Revision: How To Fit It Into The Schedule?

Hey future doctors, and parents, welcome back to all of you! Today, we are going to discuss something that holds so SO much importance in our NEET journey – Revision Strategy. ‘How to revise?

When to do it? Where to start?’

Oh, I’ve been through the same confusion during my NEET prep phase. Now that I think I’ve cracked the code, I’m confident I can help you figure it out too. So, let’s try to understand how to stay in touch with our studies in a manner that even after 15 days, knowledge feels fresh and the concepts clear.

Learn how powerful Revision really is!

Think of your brain as a box of information, with revision notes being the key to unlock it. In NEET, it’s not just about studying, but how much of what you’ve studied can you retain. The biggest question is, how to revise when your schedule is already so SO full?

Don’t worry, because I have some really cool strategies that will allow you to take the benefits of revision without putting in extra time.

How to Create Revision Sheets?

First, understand why you should create your own sheets when you can easily download them online. See, we know our study patterns best. Only you know which part of a chapter you’re strong in, which parts you tend to forget, and where you make the most mistakes. Hence, the notes YOU make will be personalized. Be smart about what you include and exclude in these sheets.

In one set, write down ALL formulas, important dates in biology, and those tricky organic reactions that are hard to understand. Make these sheets pretty, colorful and concise. Keep updating them every time. These are your rote-learning sheets.

In another set, write down the difficult conceptual chapters in a flow, so that while reading, your concepts get revised too. This set can be a bit more detailed.

Revise these sheets daily. After a few days, replace the sheets that you’ve mastered. By the end of the day, you should have at least 15-20 sheets that you revise daily. For detailed tips on curating these sheets,

Spread the Revision Sheet Virus Everywhere:

Here’s where it gets fun! Spread your revision sheets throughout your house like a virus.

If you keep revising throughout the day, you’ll maintain continuity, and gradually, everything will be at your fingertips. Check out the cupboard (mom wouldn’t let me stick it on the wall) next to my study table during my NEET prep at the end of this blog.

Cupboard is just one option, look at all these other places where you can put up your sheets.

The Bathroom Mirror?

Yes, you heard right! Your bathroom can also be a place where you can enjoy revision. Laminate a revision sheet and stick it on the wall. Whenever you take a break from studying, your eyes will land on those formulas, and a mini-revision session will begin.

For those who spend 15-20 minutes in the restroom, all physics formulas will be revised. Transforming daily routines into learning moments is a time-saving strategy.

The Dining Table?

Your dining table isn’t just for eating. Wherever you eat, place a revision sheet. While eating, glance at the notes and revise the concepts. Think of it as feeding both your brain and stomach simultaneously!

If mom says, “Eat first, study later,” then make her sit down and teach her a sheet or two. Keep the revision going.

Before Bedtime?

Now comes the time before sleeping. Stick a revision sheet next to your bed, so it’s the first thing you see when you wake up. I’m sure all teachers say, “You should know it so well that even if I wake you up from sleep, you can answer.” With this method, we can easily achieve that.

On the Go?

Got some free time during the day? Perfect! Your sheets should also be on your mobile. Whether you’re waiting for a bus, sipping tea, or taking a break from online classes, having the revision sheet on hand will keep the study link intact. So, pull out your mobile and go through those notes.

Keep revising this way, even if it seems silly to others. The time you save overall will allow you to study even more. Ultimately, you’ll thank yourself.

Still, if this idea feels too overwhelming, don’t fret; there are other strategies.

Group Study:

Mostly, studying in a group makes concepts clear. It’s also a very engaging and relaxing practice, a break from monotonous self-study sessions. What you are going to do is, choose a topic, you tell everybody to revise it individually, and then you guys should discuss it together. This way, you can cover multiple topics in one session.

The only problem is finding a group with the same study schedule. Try forming a group in your classes, or look online. If you still can’t find one, there’s a way you can tackle that too. 

Pretend to be a teacher.

It could be anyone: a middle schooler interested in science, your siblings, or even the wall. If you can explain a concept, it means you understand it well. Teaching really does wonders for your understanding.

So, set a schedule, pretend you’re a full-time teacher, and start teaching people. You’ll see the difference between your understanding in the pre and post teaching session.

A New Method: The Mock Tests Technique!

If you haven’t been able to revise, this is an easy and smart way. Attempt mock tests every other day and solve previous year papers for every topic. After solving, you must always check and analyse where you made mistakes.

Now, create a book where you’ve made a list of all the chapters of all three subjects. When you make a mistake in some topic, put a tally mark next to where you’ve listed that topic. The chapter with the most tallies at the end of the test should be revised immediately, like then and there. Now the rest of the chapters, with a few tally marks can be scheduled for a revision session later.

This technique eliminates the confusion of “what to revise, I know everything/nothing.” Plus, you’ll also get used to solving mocks this way.

How Much Time Should I Give to Revision?

If you’re using the ‘sheet strategy’ that I said, I don’t believe you require to provide separate time for revision. Just browse through your mock evaluations for 10 mins every other day and keep going through your sheets whenever you stumble upon them.

Otherwise, if this method really feels scary and overwhelming, I would certainly say revise everything together for an hour a day instead of sticking sheets all over your house. Collect all your stuff (all revision sheets) in a folder and read through it twice or thrice; this is enough.

Or you can additionally have group study session for an hour a day. Remember, pick the approach that fits you and functions best for YOU. Spin the strategy based on your requirements, as opposed to trying to suit an inflexible method.

Final Word:

Here’s a photo of my sheet wall surface from when I took the NEET in 2021. Unfortunately, this is the only image I have since I remember, when the NEET exam was near, I simply removed all the sheets from all walls and cupboards and assembled them right into a folder. So, I do not have images of the study table et cetera.

This is just an example; you must have even more sheets all over and must keep revising constantly.

When you have your revision sheets with you, every thing ends up being less complicated. These little efforts will 100% offer you great results.

So, include revision into your day-to-day study life and bear in mind that with every revision sheet you go through, you’re one step closer to your NEET goals. Maintain the streak and show your revision skills, my future doctors!