As any student worth their weight in essays will tell you, a good writer must begin by defining their terms. Snacks, though, are a tricky one – you might as well be trying to explain postmodernism.

A snack could be anything from a peach to a pork chop, so you do you.

For a healthy snack, raw vegetables are essentially perfect, but you have to admit, they are rarely anybody’s cup of tea.

Popcorn is sadly under-appreciated, although often overpriced and questionably produced by food companies. Proper Corn makes fabulous flavours but it would be ridiculous to buy a bag every day, and the butter in microwave popcorn has been suggested to be carcinogenic.

Popcorn popped in a saucepan with a generous glug of olive oil is whole grain, high fibre, low-calorie, and meets the satisfying pop-in-your-mouth criterion. Most importantly, go all-out with the toppings: salt and freshly ground pepper, chaat masala, smoked paprika and salt, oregano and parmesan, cinnamon and sugar, za’atar, salt and pepper… the options are endless. I have converted a fair number of friends to my (admittedly unusual) combination: cumin powder, coriander powder, smoked paprika, chaat masala, and salt.

Chickpeas, a staple of cuisines around the world, pack a lot of nutrition and potential into one little can. Toss them with salt, pepper, olive oil and your favourite herbs/spices. You could make hummus in a blender and throw in whatever you love (ras el hanout?) and finish it all off with some pita. The Food Doctor multigrain ones are filling and flavourful, especially toasted and topped with olive oil and za’atar. Dreamy.

Why doesn't England have a national vegetable?

Five years of living in the US gave me two things that I cannot shake: pronouncing soft ’r’s and an overwhelming love of peanut butter. Buy natural varieties or pulse some roasted peanuts, olive oil, salt, and optional sweetener (maple syrup or honey taste much better than sugar) in a blender. Peanuts are another superfood in terms of their nutrition, and their butter pairs perfectly with oatcakes or Ryvita for something filling and quick to put together. Walnuts are also well-known ‘brain food’: top a bowl of plain yoghurt with some toasted walnuts, muesli, and some frozen berries, jam, or old fruit quickly stewed with cinnamon.

Nourishing yourself, as cheesy as it sounds, also means looking after what makes you feel good

For the sweet-caffeine-double hit, I have a weakness for chocolate-covered coffee beans. I discovered them at Heathrow before a flight home to Mumbai and suffice it to say I didn’t sleep a wink in ten hours. I must warn you, they’re addictive and slightly expensive. But if you have to indulge, I do condone these little wonders as a choice. I’ve heard that just three of them can give you a proper caffeine boost, but I have yet to test this out. Mostly because I have yet to limit myself to three.

And the trump card? The chocolate cake. Because yes, your brain and body need nutrition and balance and vitamins and minerals, and a relatively sedentary revision term is not ideal. Still. There’s no point spending six weeks dreaming of cake in the library instead of revising.

Nourishing yourself, as cheesy as it sounds, also means looking after what makes you feel good, and if that means enjoying something you love curled up in bed or out with your friends, go for it. It’s the best revision ‘strategy’ out there