Unfortunately I have found myself saying this. In my defence it was ironically and I did use the past papers to revise from.
I get lots of people asking me questions about revision. When? What? How? I thought it would be quite fitting to talk about it, what, with all the formal assessments, mocks and coursework making an appearance. Not to forget the actual exams that will be starting in May. Yes, May!
"How should I revise?"
This is a question that I cannot answer fully. I can give ideas but each individual person will learn and get the most out of revision in different ways. Personally I like to use "Crib Sheets", otherwise known as a cheat sheet, to revise from. I condense my notes into one or two sides of paper per topic with key points and things to remember. In maths for example I will write methods for different questions and things I tend to forget. You could also write down key points for a specific question, definitions or stock answers for common questions.
I always use colour, mainly because it is easier on the eye than a page of black text, and hand write the crib sheets. I find these allow me to remember things more. Copying and pasting can be done in a second without you actually understanding what you copied.
Past papers are a brilliant revision material, so long as you actually use them. You not only get to put your learning into practise but you get used to the style of the questions, what the mark schemes are looking for and if there are any patterns in what questions get asked. Of course you won't be able to predict exactly what questions will come up in the real exam.
Some people prefer to create flashcards with their notes on. These are great to carry around and revise on the go. Another method I've heard of is to learn part of your notes, cover them up and write out what you remember. Create posters to put around your room or sticky notes with key points, equations, definitions. The more you see them the more you read them and therefore the more you take the information in. When it comes to the exam you'll think "Ah! That was on the sticky note next to my mirror."
"How much revision do you do?"
As much as I need. You need to do enough so that you fully understand what you will be examined on but you don't want to burn yourself out. You should be confident when you walk into the examination room, not tired.
"OMG TOM! DO YOU LIKE REVISE EVERYDAY OR SOMETHING?"
No! You need to rest. Again, you don't want to be tired when it comes to the actual exams. In your revision plan you should include rest days. If I have just started a new unit I won't need to revise as much because the exam is not likely to be happening after a month of starting the unit. It does, however, pay off to go over your notes so that you fully understand them. If there is something you don't understand, ask your teacher, they won't think you are stupid!
Really, you need to find out what works best for you. Mocks allow you to do this. I can't stress enough how important revision is. It is your future that is in your hands. Don't be put off by people who say they don't revise much at all but still do well. Chances are they actually do revise quite a bit or don't realise that that their revision method works for them. You need to get the right balance of quantity and quality.
A final note. The few months you spend revising will pay off big time in the future.
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