With final exam season just around the corner, many students typically try to frantically cram information from the beginning of the semester before their exam or diploma. However instead of trying to pull all-nighters and study for hours and hours at a time, there are many ways to retain the same amount of information without feeling overwhelmed. By using techniques to retain information effectively, you can learn to study smarter in less time, rather than passively studying for a long period of time.
Sometimes it can feel as if you will never get anything done and it is easy to lose motivation. This is why it’s important to remember what your goals are and what you want to achieve.
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
Arthur Ashe
Make sure you do not overwhelm yourself!
Start nice and slow! Instead of trying to cram a 6 hour study session in one night, the day before an exam. Start studying as early as you can. Even if it seems too late to do this, start at a slow pace. Try looking over your notes, textbook, and any other necessary study material for 15 minutes and think about how much material you need to review before your exam. Split up the material into smaller chunks to spread it out throughout the days leading up to the exam. This leads to my next tip…
Create a study schedule
With the material split up into topics, chapters, or units, spread out what you are going to review in an organized schedule. You can do this by using a calendar or you can simply write everything you need to do on a piece of paper and label what day you will look over that chapter. Make sure you make this schedule as realistic as possible! Know your limits and allow yourself to take some breaks when possible.
Dedicate more time to topics that you don’t understand
Studying for hours on end is not realistic and when this happens, it is common for you to look over material that you already understand and will likely get right on an exam anyways. Instead, grab a piece of paper and write the topic on the top of the paper. For example, “DNA” can be the topic. Then below, right jot notes on everything you know about this topic. Once you’re done, compare these notes to a textbook or your own notes from class. Make sure you write down (in a different colour) all of the key ideas you may have missed. When you study, you should focus on these areas as you are more likely to forget them again than forget the things that you already know from memory.
Study with other people!
Although I do not recommend this for everyone, it can be helpful in certain situations. I personally find that when studying with a group larger than 2-3, I easily get distracted and am unable to focus on my work. However, when doing math or chemistry practice questions, I’ve found that it was helpful to work with another person. This was particularly helpful because we were able to teach each other concepts that we didn’t understand and learn from the mistakes that we may have made. This is a great way to understand how to look at certain topics in a different perspectives and learn new ways to understand the material.
Do not rely on one method of studying
Studying solely off of your notes is not an effective method of studying as the information there may be lacking some key information or may not be 100% accurate. Instead, it is more helpful to use a variety of sources to understand the material. For example, reviewing from your notes, then comparing this information with the textbook is a simple way to retain more of the material. From there, you can find other resources such as flashcards on Quizlet or Khan Academy.
Try to stay focused on one task at a time
Multitasking is not effective because your brain uses energy to switch between multiple things. As an example, instead of devoting anywhere between 80-100% of your focus on one task, when multitasking, your brain could be dedicating 30-40% towards studying. It is much more effective to focus entirely on studying in order to get the most our of your time.
Listening to music while studying is pretty controversial; many swear by it, but it can also be considered a major distraction. Do what is best for you, but be able to realize when you are not working as efficiently as you could be.
Most importantly, take care of yourself!
In order to be able to be successful in school, you have to have a happy and healthy mind and body. Take breaks, eat well, exercise and make sure you always get enough sleep! Practicing self-care is essential for a healthy and happy mind!
image sources: featured image 1 2 3
sources: Alis Oxford Learning Daniel Wong 1 Daniel Wong 2