The Autumn term is fully upon us – exam dates and assignment deadlines are fast approaching, and yet you just can’t seem to knuckle down and get your head in the books. Sound familiar?

Many of us will be able to relate to the trials and tribulations associated with studying, but fear not – where there’s a problem, there is also a solution. So, here are some issues faced by students and how to conquer them...

Procrastination
Undoubtedly, one of the most common problems, sometimes you don’t even know you’re doing it. If you’re procrastinating while revising a certain subject, study something else for a bit or take a break completely. Ditch the books for ten or fifteen minutes; chat to your family or go watch a bit of TV. When you sit down for the next attempt, your head will be clear and you’ll be ready to get going.

Organisation
Getting organised is key to finding enough time for all your study, but balancing studying with the fun stuff in life can be difficult. Creating a study plan helps you manage your time more effectively. It gives you a clear idea of the subjects and topics you’ll be studying each day and helps you organise your studies around your life.

Planning
So you’ve got your study and revision organised around your social life but you’re unsure what you need to know for the exam, so check the syllabus. You can get a copy from the exam board’s website and work through it. Tick off everything on the list and you won’t miss a thing.

Boredom
It’s going to happen at some point. You’ll get bored and you’ll then want to do anything else but study. Try to relate your subjects to everyday life – make it funny.

For example, if you need to learn as many quotes as possible for an English literature exam, try including them in conversation with a friend doing the same subject. Who can get as many quotes into random conversation as possible? You’re socialising, you’re learning, you aren’t bored. It’s win-win.

Not leaving enough time
Start well in advance of your exams. It may sound like a cliché, but there’s nothing worse than the panic and stress of last minute cramming. If you start weeks in advance you’ll get a good pace and you can go to teachers for help on any topics you’re stuck with. Start gently and early and keep a good revision pace.

Too much to do so you put it off
Break down the subject into ordered sections. This will make it a lot less daunting and you’ll know exactly how much you’ve done. If you break a subject or module down into some ten to 20 sections it won’t seem like much of a chore and they won’t last long either. Before you know it, you’ll have whizzed through them all.