Everyone wants a good grade in their exams, whether it's GCSE or A level, with enough hard work, we're sure to get it. But sometimes unwanted interruptions could distract us from from our main goal.

Imagine the teacher talking at the front and you focusing so well, and then all of a sudden, a group of students in your class throw paper balls to each other. What happens then? The teacher tells them off and the class loses ten minutes of the lesson. If you have six lessons in a day, that's an hour of education you lose in a day, five hours in a week and around twenty to twenty-five hours in a month. Assuming this carries on, you'll be losing valuable time and your chances of getting the best grade possible. So, to prevent this from happening, ignore the disruptors. The main reason they disrupt your lesson is because they seek attention. Don't give them the attention - if you do, they'll just ask for more, meaning more time lost in the class. When the teacher is busy taking care of those attention-seekers, keep your head on your studies and go through the topics you've done, so that you can constantly refresh your memories of the last topic you've learned and start practicing the new ones.

It's really easy to get tired when you're in front of a science book. You'll often get the feeling of procrastinating your revision until you find it's a little too late for you to revise. Think positive. Remind yourself of the benefits of studying now. For starters, you will find it easier for you to remember what you've learned so far as they always say, "practise makes perfect". Other than that, you are more likely to understand the topic if you start studying early and spend more time on it, hence getting yourself closer to an A. Forget about how tired you are and all those demotivating factors - once you get the grade, all your hard work will be worthwhile.

Ask for help. Don't be afraid and don't be shy, when you're stuck on a topic, ask for help from your teachers. I assure you, they'll be more than happy to spend their time helping you - after all, that is what they're paid to do. If you're too self-conscious to ask in class, scared that people might laugh at you, ask your teacher after the lesson finishes or ask them in your free time such as lunch or break. It might also help if you ask them for past exam papers, to get yourself used to exam-style questions. Plus, it helps you estimate how long to spend on each question.

Surf the web. The Internet is full of useful websites (such as this one), giving you helpful information on the topic you're learning and it also gives you more in-depth points, which can help you earn extra marks in the exam. All you have to do is search for the information in search engines. When you know how to use the Internet, you can put it to your advantage and download exercises from the Internet to test your understanding.

Manage your time well. Don't spend too much time on studying, you need to keep your body healthy and fit too to have an active, working mind. So, give yourself break intervals in between your study time as a way of resting your mind because, as hard as it is to believe, studying can be tiring and extremely stressing. Loosen up and give your brain a break once in a while, if you work it too hard, you may damage it in the long term. Hope these tips help you achieve your full potential.

Nabihah Md Zaid - http://www.bhahmz.blogspot.com