6 tips to break the revision rut

Think positive

Revision can be dispiriting, especially when it’s a struggle. But it needs stressing that exams are not the end of the world – seriously. All you can do is give it your best shot, just like everything in life. Remember your sole value is not that you got a B in GCSE chemistry or a 51 in your university economics module. You have skills and talents beyond the classroom, such as an ability to shear sheep, drive tractors, plant trees, bake delicious cakes or bombard Instagram with photographs of the farm and you should be proud of that.

Eat well

Trips to the auction mart offer more than just updates on trade and a chinwag with local farmers. There is ALWAYS a good cafe. Eating a healthy balanced diet can help you focus and avoid illness while revising, and the auction cafe serves a variety of wholesome British food waiting for you to tuck into.

Just like in farming where you plan your activities – dosing sheep on a Tuesday, cleaning the tractor on Wednesday afternoon and possibly cutting the grass if it’s still sunny on Friday – you need to create a revision plan that is achievable in terms of the subjects you are revising and the time available. Also, just like farming, your plan needs to be flexible as some things may take longer than you thought. Be flexible but stern.

Use friends, family and animals 

Farmers love to talk, so why not take the opportunity to teach friends and family your revision? By teaching the material to others you will aid recall skills, as it requires you to learn and organise knowledge in a clear and structured manner. It can demonstrate you know more than you think or identify areas you need to go back over. And if you would rather that person doesn’t talk back, teach it to your favourite heifer, tup, pig, goat or dog for an additional confidence boost.

Treat yourself 

"Well done for revising!" Nobody ever says this in real life but they really should. It is important you reward yourself when you finally grasp a tough subject, remember a definition, or can quote a literary text. So whether you have been eyeing up a new Schoffel fleece, a vital tractor part or simply an ice-cream from your local dairy farm, go ahead.
YOU DESERVE IT.

Fresh air and exercise

Being surrounded by fields has never been so advantageous when it comes to revision breaks. There is nothing better than taking the collies through the meadows, or a quick jog around the fields to check if any lambs have got stuck in the fence. And by breaking things up into shorter sessions and exercising, you are boosting brain activity for more effective study, in addition to lowering stress levels and easing the pressure. So put down your highlighters and get out there.