or some people, learning comes naturally. Their brains are great at processing information and especially when it comes to certain complicated formulas, you will find that some people just get it faster. This however, is not representative of you and your intelligence.

There are 5 easy ways you can improve your score and go from a 1 to a 7. Most of them just involve making small changes to your lifestyle! Read on and find out more!

1. Figure out your Optimum Revision Time

For some, it’s impossible to do anything after lunch (that’s how the term food coma was coined!). For some, you may find that you’re more productive in the mornings. Especially when it comes to the holidays and there’s no regular schooling hours to abide by, figure out what timing works best for you and make the most of your revision!

2. Find your ideal studying environment

Do you work better in a café? Do you work best in a totally quiet environment? With music or without music? Some people find they can only concentrate when it’s so quiet you can hear a pin drop, but for some people they might find the silence awfully jarring and uncomfortable which only holds you back. Libraries are not for everyone and a Starbucks might fit you better instead! If you’re listening to music while you study, is it truly helping you to focus? If you find that half the time you’re just singing along to the songs and blindly copying notes from the textbook, the music may not be doing much for you.

3. Choose a good study partner

You know how we said some people naturally get complicated formulas? Those people who are great at complex formulas, are usually poorer at something else. We all have our strengths. Just like how you would find a tandem partner for language, partner up with someone that’s great at what you’re poor in and vice-versa. This way when you revise, you are always able to get the help you need. For example, if you’re great at Spanish but struggling in Math, find a friend that’s great in Math but not doing so well in Spanish class to be your Math study buddy! Don’t stick to your immediate friend circle for revision, especially if all of you happen to be good at the same few subjects and struggle in others. Birds of the same kind flock together. You can do lots of fun activities with your friends but studying may not be the best choice if you cannot be 100% productive together!

4. Identify your best form of revision

If you haven’t figured it out by now, take some time to do an online quiz and find out what kind of learner you are. Everyone processes information differently. Some people are visual and spatial learners, some are auditory learners, and some learn kinesthetically. Just because your best friend is scoring 7s from writing flash cards, it doesn’t mean that flash cards will also help you score a 7. If you’re a visual learner, you might need to categorize your information in a flow chart or some sort of graph/mind-map instead.

Try this quiz out and determine what kind of learning works best for you:
http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml

5. Figure out your Power Combination

Now that you have an idea of what works for you, it’s time to figure out the best combination and put it in a schedule. If you’re a productive person in the morning, plan your individual study session in the morning and place group revision sessions in the afternoon, so you’re less likely to slack off with someone else there to encourage you. It’s all about trial and error. Mix and match and shake it up till you find your ultimate learning environment and your best form of revision. For some people that are both visual and auditory learners, it may be writing notes in the morning and then getting a friend to quiz them in the afternoon. Know when you’re least productive and plan an outdoor activity e.g. sports to get your energy up again. Knowing yourself is half the battle won!

Do you have a better idea of how you can improve your score? To summarise, being a better learner is all about knowing what works for you. It’s not one size fits all when it comes to revision and learning. Take some time to understand yourself and you will know how to best equip yourself for the next exam!