Exam survival - Sitting down to revise

So, you're motivated and ready to revise. But what now? Today I'm going to talk a bit about how to actually sit down to revise. What you need, where to do it and other tips. Hope this helps someone...

My first tip is to potter about for a bit before you start. This sounds weird, but leave about half an hour before your scheduled revision start to just wander around. So you can do everything that would be on your mind while you should be revising. Whether that's texting your friend to say that you might take a while to reply, or tying your hair up because you love to look fabulous.

Personally, I hate to work when my hairs scruffy and my rooms messy because I feel like I haven't properly got into the day. So I leave a bit of time to braid my hair and shove everything into my wardrobe so I can't see it. You might want to reserve some time to do a final twitter timeline scroll with a cake before sitting down. Then you will feel up to date and not always itching to reach for your phone.

 

That leads us nicely to the Big One: technological distractions. Phones, laptops, tablets. Mixed with twitter, Facebook & tumblr. Together they can take over your life and stop you from getting any work done. It's funny, sometimes I find myself watching videos on how to get straight A's or something, rather than actually working?!

Everyone says just put them on silent and out of reach, but it's more than that! Obviously you should do that... but there are some other things that I do so I don't feel tempted to pick up a device.

Make sure that you finish off any conversations. I can never concentrate if I'm in the middle of a conversation because I always want to check if they've replied and what they've said. So just text close friends that you might be talking to and say that you won't be able to reply as quickly but you'll text them when you can. (During a well deserved break maybe?)

I normally have a quick scroll on twitter before I start so I don't feel left out. (Replace twitter with your social network site of choice.) Sometimes I go as far as turning my notifications off because even that little light popping up can be too tempting!

If you listen to music, try playing it off either an old iPod or Bluetooth speakers so you don't actually have to have your phone/iPod with you.

Finally, get organised! I've touched on this already but I think it's really important. If you just completely clear a table and shove any clutter around you somewhere you can't see, it will help so much. It helps prevent distractions but also helps clear your mind so you can start revising. Get your books all ready (but only for the subjects you're doing) and your pens laid out.

I suggest either sit close to, or prepare food before you start. All this stops you from having to keep getting up and interrupting your focused revision.

I hope some of these tips help you to actually sit down and start revising. Remember: the earlier you start, the less stressful it will be! If you have any different things you do before revision, leave a comment below as I'd love to hear them.

Come back on Sunday for the next edition of Exam Survival!

 

Thanks and keep reading

Laura Stone x

Exam survival - Revision tips #1

 

So today I'm not doing my usual book related post but I thought I'd talk a bit about exams (specifically revision tips.) I know it might seem early, but I know from experience that around now, the stress kicks in and you have to start panic working. I thought I'd try and help you out by sharing some of my revision tips (that I used during GCSE's.) This is the first post in my new 'Exam Survival' series that I will post every Sunday and Thursday. 

 

Hope this helps someone out there...

 

• My first tip that I swear by is flashcards. Don't roll your eyes! I know some people have always loved flashcards but there are some people that have just never used them and don't get how they work.

I definitely used to be the latter, but they're brilliant! They are so useful for just remembering small facts that you can then use to boost your level. Especially subjects like History and Geography, they really help with remembering dates or other statistics. And in science they're fab for remembering definitions.

 Also its less overwhelming to just whip out some flashcards to do some quick revision rather than sitting down to make a mind map or poster. If its the process of actually making flashcards which is putting you off, try getting an app on your phone? That's what I do. There are so many easy apps so  you'll always have them with you, they're quick to make and you can even do little bits of revision if you're stood in an unexpected queue or something. The app I use (on android) is called Supercard Flashcards which you can check out here. But there are loads for both android and apple.

 

  

• My next tip is to do revision that suit you. Simple. Everybody raves about mind maps (and I must admit, I think mind maps are a really great way to revise.) But if mind maps don't suit you, then do it your way! I've got a very logical friend who just likes to write lists... for everything. He does lists for subjects, topics, key words and more. Then he can tick them off when he's done and its like an accomplishment.

 I've got another friend who makes videos as a hobby so often makes videos/presentations to help her revise- and we all love her for it because then we can watch them. So whatever it is, however weird, embrace it. And don't just stick to one technique because you'll get bored. Try to vary it so it keeps you interested, mix mind maps, flashcards, music and videos.

 

 

• Also, and I think this ones really important but sounds hard, stay motivated. I know that sounds really annoying and unrealistic. Because trust me, when I was sat revising about 12 different subjects (only about 6 that I properly liked), I was bored out of my mind. The only thing that got me through was motivation to reach my goals.

 I thought ahead to A levels and Uni and I knew that I just had to get my head down and work so I could do whatever I wanted afterwards. I have never wanted to be limited by my grades so that has always kept me motivated, but lots of other things could. My best friend said she only revises Chemistry a lot because she knows she'll never have to do it again- which I think is a pretty good way of thinking about it.

 

Another way I stay motivated is typing 'revision' or 'revision motivation' into tumblr before I start. Sounds weird, but it normally produces loads of pictures of either well organised notes or inspiring quotes which actually does help me get my head down and work.

 

Whatever your goal or method of motivating yourself is, keep reminding yourself of it when you're sitting there thinking 'what's the point.'

 

 

• My final tip for today is to stay organised and have loads of supplies and stationary that you love. Skip this if you have absolutely no interest in things like this, but I'm guessing if you're reading this, there's part of you that's organised and wants to do well.

For me, when I start revising I get out all my coloured pens and different notepads. I have my highlighters and folders all ready to go. It puts me in the right place to start revising and having all the colours cheers me up a bit.

 

If you're not bothered by any of that, simply having an uncluttered desk to work at really helps because it means there's nothing to distract you until you're break- so you can do some quality revision.

 

 

I hope some of these helped you out and good luck! Tell me about some of your revision tips in the comments, I'd love to hear them. Make sure to come back next Thursday for the next edition of Exam Survival. 

 

Thanks and keep reading...

Laura Stone x

Perks of Being a Wallflower

 Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Genre: YA - Coming of Age
Pages: 213 (paperback)
Published: February 1999

Rating: 5/5 - Breath taking, provocative, yet subtle. 

I've always said this is one of my favourite books, so when I reread it to review it properly, I remembered why. It's a extremely hard hitting read but mostly because of the down to earth way that Charlie describes his traumatic experiences. From suicide & love to drugs. But it isn't nearly as vulgar as it sounds.  

Our protagonist, Charlie, is your average wall flower- which makes him not quite so average. Shy, introverted, unnoticeable. The story is made up of Charlie writing detailed letters to an unknown receiver, to help him cope with his break downs and anger issues. It opens as he is starting high school and is struggling after his only friend committed suicide. The letters lead us through a twisting journey off making new exotic friends, experimenting with sexuality and opening up about his troubled past.

I thought the way that Stephen Chbosky wrote this book was beautiful and compelling. The letters felt private which sometimes made reading them feel intrusive (because we know they're not written for us.) The language used was also exquisitely chosen. Simple. But the choice of quiet, straightforward words did not seem patronizing, but innocent. It really encapsulated this intelligent yet modest boy who was almost scared to express himself in a way that was out of the norm. It wasn't out of laziness, the lack of polyphonic words, it helped build the gentle humble character of Charlie perfectly.
 

Talking about beautiful characters, this book is full of them. Teenagers reading 'Perks' can instantly relate to Charlie as he is growing up and expresses the 'nobody understands me' feeling that we have all experienced. I thought I'd find that moany and unbearable but for some reason I felt the complete opposite. He is honest, genuine and kind which makes him a very memorable touching character.

Sam and Patrick are quite remarkable. I don't want to describe them as 'quirky' because I think that's exactly how they are meant to be so is a bit cliché: but they are. But they act as almost mentors to Charlie's whole 'coming of age' experience. And although they're not the nicest, best behaved, most intelligent: they're kind hearted and understanding which makes them perfect friends for our beloved Charlie. Indie rock, The Rocky Horror show and comic books are not things we'd instantly relate to 'cool friends', but after reading 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', we all want friends like Patrick and Sam. Both are complex characters (although they could've been a bit better developed character wise.)

This leads to one thing I didn't like about 'Perks of Being a Wallflower.' I felt like everywhere, everyone and everything that happened was 'deep' and 'complex.' It was a bit tiresome when instead of actually moving the plot forwards, another character revealed something tragic that happened in their past. Literally all the characters had a disturbing background. It felt like Stephen compensated the lack of present character development with mysterious back stories that I never fully understood. I must admit, it took me 2 readings and a quick google search to understand exactly how Charlie's aunt fit into the plot.

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' has been quickly adopted by readers of different age groups (but primarily teens) as a modern classic. The book is now a symbol of hope, experience and discovering yourself and did actually affect me. It sounds silly but the characters and reality of the book provokes different thoughts about how you're living your own life. It touches on lots of very real issues such as rape, drugs, sex and family; but in a subtle way so it is not too graphic.
 And quotes that Stephen expertly created now litter twitter, tumblr and pinterest alike. Ever seen things like:

 

These are from 'Perks.'

I think its the combination of self discovery, reflection and bluntness that resonates with a lot of readers... and is why it remains one of my all time favourite books.

 

Overall, I highly recommend reading 'Perks of Being a Wallflower.' I hate that some people have avoided reading it just because of the 'hype', as I think its well deserved. It's a fairly quick read and I think that after finishing it, it's hard not be touched in any way. Its not cliché, which you would expect from a 'self discovery' book based in high school', but if you're into fast paced adventure books then it may not be for you. 

As always though, I hope you try it to form your own opinion and let me know what you think!
An a side note, if you didn't already know, there has been a movie adaptation. And I must say the casting is brilliant and it is actually incredibly true to the book. So if you enjoy the book then I recommend watching the movie too.

Find 'Perks of Being a Wallflower' in Amazon here
Read about 'Perks of Being a Wallflower' on Goodreads here

Hope you enjoyed and keep reading...

Laura Stone x

Death comes to Pemberely

Title: Death comes to Pemberley
Author: P.D. James
Genre: Murder Mystery (Pride and Prejudice spin off)
Pages: 291 (hard copy)
Published: November 2011

Rating: 2.5/5 - An excellent idea but characters are a bit weak

I would've thought I would be the perfect audience for this book. Mixing some of my favourite books and genres into one spin off. 'Pride and Prejudice', murder mystery + romance... How could it go wrong? Turns out, in quite a few ways.

But lets not start with too many negatives. I love the idea that this book is based around, mixing a delightful classic romance into a darker crime book whilst still incorporating our beloved characters. As I said, it's got the making for a piece of genius. So yeah, the story is certainly intriguing. I think that if you have never read 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen, 'Death comes to Pemberley' would seem to be another average murder mystery: worth a read? Maybe.

So I thought I'd do a quick summary if you have never read 'Pride and Prejudice', if you have, just skip this. The language P.D. James uses is advanced and fitting but doesn't always feel fluent. I felt that the characters were shallow and under developed. Often the most riveting dialogue was about flower arrangements or guest lists. I must say one thing, I actually really struggled to guess the 'murderer' till right towards the end, one of the things that kept me reading. The story was quite complex and you had to really concentrate on some smaller details which, for avid mystery readers, is definitely a positive.

So, for those of you that have read 'Pride and Prejudice', welcome back! I want to start with the characters because I think that's what really made up my mind about this book. Jane Austen had such a way with words, she breathed joyous personalities into the characters she had lovingly created. It was those characters, each so carefully constructed, that made me fall in love with 'Pride and Prejudice' in the first place. This spin-off felt like the personalities were being sucked out of these characters until they were paper thin. The dialogue was pretty boring- it was like the whole book was spoken through stereotypes from The Regency period. Most of the riveting conversations were about either flower arrangements or how much Elizabeth enjoyed her sisters company. I was wholly disappointed when the strong minded Lizzie that we knew and loved in 'Pride and Prejudice', seemed to just be a redundant house wife. It was aggravating and seemed to go against one of the main themes of the original.



I found Jane to be way too perfect, seemingly worshipping her husband. There was no character development; not much had changed personality wise from the start of the book to the end. And don't get me started on the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. I expected passionate communication between the newly weds, if not, flirting would suffice. But instead we got little to no conversations between the two. And when there was correspondence, it was dull and trivial.

As for the murder mystery aspect, it was actually pretty good mystery wise! I couldn't work out the murderer till right at the end and even then it was a shock. The crime was complex and not as simple as you would first guess. Nevertheless, one of the reasons it was such a mystery was because unlike other murder mysteries, we did not have the detailed process of finding clues, evidence and witness'. It featured a lot of the same evidence presented in different ways by different people (or sometimes even by the same person... *sigh*)
 
Also, please do yourself a favour if you've already read 'Pride and Prejudice' and don't read the prologue. That may seem obvious and maybe I was just being a bit dim? But the prologue is a summarised, vague version of 'Pride and Prejudice' but does not do it nearly enough justice as a story? Lets just say you would not be missing out on any vital reading by just skipping the prologue altogether.
 
Nevertheless, I must commend P.D. James on how well she replicated the more complex yet subtle language that Jane Austen used. It did not feel like you were drowning in overcomplicated, over-Elizabethan language; more that P.D. James had recreated the original feel and flair of the words used in 'Pride and Prejudice' magnificently.

 
Overall, I thought that 'Death comes to Pemberley' was a truly fantastic idea but wasn't quite executed to perfection. The story and language was good but it was the underdeveloped characters from our beloved 'Pride and Prejudice', that let it down. I would still recommend reading it if you like murder mysteries that aren't too heavy, or even if you liked 'Pride and Prejudice.' It's just that the character of Lizzie may pee you off a bit. However that's just my opinion. The Sunday Telegraph said
'P.D. James has recreated the world of Jane Austen magnificently.'
So as usual, I recommend you go and read it yourself then let me know what you think!
 
Find 'Death Comes to Pemberely' on Amazon here
Read about 'Death Comes to Pemberley' on Goodreads here
 
Thanks and keep reading...
Laura Stone x