It is known by students and teachers across the globe that preparing for the IGCSEs is a feat that requires hard work and dedication. I would say the most effective method of time management is timetabling. It can be as simple as utilising the calendar feature on your respective devices; plot in all of your extracurricular commitments first, then add all your tasks and deadlines for schoolwork. As a result, you have a clear overview of what needs to be done which you can refer to every day.

Personally, I found that timetabling on a Microsoft Excel document was the most effective method, especially leading up to the exam. Having this present on an Excel document allowed for me to make any changes and tweaks quickly and easily, which I found extremely useful. I also found that brief note taking, followed by answering questions and evaluating mistakes, was the majority of my peers’ preferred revision technique. In preparation for my exams during study leave, I devised three study sessions per day- morning, afternoon and evening. Using an Excel document, I decided which subjects I would study in each session for the four weeks to come. I found this system ensured I stayed on track, covering all the subjects I needed to and not just the subjects I preferred. This is an easy trap to fall into.

There are a few potential pitfalls to avoid when preparing, though I would say the most prominent of all is the dread of procrastination. It is beyond easy to use the time you have during study leave to slow down and lose focus. Unfortunately, should you wish to achieve the grades you aim for, it is quite drastically the opposite. It is the final stretch leading up to the exams, meaning the time you have is simply invaluable.

When closer to your exams, start completing full, timed past papers alongside note taking and revision. Upon completion, mark the paper and identify your mistakes. For each mistake, analyse why it was made, what key information was missing according to the marking scheme, and re-answer it. Make sure not to just copy down the marking scheme, understand your mistake and the answer the examiner is looking for, then attempt to answer it again.

This year, I joined an outstanding revision support system in my school, the Subject Ambassador programme. For each subject, a student was chosen to host lunch-time revision sessions alongside a teacher, to go through any doubts and carry out general revision. As the Economics Ambassador, I found that this system helped my revision in a way that students would bring up doubts that perhaps I didn’t realise I had too. This means we could all revise, explain to each other,  and clear doubts. In addition to that, their teachers ran revision sessions to cover content and address doubts quickly. In these sessions we were given several past papers to complete, so that we could bring in any problems we had and have them clarified.

Although the IGCSE curriculum is intense, there are several means of managing stress. The first and most important is organisation. The easiest way of managing stress is striving to avoid it altogether. This can be achieved by consistent organisation- if you are revising regularly and clearing doubts immediately, you are not subjecting yourself to procrastination. Thus, you will have peace of mind that you have sufficient time to revise all the content and answer past papers. It is also equally essential to schedule in regular exercise. It is a proven stress managing activity that pumps up your endorphins so you don’t burn out. Of course, use the support system you have around you, in the form of staff as well as family to talk through and overcome any stress.

About the Author

Adam Nasser is a sixteen-year-old student who has just completed his IGCSEs at Repton School Dubai, focusing on the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Geography, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, English, French and Drama. He has been a student at the school for over a decade.