Final Year 11 exams are just around the corner and this can be pretty nerve racking for any student. It becomes quite a stressful time of year if you, admittedly, have been procrastinating more than you should have throughout Year 11 and your results may reflect that!
Fear less! We have you covered with 5 simple steps that you can take to turn your results around just in time for Year 11 exams.
Let’s see what it takes!
Step #1: Create a Catch Up List
Step #2: Prioritise Your Tasks Using the Traffic Light System
Step #3: Schedule in Your Catch Up Zones
Step #4: Get an Accountability Buddy!
Step #5: Study Under Timed Conditions
Step #1: Create a Catch Up List
Start by writing down every single thing you need to catch up on, spare no detail! Get these tasks down on paper so that you can see what needs to be done and what you are behind on.
Think about some of the goals or aims that you have for each subject — what is it you want to achieve?
Perhaps you want to become confident applying certain equations in maths, or develop a strong thesis for each English module. Whatever it is you are aiming for, make sure that these tasks can help drive you towards fulfilling those goals.
This is the first step to planning your comeback and getting on top of your work!
Step #2: Prioritise Your Tasks Using the Traffic Light System
Now that you have your catch up list in front of you, know that it is normal to feel overwhelmed. However, do not let this discourage you, because this is where prioritisation comes into play!
If you are not familiar with the traffic light system, this is a good time to learn how to implement it!
Essentially you want to categorise everything on your catch up list into one of three colours; red, yellow or green. This allows you to prioritise your tasks:
- Use RED for tasks you don’t feel confident in
- Use YELLOW for areas you sort of understand, but there are still some aspects that don’t make sense
- Use GREEN for things you are completely confident in
Choosing which coloured tasks to focus on depends on how much time you have left yourself to catch up. If you have a good month or two before exams, you can focus on the red tasks to ensure that you are not losing significant amounts of marks in areas where you lack confidence. You can also revise the yellow areas and turn them into greens!
On the other hand, if you only have a couple of weeks before exams, you do not want to spend valuable time on the red areas that will take longer to understand. Instead, you want to revise the green areas to maximise your marks, and focus on the yellow tasks. Then, if you still have time, you can work through the red tasks.
Remember that it is never too late to ask for help! Reach out to peers, teachers or get in touch with the tutors at Art of Smart.
Set your priorities straight and use the traffic light system!
Step #3: Schedule in Your Catch Up Zones
Now that you have an organised, categorised and prioritised list, you need to actually complete the tasks.
The best way to get onto these tasks is to set yourself catch up zones. These are times that you block out of your day or week to work through the list of tasks.
Catch up zones will look different for everyone! You might like to set yourself one hour before you have to leave for school, or an hour after dinner to work on your catch up list. Alternatively, you might prefer to set aside a larger block of time to work on it. For instance, Sundays can be your catch up day, where you work through the list and tick off items as you go.
It is so important that you schedule in catch up zones, otherwise you can stay on top of your school work, but that doesn’t mean you will guarantee time to work on the things you skipped earlier in the year.
Step #4: Get an Accountability Buddy!
Phone a friend, pair up with a peer — find someone to hold you accountable!
It can be really hard to stay motivated, especially when you know that there is a large list of tasks to work through. So having someone beside you to work through this journey is a great way to stay motivated!
An accountability buddy could be someone that is in a similar position to you and is also looking to catch up, or it could be a friend that does the same subjects as you.
Share your catch up list with your accountability buddy and let each other know what it is you want to tick off the list for that day or week. You might find it motivating to study together or independently at home and share a photo once you have checked a task off.
Step #5: Study Under Timed Conditions
No matter how well you know your course content, your exam performance depends on how you deal with time pressure and exam-day stress. This is why it is crucial that you study with timed conditions to get yourself comfortable working against the clock.
Learn more about coping with exam stress here!
As there are not as many past papers for Year 11 exams, it is advisable to work through whatever practice material you receive from school under timed conditions.
Even if you are not doing practice papers or questions, set yourself a reasonable time limit to write notes for a certain topic, or complete a maths exercise for homework. Get used to the time crunch and thinking on the spot!
It is never too late to turn your Year 11 results around, and you can start simply by writing down that catch up list. Also remember to ask for help — seek advice and guidance so that you can jump onto the catch up train!
Looking for some extra help with turning around your Year 11 results?
We pride ourselves on our inspirational coaches and mentors!
We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby or the Hills!
To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!
Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at [email protected] or check us out on Facebook!
Nandini Dhir is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Marketing) and a Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Media and Communications), as a Dalyell Scholar, at Sydney University. She enjoys covering local issues in her area and writing about current events in the media. Nandini has had one of her pieces published in an article with the Sydney Morning Herald. In her free time, Nandini loves doing calligraphy, ballet, and sewing, or is otherwise found coddling her cats.
