1. Learn your material 

Okay, this may sound obvious, but I hear time and time again people calling exams a 'memory game', when this doesn't have to be the case. While memorising things that don't make sense to you may work for some, you'll find the exams much easier if you know what you're talking about. Fully understanding your topics and being able to summarise them in your own words will help you in the long run. You can test this by trying to explain a certain topic to someone who knows little to nothing about it, as simply as you can, in order for them to understand. Also, doing further independent research on certain topics to develop your understanding will give you a deeper knowledge of the topic, so that you know the material, rather than have just memorised it from a text book. Now, I get that this may not work for some subjects, but as someone who does three essay subjects at A-Level, this is key to doing well in exams as memorising the material just won't cut it.

2. Manage your time 

Take this as you will, but for me, creating a timetable to follow helps me manage my time most effectively and prevents me from procrastinating. I plan myself a certain amount of hours each week for each subject, including free time to relax, as this is just as important. You can start small, with a few hours a week, and then increase as exams get closer so you're easing into intense study mode. I find that planning a long-term timetable that includes absolutely everything I need to learn on it spread over a number of weeks/months is the most useful, as it ensures that I don't miss anything out or run out of time. If timetables don't work for you, you can always set a to-do list for the day or week, which still motivates you to get work done, but there's less time pressures and you can fully immerse yourself in your study without worrying about the time. I still recommend noting down which topics you'll be studying each week, so you don't get confused about what topics you've studied and can fit them all in before the exam. It might be helpful to create a tick sheet of topics that you need to learn, as if you have a lot of them, it's easy to forget which ones you have yet to study. 

3. Set yourself goals

Do you want to get a certain grade in your next exam/test? Or do you simply want to do more revision a week? Set yourself goals as often as you like, every day, every week, every month. As long as you have something to strive for, this should act as your motivation when studying for exams. You might find it helpful to create a list of your goals, big or small, such as everyday goals for your study session, such as completing an essay. Alternatively, you can set long-term goals, such as getting into your dream university, or getting the grades you want. Setting both short-term and long-term goals is even better, as this can provide you with the smaller goals that will eventually lead to that bigger goal, and makes you feel like you are working your way up, which can be very motivating. Whenever you start procrastinating, think about your goals, and remember that all your hard work will pay off and hopefully be worth it in the end.

4. Take breaks
After doing a long study session, give yourself some time to relax. Try not to overload with too much information at once, and try to spread it out with breaks. I find it better if I get the majority of the studying I want to do that day out of the way in the morning and early afternoon so that I can relax in the evening. Others may find it easier to spread your studying out and take longer breaks between sessions, or save their studying for the evening. It's important that you find what works for you, and make sure you don't push yourself too hard. You should take days off from studying if necessary, and you shouldn't force yourself to study if you don't feel like it. However, that doesn't mean you should put off studying more often than not, you should still try to study if you need to (i.e. you have a test coming up), but maybe at a lesser intensity than you would normally do, so that you don't push yourself too much, but are still being productive. 

5. Take care of your body

This is the most important. In order for all the information you've studied to be fully learned, you need to get enough sleep. Make sure you start your studying well before the exam(s), as then you won't be tempted to stay up all night the night before your exam, as this is not going to be as effective and you won't go into the exam as confident (or well-rested) as you possibly can. It's also important to drink lots of water, eat healthily and get regular exercise. Take a break from studying to take a walk or jog, or cook yourself a healthy meal so your brain gets the nutrients it needs to continue to learn, which will improve your concentration. Especially if you study in the morning, it is so important to eat a good breakfast, as it will provide you with the energy to concentrate, and you will feel much better whilst you study. This is just as important on the day of your exams, as for your brain to work as effectively as possible, it needs to be full of energy, and be well-rested, which starts with you!

Those are a few general tips to help you study for exams. There are obviously many more, but I feel that these are some of the most important. I'll definitely be posting more about exams, and if you would like to read about specific A-Level revision tips, be sure to let me know in the comments!