prep done, then I can reward myself with a bath instead of a shower. And of course, new shoes every time I get an essay finished.

There are 10 tips to help you get or stay organised! I'm not saying you have to do all of these things to be organised, but these definitely help me out! These are just general tips that can be transferred into any area of life but if you'd like me to do specific organisational tips on work, finances, home or your mind, let me know and I would be happy to do so!
Happy organising!
CJ x

What's in my Uni Bag?

Happy Monday!
These are my absolute essentials for going to university everyday, there are a few things that I would also consider essential but aren't on here (mainly because they can't fit in my bag), namely, my textbooks if I have a long day or an essay due in and a jumper because I get cold really easily. Here's the rest that can fit in my bag - 

10 subject notebook
Diary/Planner
Pens - multicoloured (obviously)
Highlighters
Post-it Notes
Tangle Teazer (not shown but always in there!)
Lipstick
Lipliner
EOS Lipbalm
Glasses
Tissues
Hand Sanitizer
Breath Spray
Chewing Gum (not on here - in my pocket!)
Inhaler
Mini post-its
Purse


Bag - New Look
Purse - Marc Jacobs
Lipstick - MAC Honeylove
Lipliner - MAC Subculture
2014/15 Academic Diary - Paperchase

Keeping this blogpost short but sweet, I don't know how I'd cope without all of these items on a day-to-day basis!
CJ x

What My First Month of Uni Has Taught Me!

Hello! 
So, first of all, I would like to sincerely apologise for me being M.I.A. recently, as some of you may know, I started at a new university last month and I've been SO busy!
In case this is confusing, I did go to university last year, but I wasn't overly keen on the place, course, etc so I started all over again in Chester! And I have never been given so much work in my life, I think it might just be because it's the first month but my workload is insane! So here's a quick list of things that I have learnt from this experience (and last year too)!
1. A full-time degree means full time!
- Think that you have a good timetable? Think again. Those 15 hours of lectures are only the beginning. Get ready to read 629 page books in the space of a week friends!

2. It's really hard to make friends.
- So you literally have to be that awkward person who smiles and shares too much information with people to even become an acquaintance (people who live in halls - it's easier for you, but also easier for you to dislike others too). However, the actual friends you make will become your soulmates, trust me on this one.

3. You instantly dislike everyone you don't know.
- Yeah you know that person that arrives late every Wednesday morning and then sits and texts for an hour so you have to endure the buzzing of their phone? Yeah, I don't know them personally either, but I still hate them.

4. FRESHERS FLU IS A THING.
- Luckily, I got my flu jab last week, this does not mean that I don't sit in my lessons with my scarf covering my face because I feel the germs of the person that has so kindly coughed all over me attacking me, thanks for that!

5. ... and apparently so are male ugg boots.
- Yes, I'm serious, I have seen no less than 3 pairs in one month and it's only October! Not forgetting to pair them perfectly with an uber-tight, matching, grey jumper and joggers/leggings for that perfect everyday look boys.

6. Leggings and Tights are now accepted as pants?!
- No. Just no.

7. Books are bloody expensive!
- £41.99 for ONE book, bloody English Legal System. Not to mention that my friend is a medical student and if she wants to buy her physio book new it's £129.47, absolute joke. On the other hand, if you don't buy these books, you're screwed.

8. Companies will do ANYTHING to get into the student market.
- Want unlimited buy-one-get-one-half-price pizza from dominoes? No problem! As long as you order every other day without fail. What about your face on a pepsi bottle? Just tweet and follow them! (Which shamefully, I did, but who doesn't want their face on a pepsi bottle?)

9. The Starbucks at Uni will never compare to the real thing.
- As my friend puts it, they always end up tasting like cardboard but who can resist a caramel latte when it's only £2.22?! Furthermore, the assistants look like they want to drown you every time you order anything but the basic americano, latte or tea. AND they don't have the pumpkin spice ingredients (basic bitches - beware).

10. The Freshers 15.
- You may not realise this yet people, but as soon as January comes, it'll hit you. Christmas did not make you fat, uni did. I did warn you about dominoes ...

11, You're already an alcoholic/Coffee addict
- I actually posted this on Thursday night, but somehow it's already Sunday morning and you're hungover. And if you are reading this on Thursday night, it's only because of that seventh cup of coffee you've had today.

12. Embarrassing moments.
- As it has come to my attention (mainly because this is exactly what happened to me), everybody did see you fall over on the first day, they just don't like you enough to make fun of you about it.

13, You can't afford to live.
- A little bonus one so you get your time's worth, commuter or inhabitant, you probably can't even afford to read this blogpost, let alone the pot noodle you're eating

Keep checking here for my upcoming blogposts (and P.S. it's my birthday on Sunday so look out for a haul in the next week or so!)
CJ x

Stressed About Results?

Don't worry!

Have you recently received your GCSE or a level results and are worried about what comes next? Don't stress about it! Everyone has been or will go through a similar thing at this point in life, and nobody thinks it's an easy thing to deal with. But nevertheless, here are a few tips to help you cope!

A levels

The good thing about a levels is that they don't really matter once you get to university or get a job! So what if you didn't get the results you were expecting? I know it seems difficult to cope with at the time, but there are other options. 

If you didn't get into your firm choice - go to your insurance or through clearing, you could even resit one or both years if you're really unhappy. I know some people that got less than expected in their a levels, didn't get into university, got a job and never looked back! 

I didn't get into my firm choice after my a levels and I honestly think it was the best thing for me, I switched universities and degrees and managed to find what I really wanted to do and who I really wanted to be.
I know plenty of people who achieved amazing results but still didn't get an offer from their firm, or any offer for that matter. Many decided to take a gap year, broaden their experiences and better their chances of getting into university the year after.

However, only you know yourself and what you're capable of: if you know you can do better, then do it! Prove everyone wrong. You are the master of your own life. Sometimes life will give you a bad hand, but just take what you've been given and run with it!

GCSEs

OK, so the thing about GCSE results day (yesterday) is that it seems to be getting bigger every year. When I took my GCSEs, I didn't revise, and only a handful of people I knew did but now it seems that everyone really studies hard for their GCSEs and so they should! Back in my day, it was frowned upon to revise for an exam or get 100% in a test, but now it's almost as if it's cool to be clever!

Once again, the plus side to GCSEs is, apart from Maths and English (and obviously, the field you're going into) they don't matter much after the next month or so! Seriously, nobody cares who got what - it took me a while even just to remember what I got!

Despite that, I did have to present my Maths and English certificates in order to obtain my current job (which required A's) and most big companies and universities like you to have at least a C in each.

Another benefit to GCSEs? You can resit them as many times as you like! Just sign up and go to your local college or school and you'll be able to get the grades in no time!

As with university, it doesn't matter if you didn't meet your requirements to get into the college you wanted - things always work out for the best. You could have hated it, you'll probably make a lifelong friend at the one you're going to, Your possibilities are endless!

Lessons To Be Learnt:

• NEVER be ashamed of your results - you earned them and it took a hell of a lot of work to get them
• ALWAYS be open to new opportunities - I met one of my best friends and my insurance university and I wouldn't know how to cope without them
• DON'T compare yourself to others - life isn't an equal playing field
• BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE

Congratulations to everyone who has completed their GCSEs, BTECs

or A levels in the UK and all equivalents around the world - you did great

CJ x