The Cost of Revision

Throughout history, individuals have defied logic and achieved extraordinary results in various fields of human endeavour. In Sports, names like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and Serena Williams have made indelible marks in different sporting fields. In Tech, Business, and food industries, names like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Colonel Sanders have equally made great strides, which is very noticeable and undeniable. Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King fought for the reformation, freedom and rights of people, and it is certainly no surprise that these individuals are leading examples of success stories in their respective fields. And for them to scale incredible heights, specific disciplines and commitments needed to be articulated and realised for them to be where they are.

Speaking of student life, I have realised, especially from my time in school, and from tutoring and coaching students, that it can be a challenge to study and remain consistent when there is nothing to expect and look forward to whatever you are doing. It can be demoralising when a student only seeks to achieve a grade in an exam, test, or assessment. As factual as that may be, the truth is that we learn things to be adequately literate to make informed decisions and better understand the world around us. Every student needs a different perspective on why they need to study to create a burning desire to keep improving. And the truth is, even after we leave the school setting, we are still students, learning things around us to be capable people in our environment. Some things are not worth learning because they may be erroneous and corrupt. Everything starts with a mindset - the collective beliefs expressed in an attitude. Whatever attitude you display is a clear expression of your thoughts; therefore, it is your mindset. For example, an individual spends money they don't have or a student who only does assignments the day before the deadline; that's an expression of a belief system echoed in their mindset.

I would like you to articulate for yourself and think carefully about all your thoughts and beliefs about studying or being a student. For instance, do you believe studying ends after university or further education? Do I need to learn English? Where am I going to need these topics? Write down all the thoughts or beliefs you have about learning; then and only then can you begin to address the mindset and become an individual that adds value to their world. Having a good perspective of the demands of your future and where you need to be to add value to your environment is necessary to alter your thoughts and beliefs, and set you on the right path to excellence.

I will share a method for revising in school. Always revise what you learnt in school that day. I know everyone has different commitments in their day, but where there is a will and wisdom, you can find a viable way. You can revise at school, home, or even while going home by watching a YouTube video (that's if you have internet access). It will require sacrifice and much legwork, but the consistent attitude to revise, study and practise questions will culminate in getting to a master level and being capable of delivering at any point when called upon. For example, let's say you are done with school by 4.30 pm, and while you make your way home, you can listen to a YouTube video on the things you treated in school. You arrive home, eat, relax, and spend time with your family. Then between 6.30 pm and 7 pm, you begin your proper study uninterrupted and focused. Study for an hour and take a 15-minute break to briefly recollect the salient points of your revision. Then, return to your work by practising questions on the content you have just revised for 30 minutes.  Obviously, if you have any assignment or test in school the next day, that ultimately takes priority. But when you consistently revise your material from school, I can assure you, a time comes when you don't know what to revise because the content is in your brain, through and through. All you need do in that period is practice as many questions as possible to assess your understanding and preparedness for any test or exam. It is often said that it takes up to three months to build a habit, hence try this recommendation first for a few weeks to see how you get along and I assure you, you will be beaming with results.