Study Tatics

[MaryGold]

I started school a couple of months back, and by school, I mean college studies lol. This year has been keeping me from doing much on the site as of late. But one thing that troubles me is studying. I don't think I'm a very studious person, at all. I find it hard for me to sit down and go back over notes by myself. Distractions exist obviously, but they could be anything even outside the internet.

Next year I won't be as busy as I'll only be doing part-time, but I want to get through this year as best as possible. So, I wanted to ask, any advice on how to efficiently study, take notes, any helpful apps? I want to come up with a better plan and I'm hoping I can get that from anyone.

 

[Auntie Phaz]

Given how much time it's been since your original post, I'm assuming you're already done with your latest round of tests. This might not be very helpful at the moment, but I do think it can be a useful study tactic any time you're needing a strategy in the future.

Disclaimer: I'm someone who has never used strategies for studying very consistently any time I've been in school. By the time I got to where I really needed to study to do well, I was too used to procrastinating and carried on waiting to the last minute to prepare for courses. Still, the following is a tip I've been given that seems helpful for forming good study habits.

One thing you could try while studying is to set timers. When you're ready to sit down and study without distractions, set a timer to go off after 1-2 hours (depending on how much material you need to cover and how much time you have available). Re-read sections and make notes however you think you should during this time.

After your set time is up, take a break from studying to do something else. It can be taking a walk, eating a snack, watching TV, etc. Whatever you want to do to leave studying behind for a while or reward yourself. You can set another timer for your breaks or just commit to go back to studying when you're ready.

I'd advise repeating the process while adjusting the time you set aside according to how much ground you need to cover. If you feel like you have a good grasp of what you're studying, shorten your sessions and take shorter breaks in between.

At the very least, this method is good for managing your time and avoiding the stress of feeling like you need to keep studying until something clicks for you. Including time for breaks helps to alleviate the frustration that comes from preparing for exams and can prevent you from dreading each time you need to study.

Best of luck to anyone needing to study for school in the new year. Here's hoping it goes well, and remember to pace things so you're not making yourself miserable.

 

[Spekkun]

You know, one study tactic I always found that work is reading the chapter/material and taking notes before I take a 15-30 minute break. After the break, I come back and try to write the rules/material from memory :D memorization is key for a lot of things!

 

[Kitti]

One of the most helpful things for me is positive peer pressure. I have a friend in my program who I study really well with (we go over past exam questions, flashcards, etc.) and it helps to keep us both accountable. We set a study date (in the university, no distractions only work!) and we just plan on spending several hours together studying. We work a bit independently, trying to solve past exam questions, etc. and then discuss any issues we have, ask one another questions, etc. If neither of us knows, we usually have one of us Google and read off the answer for the other so we don't get distracted by tech.

 

[Ardent]

I remember and understand things better when I try to teach what I've learned.

Other than that, I just try to have fun with it. It's easier to learn things when you're having fun.