My name is Monica and I have just graduated from St. Andrews with an MA in history and social anthropology. I always loved history and indeed still do. I choose to study anthropology because my English teacher got rather annoyed at my consistent questions about the character's lives. "Just go study anthropology then" and that is what I did.

I love being able to combine my two passions in one degree. I try to explain it, as anthropology giving an understanding of the present and history of the past. The marriage of the two academic subjects is interesting indeed. For example for my dissertation in the School of Anthropology looks at the community in Glasgow in 1592; tracking the influence of the Reformation at a local freedom.

School exams definitely prepare you well for university expectations! There were some things that stood out for me at school at helping. I think you have to look after yourself as well as sticking to a study plan, definitely schedule breaks as well as something nice every now and again. I also think essay plans are key for the arts and english examinations and that is something I would be keen to help students create. Ultimately you need to understand the content, not merely recite a list of facts, once you do it is far easier to remember and argue your point in an exam.

Online lessons would be structured around the examination itself; picking an exam question from a past paper for each section each week. For example for those studying history either focus on source preparation or the long essay question or in English choosing poetry or prose to focus on for the critical essay.

Then I think we would begin creating a mindmap of what the student themselves could put down on paper at this point in time. The together we could go through building on the knowledge, fleshing out the historiography and context. In english the same process can be followed but asking how the analysis for specific quotes can be taken deeper or alternatively focused on the question.

As we build on the knowledge we can begin adapting to suit the exam question itself. Progress can be measured through past paper questions and coursework as the school year builds up to the exam itself. However I think progress can also be measured in self confidence, the knowledge that you know the information you need to pass the exam.

I think the most important thing is you understand the content, not just listing it off the top of your head. Once you understand it is cool to see how interesting and amazing some of the content really is, there are so much you can do with it!