Since school is coming up within the month for most people, I decided to make a post based on my study style in case you guys want to better your grades and study habits this year! Studying is essential for most courses, and a good study routine may just be what you need to get those A’s you’re shooting for :) Without further ado, here are some study tips!
The place you choose to study in is one of the most important factors going into the productiveness of your study session. You want to make sure your space is free of distractions, but still comfortable enough to get stuff done.
- DO NOT STUDY IN YOUR BED… Studies have shown that studying on your bed makes you feel very relaxed and you are more likely to fall asleep during your sesh. If you’re pulling an all-nighter, this is the LAST thing you want to be dealing with.
Use a desk if you can, but tables work well, too.
- MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GOOD LIGHTING… If your study spot is not well-lit, your chances of straining your eyes increase, which is not healthy. If you’re studying during the day, open up those blinds!! Natural light, in my opinion, is the best kind of light you can get.
- ACCESS TO WATER IS CRUCIAL… Water is super duper good for you, and drinking water during a study session can prevent headaches and it can also be a good refresher.
- FIND A GOOD STUDY PLAYLIST… If you’re doing a project/studying a subject that doesn’t require a lot of brain work, listen to some soft indie, but never anything too hardcore, as it can break your concentration. If you’re reading, I suggest sticking to classical music or white noise. Personally, I find it hard to concentrate with any music playing if I’m reading.
If your task at hand does require concentration, and you want to try white noise, I recommend using the chrome extension Noisli. You can make virtually any sound mix for whatever you feel fits your task.
- TURN YOUR PHONE OFF/DO NOT DISTURB… Having your phone notifications going off every five seconds will only distract you from your tasks, and tempt you to check your phone, which will probably lead to scrolling through instagram for four hours… Not good, my friend. Not good.
Making a to-do list is a great way to sort out everything you need to do, and focus on what’s important.
- ORDER YOUR SUBJECTS FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT… This helps enforce what your primary focus is, and it is useful to refer back to from time to time.
- DESCRIBE TASKS IN A LOT OF DETAIL… This will help you know exactly what steps you need to take to get tasks done. Instead of listing “Chapter 40″ under Biology, try listing what topics in particular you need to study from chapter forty. I suggest making these separate topics all separate bullet points so that you can cross off all of the topics as you go.
I personally find flashcards to be a tremendous waste of paper. If you feel the same way, or just want a break from the flashcard technique, I suggest trying the study-foldables technique from @studyign. This strategy has honestly become my favorite way to study. Here’s a picture of a study-foldable I made for my AP Bio class:
A vocab word or concept goes on the left side, and then the explanation/definition/diagram goes on the right side. I love using these sheets because I can break them up any way I want, and they don’t get bulky like flashcards. I can also staple my sheets and keep them more organized.
“But how do I actually study, Holls??” said everyone reading this rn. WELL, HERE WE GO, PALS.
- MEMORIZATION… Are you focusing on something that requires the memorization of small facts (like history)? Try the study foldables mentioned above! Also, mindmaps are grrrrrreat for cause/effect memorization, so this might work for you! I personally don’t have any luck with this method, but a lot of people swear by it.
- LARGE CONCEPTS/PROCESSES… Studying a specific concept or process in a class like bio or chemistry? Try teaching the phenomenon to a family member. This allows for critical thinking and problem solving, because your audience of choice will probably have questions. This will force you to dig deeper and get involved with the concept. Another great way to deal with processes is by viewing (or making, if you’re brave) a model/animation of the process itself. For you auditory learners, try looking for animations that have commentary. This models a classroom setting, except you’re able to rewind if you miss something.
- EQUATIONS/FORMULAS… In eighth grade, my English teacher taught my class the best technique for memorizing equations or formulas (except, we were using it to memorize Latin roots in his class): simply write it over and over and over. Not only are you looking at it a bunch of times, but you’re forcing yourself to say it over and over in your mind, and the action of writing it becomes embedded into your muscle memory. If you have an eidetic like me, seeing it over and over again just solidifies that mental picture you see when you’re taking the test.
- ALL THE INFO, ALL AT ONCE… Do you have all the material down pat, but you are super nervous about taking the test? Happens to me all the time. To deal with this pre-test stress, I like to take practice tests online. I primarily use quizlet, but sometimes it’s hard to find specific subjects reviewed in a way I was taught. Taking practice tests helps model a traditional testing environment, which makes it easier to take the test in real life. When I take a practice test, I ask my parents not to bother me for around an hour, lock myself in my bedroom, and set a timer for me to finish the test. This gets me used to the stress of a timed environment, and also allows me to time-manage each question. If I notice I’m taking a while on the questions that cover a specific topic, I know I need to study those topics more before I take another practice test.
SUGGESTION: POMODORO TECHNIQUE
To study, I personally use the Pomodoro technique. This technique involves working/studying for 25 minutes straight, and then taking a 25 minute break. After four pomodoros, a 15 minute break is taken. For my five minute break, I usually take a trip to the bathroom, stretch, and tidy my desk if necessary. For my 15 minute break, I grab a quick snack, scroll through social media, answer any texts I’ve gotten recently, and then I get back to work. I love love love using this technique because I find my focus is still pretty strong by the end of the 25 minutes, and I’m not sitting too long.
The only thing I don’t use this technique for is reading. I’m the kind of reader who has to finish a whole chapter before I stop reading and resume some other task. Based on the kinds of books I read, 25 minutes usually isn’t enough time to finish one whole chapter.
If you’ve tried this technique and it didn’t work for you, that is totally okay. Everyone studies differently, and it’s important to find a style that meets your needs, whatever they may be.
For this technique, I use FocusNow from the Apple app store. It’s very similar to Forest, if you’ve heard of that. Basically, the app plants a virtual tree that takes 25 minutes to grow, but you have to keep the app open for the tree to fully grow. If you leave the app to check your phone, the tree will die, and you will be filled with sadness and guilt. Trust me.
I hope this helped!! Feel free to ask me any questions!!
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