Welcome to our final blog on smashing your CII revision. In this article, we look at making great nutritional choices from Clear Nutrition to give your a memory boost, and some tips for getting organised on the day before your exam.
Choose food to improve your memory
When you have a high sugar breakfast, you get a big spike in your blood sugar – something that gives you a surge of energy. But your body uses that energy very quickly and soon your blood sugar drops. You become tired, irritable, and crave something else sweet. So you head for the biscuit tin. It becomes a cycle of up, down, up, down. It’s a way of eating that puts stress on the body – and you don’t really need any more of that at a time when you’re facing an exam!
The aim is to balance those spikes and keep your blood sugar more consistent. Eat regularly – three meals and two snacks a day, and choose wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and lean meat rather than highly processed foods. The good news is that you can get all the essential nutrients to boost your memory in a handful of foods – no need to go to the health store, they are all things you can buy in the supermarket:
- Brown rice
- Eggs
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds – pumpkin, sunflower and sesame
- Lean meat
- Fish and seafood
- Avocado
- Apples
- Dark chocolate
It’s definitely worth trying to make some changes to your diet to incorporate more of these foods for a few weeks before the exam.
So…. it’s the eve of the big day
The first thing is try to relax, and don’t get yourself too nervous.
By now, you should have done a couple of past papers – a few weeks before, the week before and on the morning of the day before your exam, we’d recommend you tackle one final one. This will remind you of the type of questions you’ll be faced with the following day.
Then do an index test – look at the general index at the back of your CII books and check that you know every phrase or word. If you come across something that you don’t know, or can’t remember, look it up, there and then. Don’t shy away from gaps in your knowledge – tackle any remaining problems areas and you can be sure that at least some of it will stick.
During the afternoon, get yourself organised. Find your ID and any other paperwork that’s needed. Knowing everything is in order will mean one less thing to worry about. It’s a good idea to check the CII website for any updates. Each module page has a ‘Unit Updates’ link – have a quick check to make sure there’s nothing new that you need to be aware of. Then have one last read-through of your own written notes or flashcards.
Towards the end of the day, if it’s a remote exam, prepare your workspace, removing paperwork, books, etc. from the area. If you are attending physically, plan your route to the exam centre, and have a Plan B up your sleeve, in case the car won’t start, or the train is cancelled. Pack your bag, set your alarm – and relax. Set yourself a cut off time when you put the books away and can switch off. You need to give your brain a chance to rest and process the last bits of information you’ve looked at. Have a bath, read a book, watch some TV and get an early night.
And that’s it. At this point, you’ve done all you can, so remember your self-belief, and go into your exam knowing that you can do well. Good luck and let us know how it goes!