Since making my new year's resolution to blog every week, I have never missed a Sunday upload completely. Posts have been delayed, altered and compromised, but never missed... until last week. Last Sunday I had allowed myself a weekend off revision. I'd just sat 3 exams in the last week and my final exam being a week away, I'd let myself have a much needed break. So on Sunday night, as I relaxed into bed feeling rested and refreshed; I was suddenly shocked with the realisation that it was blog day. I debated grabbing my phone and quickly throwing something together but my head was crammed with Russian history facts and critical readings of The Duchess of Malfi, nothing creative could have come out of that. So, for the first time in about 6 months, I gave myself a week off blogging.
I hope you don't mind.
Today I thought I would commemorate the end of my A Levels by revealing my secrets to how I dealt with exams. This isn't my revision tips, it's not my methods or a lecture about the beauty of flashcards, I've had enough of all that. This is how I made my revision period as stress free as possible... which was tricky.
One thing I realised when going into my first exam was the mistakes I had already made in my revision process.
My mood was odd that day, I didn't feel myself. And when meeting up with my classmates before our Russia exam I realised why; going to that exam was the first time I had left the house in about 5 days.
I wouldn't recommend doing that to anybody. Fresh air and clarity is so important and after that exam I tried to make sure I sat outside for a little while each day, even if just for twenty minutes or so.
My daily structure for revision would be pretty similar every day, depending what time I woke up. I didn't set alarms to wake up. If you're revising from home, there really isn't any need to. Your body will wake up when it's ready and the more rested you are, the better you will concentrate. If I woke up 'early,' so between 8-9:30, I would get dressed and washed, make a coffee and let myself have some TV/phone time until 10:30-11am. If I woke up later, so between 9-10:30, I would start a little later, 11:30-12. This might seem like a late start for some people considering the school day starts at 9am.
It's important to remember, you're not at school. Study leave is your time to figure out how you work best, ignore what people 'recommend' if that's not what's right for you, but be disciplined at the same time.
Once I'd started, I would spend the next 6 hours or so solidly in my new office working. I would break for lunch between 1:30 and 3, depending when I got hungry. I would let myself work until my parents got home and dinner was ready. Some days I could work 6-7 hours easily, some days I struggled to focus and if you have those days, it's important to let yourself stop. If you're not focused, nothing will go in anyway so forcing yourself to study is a waste of time. Lack of focus is your mind's way of telling you to take a break.
I would recommend working hard enough throughout the year and on your good days that you are able to have a day off if you need it without it being stressful.
In order to work for a full 6 hours a day, you need to have a relaxing environment and regular breaks.
Don't take breaks on your phone.
When taking breaks from revision, you need to keep your brain working. Watching TV or going on your phone will kill your focus. On my 'bad days' I had usually let myself watch a YouTube video or something while taking a break and from then on, I couldn't focus. On my 'good days,' I would have a break by reading a few chapters in my book or playing guitar for twenty minutes or so. This keeps your brain working so that when you go back to studying, you're able to get back into it.
I find that having scented candles burning helped me study a lot because I began to associate the smell with revising. That might sound a bit odd but the atmosphere in the room can affect your mood massively. Now when I go into my office and smell the caramel popcorn in the air, I feel like I should be sitting down to study; it was really effective to get me focused.
The most important thing is your environment.
I did all of my studying in one room which worked for me because I felt focused there. If your someone who needs a change of scenery, try setting up a work space in a couple of different rooms so that you can feel refreshed if you lose focus.
Don't revise with your phone in the same room; if you use revision apps, try to have self control or find a version of it on your computer instead.
Little things like keeping hydrated and having snacks is really important. Whilst I love coffee, too much would make my brain work too fast and stopped me focusing on one thing for too long.
If you lose motivation easily, try setting yourself little rewards. For instance, I let myself have my second cup of coffee once I'd filled my minimum goal of 5 hours per day. I also let myself have a little sweet after I'd finished a deck of flash cards or done a mock exam question.
It's also handy to have a big reward in mind for the end of the entire process. Before I moved house, I was going to book a holiday for the end of exams but having to leave my job killed that plan! Instead, I put together a shelf of books I have been dying to read so that I could tell myself, after exams, you get to read all of those books.
The promise of a great night out also works a treat!
As a kind of conclusion, the most important things are your motivation and your environment. If you struggle with revision but are thinking of going on to A Levels, try these methods out next exam season and see how it helps! Be creative with your revision process, it doesn't have to be awful.
I'm in the thick of it with my A Level exams right now. I've taken a break from Angevin History revision to write a little post about the books I'm saving for when this is all over. My history teacher told us all that it helps to have little rewards planned for when exams are done to get you through revision. I've planned little days out, a shopping trip but most importantly, a great Summer reading list!
Most of these I either got for Christmas or have bought over the last 6 months specifically for the summer. I'm hoping for some lovely weather so that I can just relax in my garden with a book and some iced coffee. I hope this inspires you to do some reading over the summer; if you've got your own summer reading list, I'd love to know what you've picked out! Let me know in the comments what you're excited to read over the next few months.
The first book on my list is Caraval by Stephanie Garber.
I absolutely adored The Night Circus when I read it just before Christmas and I've been searching for similar books ever since. I've really rekindled my love for fantasy fiction over recent months and so when this came out, I knew it was one to save for Summer when I'd have nothing else to think about! I found this copy in Tesco and managed to grab it for only £5 which I was so excited about. It's been on my shelf ever since and I can't wait to cuddle up with it once I finish my exams.
I'm also saving Paula Hawkins' Into the Water.
I read The Girl On The Train last summer in a couple of days and so I wanted to save this one for summer too so that I can really get into it. My boyfriend bought this one for me a few weeks ago because he thought I'd enjoy it. I've heard amazing things about it and it's been quite an awaited book for me. Thrillers are probably my second favourite to Fantasy fiction so I think I'm really going to enjoy this one.
I'm saving David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks having picked it up in a charity shop back in February.
Both my English and History teachers have raved about this one to me. It had been on my list for a while so when I saw it in perfect condition in a charity shop I just had to grab it. It hasn't really jumped out at me to read though. I found Cloud Atlas really testing when I read that last summer so I'm a bit skeptical about this one. I've heard really good things about it and my History teacher told me to read it once exams are over so I'm looking forward to giving it a go very soon!
Now for those of you who don't know, I love Alice in Wonderland. So when I received Alice by Christina Henry for Christmas, I knew I just had to save it for Summer so I could enjoy it fully. I also bought the sequel, Red Queen with a gift card after Christmas and I am looking forward to delving into them both. I love a good retelling of a classic and I can already tell I'm really going to love these.
I have also promised myself that I will reread The Night Circus this summer. As soon as I finished it, I was desperate to read it again. I cannot explain the feeling of magic when you read this book, it's everything I've ever wanted in a book. I know it's one I will read again and again but this Summer I want to reread it and appreciate every page.
Lastly, I have saved Agatha Christie's Crooked House.
I read my first Agatha Christie before Christmas and I loved it so much. I really want to read more of her books but being without a job at the minute has meant that everything I want to read is currently trapped on a list in the back of my blogging notebook. So I saved this one for the summer in the hope that once I finish it, I'll be in the position to buy myself more soon. Let me know what your favourite Agatha Christies are so that I can add them to my list!
I'll definitely be reading more books that this over the summer so make sure to follow me on Instagram, ChloeHanks23, to keep up with what I'm reading! I hope this inspires you to put together a great reading list for the summer! Thanks for reading, I'll see you next week!
I am about to sit down to watch the One Love Manchester benefit concert on TV. I've been looking forward to it all week and I wasn't sure, given the nature of things, whether or not it was moral to look forward to such an event. But I am so excited to see people coming together and using music to unite in love and compassion for what happened almost 2 weeks ago.
I don't want to talk too much about the terrorist attack.
I don't feel it's necessary at this point to create more attention to those that find pride in carrying out such heinous acts. This post today is to celebrate what music is and what it provides us with and to support tonight's event.
As a musician, I play gigs regularly and nothing can compare to the feeling of playing music for a crowd of people who share that passion for songs. I play acoustic music. My audiences are usually small and intimate. It's a connection I cannot explain, playing songs to people and seeing them enjoy it. I get to play songs that I have written and watch people connect with my lyrics. Music is a kind of language that isn't specific to any country, religion or race. Music is the one thing we have that connects everybody.
Music is art and vulnerability and growth and change.
I am so uplifted by the lineup for the concert tonight because I feel we have a lineup of artists who can convey this.
Miley Cyrus who has grown up before our eyes and just released the most beautiful song about finding yourself. Katy Perry who writes fun lyrics and has fun on stage no matter what people say about her. Niall Horan who has just departed from the biggest boy band in the world and has embraced the music he is passionate about rather than what would make the most money. And, of course, Ariana Grande who had one of the most traumatic events unfold at her concert and is going to brace the stage again to empower those who were affected.
I can only imagine what having a tragedy like that unfold at one of your performances would feel like, what it would take away from you. It would be so easy to never sing again for fear of making the wrong move.
All of the musicians I have mentioned are people I have listened to here and there but they haven't been a permanent artist on a playlist or records I have on my shelf; but the respect I have for them for what they do and their artistic integrity is infinite.
Tonight isn't just about raising money for the victims; although that should be a priority on everyone's list. Tonight is about refusing to step down.
Unfortunately, these people took daughters away from their mothers. They took excitement away from children at their first concert. But they can never take away what music does for us. Tonight is about defending our rights to sing, to dance to laugh and to perform.
Whether you connect with music by singing it, by writing it, by dancing to it or by drinking to it, music is yours and no one can ever take that away.
Tonight we stand up and we say that we wont let it be taken away.
And tonight we restore the memories that those wonderful children should have taken away from the Ariana Grande concert that night.
I hope you all watch, even if just for a few minutes. My love is with everyone affected and my love is with Ariana for emerging stronger and bringing such joy to her fans this week; both those in hospital and those back home.
Donate if you can, but more importantly, keep singing.
My daily structure for revision would be pretty similar every day, depending what time I woke up. I didn't set alarms to wake up. If you're revising from home, there really isn't any need to. Your body will wake up when it's ready and the more rested you are, the better you will concentrate. If I woke up 'early,' so between 8-9:30, I would get dressed and washed, make a coffee and let myself have some TV/phone time until 10:30-11am. If I woke up later, so between 9-10:30, I would start a little later, 11:30-12. This might seem like a late start for some people considering the school day starts at 9am. 
Don't take breaks on your phone. 
I find that having scented candles burning helped me study a lot because I began to associate the smell with revising. That might sound a bit odd but the atmosphere in the room can affect your mood massively. Now when I go into my office and smell the caramel popcorn in the air, I feel like I should be sitting down to study; it was really effective to get me focused. 
If you lose motivation easily, try setting yourself little rewards. For instance, I let myself have my second cup of coffee once I'd filled my minimum goal of 5 hours per day. I also let myself have a little sweet after I'd finished a deck of flash cards or done a mock exam question. 
