GCSEs are an important set of exams in the UK education system. They provide the first formal record of academic ability, and will determine how you progress in your next stage of education.
5.3 million GCSE exams were taken in 2022, by over 600,000 students, so you are not alone in your undertaking of this testing!
So lets learn how to do well in your GCSEs. As Abe Lincoln said "the best way to predict your future is to create it."
IN THIS GUIDE
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Interest
- Revise
- Esteem
Nutrition
Getting your food right is an overlooked part of being in the right state for study performance. Ever crash after lunch and really not want to start revising? Thats because your blood sugar is likely all over the place.
Your balance of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and sugars is important. The main things to take notice of are:
Do not overdo the carbs and sugars
Get enough protein and calories
It varies by person, but as a guideline, you only need about 45g of carbs per meal to keep your blood sugar optimal for the next 4-5 hours. if you have over around 75g of carbs in a sitting, your blood sugar is going to crash and you're going to feel bad. Also, aiming for this 45g carb count is a preventative measure for diabetes.
Exercise
Did you know that there are significant benefits of exercise that will directly help with your studies? Aerobic exercise improves blood flow to the brain and promotes an alpha brain wave state - like the one achieved through meditation.
Some of the benefits include:
Strengthened memory
Better concentration
Improved mood
Improved energy levels
So try to get a run, cycle, swim, a team sport or even a quick walk in at least 5 days awake, and see the benefits in your preparation.
Sleep
It's tough with all of life's distractions sometimes to switch off at night. Some of you may be planning ahead, reflecting on the day, or just scrolling and watching videos late into the night. But I ask you to take the jump and switch off earlier, and tomorrow-you will be thankful.
Getting enough sleep at the right times increases your growth hormones and
, super important for growing teenagers.
I know you know this one, and its a toughie, but if I can do it as a perennial night owl, then so can you!
Interest
If you have some kind of interest in a topic, then you'll find it much easier to stay focused and learn. It'll give you energy. Sounds paradoxical perhaps, but think about the things you are interested in, how much focus you give them.
What you realise when you leave school is that all of the things you study actually become interesting in real life. Take for example physics, theres a chance you're not too concerned about matter and space right now, but when you start pondering the larger questions in life, this stuff becomes super interesting.
Teachers can help elicit interest with some of the following methods:
Relating a topic to a real life relatable situation
Explain where some of the interesting terms come from
Use a powerful quote
Use pictures
Create a ranking list
Revise
GCSE Revision works on a very simple premise. Test, test, test. It's been proven that some reading, with lots of testing is way more effective than lots of reading and a little testing. This is because the more the brain retrieves the information, the better it will be able to recall it in exam conditions. Simple.
GCSE RevisePal is a GCSE revision app that contains all of the GCSE curriculum content, puts it in quiz format, and makes it a competitive game. So its all you need to revise. If you can make your way through the levels, you're going to pass that subject. Sounds simple, but the reality is that its challenging... yet fun. This is the perfect combination for revising for exams, and we're super proud of it.
Esteem
Self-esteem is the closest thing to magic I've seen (besides digital technology - we're literally are sending videos of ourselves live across the world here people!). Investing your time into reading about what this is and practising one new technique per week will repay you 100x, no exaggeration. In fact, under exaggeration.
Self-esteem is knowing that 'you are enough'. There's a lot more to it, but that's the gist.
Try this today: Throughout your day, in every circumstance you find yourself in, tell yourself over and over in your mind that 'I am enough as I am', and make yourself believe it... Because you are enough, who defines what enough is? Nobody but you.
Notice how differently you react, how much calmer you are, how much happier you are.
Now go ahead and enjoy the challenges of year 11!
The GCSE Revision Game
Don't forget to download the GCSE RevisePal app for free, and see how enjoyable revision can really be. We made a game of exam preparation, because two components of a happy life are pleasure and purpose. Take pleasure from the game, take purpose from your improved exam results.
