More than 60,000 secondary students will sit the Junior Cert exams, 55,000 are taking the Leaving Certificate and over 3,000 will do the Leaving Cert Applied.
Are you preparing for exams? Check out our top study tips to get you through the next few weeks.
- Get a good night’s sleep – lost sleep leads to loss of brain cells, something you want to avoid
- Eat well – stay awake from junk food and snack on ‘brain’ foods: nutritious foods such as fish and nuts and slow releasing energy foods such as porridge
- Give yourself enough time to study – although some students thrive on last minute cramming, it doesn’t suit the majority of us
- Keep organised – a tidy study space without distractions and clutter will help keep you focused
- Check out past exam papers – this helps you to get used to the format of the questions, and taking practice tests will help you be on top of your timings
- Study groups – chatting about a topic with your friends can help – but keep on subject (you can gossip after the exams)
- Test out your knowledge by explaining topics to your family – this helps to get things clear in your head and highlights areas where you might need more work
- Take regular breaks – make sure you give your eyes a rest, and your body and mind a break – studying for too long a period can be counter-productive
- Drink lots of water - being well hydrated is essential for your brain to work at its best. Keep up the fluids whilst revising and during exam days
- Know where your exam hall is – yes, this sounds obvious, but you don’t want to end up on the wrong end of campus – or on the other side of town – with no time to spare
- Get to the exam hall with plenty of time - and plenty of stationary
- Read through the exam paper first and plan – this will help you with your timings and give you time to think of answers to upcoming questions
- Prioritise – that might mean starting with your best answer, or answering the toughest question first – whatever works for you
- Answer every question – you’ll only get a 0 for an empty space – and if you’re tight on time towards the end of the exam, jot down some notes - these might get you some marks
- Make sure you are answering the question – keep your answer relevant
- Don’t leave early – even if you’re finding the paper tough, read over it – inspiration might come
- Don’t worry about the exam once it’s over – it’s done. Focus on the next one.
Good luck and good study!
Check out our playlist here for a range of motivational and pumped up songs:
And if you need some words of inspiration, call on Al:
