PART 3 of my series on How to get an A* in A-level Biology
Scroll to the bottom to watch the Youtube video on this post!
1. Watch YouTube videos – okay so we are the generation of the internet, so let’s make the most of it! I can’t tell you how many YouTube videos I watched for not only Biology, but all my other subjects too ( and ya know, I may have watched a few cat videos too…)
Sometimes we need a break from reading and learning out of a textbook, and that’s why I found YouTube videos a refreshing way to learn. It’s also good to mix up your study routine to help keep your mind awake. Which leads me to my next point…
2. Change up your Study Routine - I find that if I study the exact same way every day I get so bored and the information simply doesn’t go into my head! I have also read in quite a few articles that it helps to mix up how and where you study. That’s why I used a variety of methods like flashcards, posters, YouTube videos, drawings, audio and I varied where I studied, like coffee shops, my desk, the living room, while exercising and in the bath (yes, I studied in the bath, don’t judge). I’m someone who becomes easily restless so I need to constantly move around when I’m studying.
3. Time is precious - make the absolute most of every spare minute.
I had to because I studied 4 years of Chemistry in 1 year, but otherwise why not make the best of your time? I would listen to YouTube videos while brushing my teeth, while brushing my hair, you get the point. All activities where I wasn’t socializing or having fun, I spent learning. So, because I often get bored while exercising, I would then watch a YouTube video all about the Krebs cycle while doing crunches. This is great if you’re an auditory learner, but even if you’re like me and more of a visual leaner, it’s a nice way to change up the study routine.
I seriously think I would have failed Biology without YouTube.
4. Ask for help – this is so important. We all have to learn to speak up when we don’t understand something. Don’t hope that what you don’t understand won’t pop up in your next test, because under Murphy’s Law it most likely will. I remember the night before my exam I was so exhausted and debating whether to go to sleep or quickly read over Insulin and Glucagon again. My conscience wouldn’t let me go to sleep, so I had one last read over those notes. And guess what, in my exam the next day a question all about insulin and diabetes pops up.
After class ask your teachers if they have any spare time to help you where you’re struggling. If they really don’t have extra time, then you could try a tutor, but I still think Google and YouTube are the best. In this blog post I list my favourite resources and links for A-level Biology.
6. USE the specification – I CANNOT STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ENOUGH
Get a hold of your exam board’s specification and go through everything. I was suprised to find that certain things were unnecessary to learn, and that other things which weren’t mentioned in my textbook were on the specification, so I immediately googled the stuff that wasn’t in my textbook and learn it.
I wrote my exams under CIE, so here's an example of my specification...I also highlighted the stuff I didn't know and needed to Google, and the stuff that I simply hadn't studied that well. Either google your exam board specification or ask a teacher for one.
Sadly I didn’t have enough time to go through the whole specification before my exams started, so my advice is to start looking at the specification soon, cuz I kinda forgot about it whoops haha
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