As students prepare to step into their final year of schooling, a question that commonly plagues their minds is how they are to remember and revise all that they have learned during the previous year. The part that bothers them most is the huge syllabus that they have to cover in 12th grade, along with revising the entire 11th grade syllabus. Needless to say, being thorough with both is a necessity for cracking JEE Advanced and other college entrances. How can a student manage both and make the most out of their time?

Break It Down

The first step is breaking down the syllabus. Don’t just view Chemistry as an entity on its own. Break it down into Physical, Inorganic, and Organic Chemistry.

Different topics require different methods of revision. You’ll have to identify which ones require you to solve problems and which ones need you to memorize enormous amounts of data. Mechanics is one topic that falls into the former category. Such topics need to be revised continuously since it will be hard to develop the knack for problem-solving in the last few weeks. Set aside some time every day to review one such topic. Try to solve problems as this is the quickest way to figure out if you struggle with a concept.

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You will also have to revise topics such as Inorganic Chemistry, which mostly require you to memorise properties and equations. Rather than revising these throughout the year, you could start a few months before the exams. This way the matter will stay fresh in your mind and you’ll be able to recall it quicker.

Physics and Mathematics have a lot of topics from 11th that are used as a basis for topics covered in 12th. To make sure your understanding is clear and you quickly grasp the new concepts, these topics should be revised regularly. Force is one such example. The basics of this topic are covered in 11th, but you learn new forces, such as the electromagnetic force, in 12th. The situation is similar in the case of basic calculus taught in 11th.

Once you have broken down the topics into different categories, you can prioritise the ones that require constant practice and the ones you struggle with. However, simply identifying a problem is never enough. You also need to be able to come up with a plan of action. This is where you need to learn the art of time management.

Setting Up Short-Term Goals

You need to stay on top of your extensive syllabus, which calls for

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Timetables aren’t for everyone, but that’s okay. A list of topics to cover gives you more flexibility without the added pressure of time constraints. You’ll need to go through the syllabus and decide which topics to cover. After deciding on the topics, give yourself a deadline to wrap it up. Constant self-checking is necessary as you are your best judge. Once a week you should set some time aside to assess your progress. You’ll have to try to gauge your weaknesses and try to put more time into these. Add these topics to your list along with a deadline.

Don’t try to come up with a rigid routine as to which subject you’ll study for how much time. Try to keep your options open. Spend more time revising weak subjects and covering new topics. Try out a few problems from previously studied topics and if you feel lost, give that higher priority.

The Last Mile

The last few weeks before the exams are crucial. You need to revise everything you’ve learned—as well as master the art of applying it to solve questions. You don’t have enough time to go through the theory for every single topic. At this point in time, you should try to practise as many questions as you can. Divide your time equally between 11th and 12th-grade syllabi. Try to pick out chapters and attempt problems. If you face difficulties, then it indicates that perhaps you don’t thoroughly understand the concepts. This is when you can brush-up on the theory part of the concept.

This time is also important to revise previous year topics such as Inorganic Chemistry. Set aside at least an hour or more daily to go through the equations and properties. You could also make flashcards so that you can easily go through the concepts at regular intervals. Carry around your flashcards so that you can revise during your commute. This will help you remember and recall more easily.

With time going by so quickly and your syllabus only seeming to increase, it’s easy to panic. Always remember to calm yourself down before studying. If you ever feel it getting to be too much to handle, take a step back and try to reassess what you were doing. There might have been something wrong with the way you approached the problems or maybe you just need a break. It’s always more efficient to study with a calm mind than a flustered one.

All the best! 🙂