Revision

As exam season comes around again, things can start to feel pretty full-on. At the same time, health issues don’t wait for a convenient moment, and some students may find themselves juggling revision while also spending time in hospital for physical or mental health reasons.

That can bring a lot of extra stress and worry, but it doesn’t mean you can’t keep things going. With the right approach, it’s possible to balance revision alongside a hospital stay. Let’s look at how to make the most of a tough situation.

First, don't panic if you find yourself in a hospital during revision/exam season. You’ve got this! 
Next, find your revision style. You probably investigated this at school, but you might find a different technique works better in a hospital.

You could try:

• Blurting – write down everything you know about a topic, then, with different coloured pens, fill in the missing pieces.
• Flash cards
• Pass papers
• Mind maps
• Songs/ rhymes
• Visual aids
• Recording notes 

The key part is finding what works for you. 

Remember to take breaks
If you are revising at home it is key to take breaks for your mind and body, and are even more important now that your mind and body might be struggling. Being in hospital means you are often in the same space for most of the day, so you must give yourself a break or your healing and revision might be compromised. 

Contact your hospital school or your home school
Most hospitals with a children's ward will have an education service or a hospital school. As a former patient on a children’s ward, I know I would be completely lost in my education without the hospital school at The Royal Brompton Hospital. The teachers and people on these teams are there to be the middle person between you and your home school, or they are ready to advocate for you if any problems arise with school while you are at the hospital, and often when you have gone home they help with issues that still hang over from your stay. 

Change your space depending on your day
I know it sounds weird but let me explain. I know that for my normal two-week stays in hospital I can feel like I never leave my hospital bed, you eat, sleep, take meds, meet the doctors, see visitors and more while sitting on the bed. (I don't even know how bad for my posture that is!) But add revision to that same place, and it will feel like you are revising even if you are not, which will lead to less motivation to continue revision in the hospital. Even if it is just a small move, such as sitting on a chair by your bed to revise, or if you can go to a cafe close by or in the hospital to do some revision. This will help you break up your revision time with downtime.  

Revision schedule
With low energy and the mix of the ward schedule it can be hard to keep to a revision schedule. You could be about to revise geography when you're called for a blood test or a dietitian walks in. You can use your hospital schedule to your advantage. For example, if you have an IV every day, have that as your time for a certain subject each day (maybe not every day), or after dinner can be a quiet time, so it's better for revision. By adding your revision to your hospital schedule you can help keep on track. 

If you get on with certain staff members on the ward you can ask them to test you when they come in to treat you. This will help break up your revision so you don't feel isolated while doing it. You can also ask your friends or parents to revise with you, whether they come to you, or revise via video call. You may feel alone in exam season when you are not well, but you are far from alone, and many will want to help you.  

You might be away from school, but this isn’t a break - you’re unwell and need support. That takes a real toll on both your body and your mind. Your energy is already low, and trying to keep up with revision on top of exam anxiety can quickly become overwhelming, sometimes even making you feel worse.

The next sentence is the most important part of this blog
Your health is the priority. Yes, exams are important, but there are different routes you can take if this year's exam season does not go to plan. What about your health? That is important not just for exams but for everything that makes you, you. If you are tired, feel sick or low and are not in the right frame of mind to revise, listen to your body and mind and leave it. You can always go back to it later.