science supported studying!
hi! this is my first post on my new studyblr & i thought i’d give some tips for studying that have been proven to be true (ya can’t argue with science) hope they help!
-main points are in bold + italic
TRY TO AVOID LONG SESSIONS
i know that so many of you are used to cramming and going at it for hours because you’re nervous and you feel more productive that way, but think about it for a second. your brain will be having loads of both new and old information thrown into it at once, even if you think you’re used to it, you won’t be reaching your full potential.
the brain finds it easier at encoding the information in short, repeated sessions as opposed to massive chunks.
which leads onto my next tip,
USE SHORT SESSIONS AND REPEAT THEM
this can be annoying sometimes, but it works.
as mentioned before, short & repeated chunks works best for the brain. if you have a short study session on an easy topic, having another small session will help solidate that info, and if it’s a harder subject then having one or two more short repeats are better for making sure you fully understand everything.
the saying practise makes perfect is because you’re repeating something- it gives your brain a better chance of learning from mistakes and perfecting what you do.
(try podomoro! ya can have longer chunks too)
it’s simple: don’t write extra words you don’t need & complicate a topic. change the wording of the sentence to suit you. changing the words means you think more, which in turn helps you to absorb stuff better. also, this one might be hard for some of you, but handwriting things is always, always better than typing. it forms a connection through the process of writing and researchers have found typers process the information at a shallower level. if you have to type notes in class because it’s quicker/easier for you, be sure to write them up when you get home.
LEARN TO TEACH, NOT TO PASS
this tip helped me a lot when it came to summarising and simplifying processes without losing information.
a group of students were given information to learn, one half were told they would be tested and the other half was told they’d have to teach it to others. the group who expected to teach were better at learning the information.
make your notes easy as if you were going to be a teacher- and then make yourself the student!
having a space that your brain thinks: study!! is best, this can be hard so if you’re like me and don’t have much space, try to get a desk/table (no beds!! at all!!!) where you can focus. also, find your certain study clothing style. this sounds weird, but for me i can’t study in baggy jumpers or clothes that are really comfy because my concentration weakens and it makes me want to stop & relax. i wear tight (usually long sleeved) tops and either tight jeans or a skirt and tights. for me, i aim to look like a professional, so i act professional. i still chose comfy clothing (nothing too fancy or a suit set or anything lmao) but i trick my brain into thinking: you can’t mess around. real shit.
again, this leads me into my next point,
this was inspired by my criminology class, condition yourself to associate certain things with studying. it can be a playlist (certain types of music are best) area, clothes, stationary or notebooks.
for me, i put a piece of paper with a quote up on my wall, and this quote is only up when studying. not only is the quote hella inspiring and makes me wanna work, when i see it my brain also thinks: study!! work!! progress!!
my asks are always open- let me know if you like this/found it useful:)
i have more post ideas (some of which link to the tips mentioned here) and i’m excited to be back in the studyblr community!!:)
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