studyingstudent

maybe idk, but maybe that's ok

[studyingstudent]

Anki is such a useful study tool! It’s perfect for people learning how to study (i.e. new college students) because it is most effective when used on a daily basis and can help form good studying habits. It’s also very popular among med/vet students because it can help you learn a ton of information in an quick, efficient manner. 

I’m by no means an Anki expert - this program is extremely customizable and can be tailored to fit any purpose. I used it consistently this semester, a little bit each day, and found that I barely had to study for my tests the night before! 

This post will outline my personal favorite Anki uses, add-ons and studying techniques. 

What is Anki?

“Anki is a program which makes remembering things easy. Because it’s a lot more efficient than traditional study methods, you can either greatly decrease your time spent studying, or greatly increase the amount you learn.”  (from Anki’s website)

Essentially, it’s a flashcard app. Think Quizlet on steroids. 

Installation

Anki is very simple to install - visit their website and follow the directions. The program is free with Windows, Mac and Android! 

Card Types 

I use three different card types: Basic (used rarely), Cloze, and Image Occlusion. 

Cloze Cards 

These are essentially fill in the blank cards. The program will add brackets around around the word or phrase you are trying to omit. 

Shortcut to create brackets (Mac): Command + Shift + C 

For example:

{{c1:: phrase}} 

If you add multiple brackets, they will appear as {{c2:: }}, {{c3::  }} and so on. This means that three cards will be created when you press “Add.” This is useful if you think that you need three or more cards to memorize the concept - but often it’s too repetitive. To put multiple phrases on one card, you can replace the number each number with {{c1:  }}. See below for an add-on that does this automatically. 

The golden rule of Anki: Less is more. It’s very easy to make a ton of cards, but it makes your studying less efficient. 

See the gif below to watch me create and study a Cloze card. 

Image Occlusion

This card type lets you create cards that hide parts of an image. Super useful for memorizing tables or learning anatomy. 

You can save images to your computer and then upload them OR copy them to your clipboard and it will select them automatically. 

Creating an Image Occlusion card: 

There are several options for adding the card(s). At this point, you have made three fields, so clicking any of the add options at the bottom will generate three separate cards. However, If you use the select tool to select all the cards and press the letter “G” it will group the fields so only one card is created. This is what I usually do - but it definitely depends on what the card is. 

In the gif below you’ll see me group the fields and study the Image Occlusion cards.

Add-Ons 

Anki has a ton of user created add-ons that enhance the program and make it more customizable! You can browse them here. 

How to add them: 

These are just the add-ons I use. I’ll list them below with a description from their download page - you can click the link to view pictures. 

Image Occlusion (Described above) 

CODE: 1111933094

Frozen Fields: Frozen Fields allows you to conveniently sticky and unsticky a field right from the note editor. 

CODE: 516643804

Cloze Deletion Single Card: Whenever you add a cloze deletion in a card, you always will get a tag using “c1” instead of c2, 3, 4, etc. 

CODE: 1392166854

PDF Glossary Exporter: Allows you to download a deck in PDF form

CODE: 1334168683

Review Heatmap: Adds a heatmap graph to Anki’s main window which visualizes past and future card review activity. 

CODE: 1771074083

Organization

How you set up your decks is completely up to you! 

I have my classes as major decks, and then separate my chapter flashcards by exam. 

I’ve seen people do this with topics or lectures as sub-decks as well. It all depends on your personal preference, but I would definitely recommend making smaller decks to keep you more organized. 

An alternative to this would be using Anki’s tagging feature. I’m not an expert on this, but I’ll link you to a video that explains it pretty well. Here’s another from a med student! 

Studying Methods/Tips

Directly after a lecture, I take my notes and create cards right away. In the ‘extra’ section or on the back of cards, I add supplemental information or diagrams from the internet or book. I make sure that I completely finish the cards that Anki assigns me every single day. I also bought the app on my iPad, which has a scratch pad feature. It helps me learn faster if I write or draw out the answer to a card as I answer them. (Before I had the app I used a whiteboard or scratch paper to do this!) 

You can go in and change the amount of cards they assign you if you need a lighter/heavier workload. I recommend setting the New and Review card limits very high - you only have a short amount of time to learn the cards between now and your next test.  Anki’s program is set up for learning over a longer period of time. However - this is up to you! 

Here’s how to change the limit: 

General tips: 

Anki is best used on a daily basis. Study a little bit each day!

Make your cards directly after lecture (or reading a chapter). DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! The earlier you make them, the more effective they will be. 

Add pictures to your cards, and lots of information on the back or in the extra sections. You will want to know why you got a card wrong - this is how you learn!

LESS IS MORE. It’s so easy to make a ton of cards - focus on having a small amount of high yield cards. 

Do your research! The more you learn about Anki, the more effective it will be. 

Use this as a supplement to your other studying methods

More Resources

Below are my favorite Anki tutorials! 

How to Add “Type In The Answer” fields to Cloze cards 

How to Use Anki Effectively 

My Memorization Technique in Med School  

Anki for Med School: Using Cloze Deletion Cards 

Image Occlusion and Cram Studying 

How I make my Study Note cards in Medical School 

I hope this gives everyone a pretty good idea of how to use Anki effectively! Let me know if there are any questions - I can always add to this post. 

[studyingstudent]

if you’re studying any kind of medicine and don’t use Anki, PLEASE do yourself a favor 

[studyingstudent]

difficulty memorizing the Kreb’s cycle?

Dropping this resource here - Picmonic! Super useful for learning/reviewing biochemistry. I’ve never been able to remember the damn Kreb’s Cycle until now lol. They make processes into stories with visual aids, and it seriously helps me remember them so much. Let me know if anyone else uses/loves it or knows of similar resources! 

** for my pre-med/med school friends, I’ve seen people loving Sketchy Medical for this purpose as well! It’s too human medicine specific for my uses but a wonderful resource as well. 

[studyingstudent]

What add-ons do you use for Anki? (If any)

I have a post on my favorite Anki add-ons! See it here :) 

[studyingstudent]

yeah lectures are impossible to do! i think i’m just going to not watch all of mine, i’m taking classes pass/fail anyway

I have this option too and I’m seriously considering it - my school went A/Pass/Fail so basically it’s not hurting my GPA at all if I do it. I’m just scared there might be repercussions in the future!! 

 I feel like my teachers are posting wayyyyyy longer/more lectures than they would’ve if we were in person lol. Anybody else? 

[studyingstudent]

Omg I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m a pre dental student and I’ve finally found a blog with tips/ strategies to help me get through😭 I’m currently taking chemistry I and I HATE IT! I got the shittiest prof possible (PhD student -_-) who is basically learning chemistry along with us. So unfair that my gpa has to be affected because of some student who needs his PhD... OK RANT OVER

This sounds awful!! Chemistry is the worst. I pretty much had to teach myself via youtube videos and khan academy haha. Let me know if I can help you with anything (studying wise.... as far as chemistry questions go I’m not gonna be much help lol) 

[studyingstudent]

Heyy, thanks so much for posting your ask link!! I’ve been having a tough time motivating myself, and it’s gotten to the point where I’m neglecting doing my homework and it’s causing my extreme anxiety (because I can’t stop thinking about how I’m not doing it). I get really good grades usually but this is really hard in quarantine. Any tips to get me to face my work?

Hi friend! I struggle with this as well. It’s super important to make mental health your priority over school work and productivity - please reach out to your teachers if needed. Everybody is doing the best they can. 

I really would encourage you to establish a routine. I’m a morning person, so I make sure that I get up, make my coffee, walk my dog, and get to work. I try to limit social media/phone use during this time (hard but helps). Having a routine helps me keep from procrastinating because it automates my decisions - instead of wondering what I will do each day, deciding to do this instead of that, I have a plan and know what I should be doing. Structure has been so beneficial. 

Rely on discipline over motivation. Nobody is expecting you to be motivated and ready to go 24/7 during a pandemic!! It’s okay to struggle and it’s absolutely normal to not feel like studying right now.  

Try the 5 minute rule - do what you’ve been dreading for 5 minutes. Start a timer and get to work! You might find that once you’ve gotten over the dread of starting it is easier to keep going. 

Pomodoro technique - it’s tried and true. I do 30 minutes on, 5 minutes of break. For your longer breaks, try to get outside or go for a walk. 

Write everything down. Make a list of all of your assignments, tests, due dates, etc. Check things off one at a time! 

Usually I start with the item on my list that’s going to be the hardest, because it feels good to get it over with. Lately I’ve been starting with the assignment I’m going to enjoy the most, which has been helping me get going.

I’ve been utilizing several study resources that have been helpful -

Anki flashcards: I’ve posted about this before bc I loooooove Anki. It has been even more helpful during quarantine because you have to study a little bit per day. I usually start my study sessions off with Anki cards. 

Forest App: plant trees that die if you get on your phone. It has a pomodoro timer, and you can even study with friends through the app. 

“Study with Me” videos on youtube! There are even live study sessions, and a lot of them use the pomodoro technique! I linked one that I have been using a ton. This one uses the pomodoro technique. 

Hopefully these tips help. Please allow yourself some grace, you deserve it! Message me if you have any further questions :) 

[studyingstudent]

difficulty memorizing the Kreb’s cycle?

Dropping this resource here - Picmonic! Super useful for learning/reviewing biochemistry. I’ve never been able to remember the damn Kreb’s Cycle until now lol. They make processes into stories with visual aids, and it seriously helps me remember them so much. Let me know if anyone else uses/loves it or knows of similar resources! 

** for my pre-med/med school friends, I’ve seen people loving Sketchy Medical for this purpose as well! It’s too human medicine specific for my uses but a wonderful resource as well. 

[studyingstudent]

How is everyone coping with the transition to online classes? Any questions over studying strategies for quarantine? (Ask me a question)

I for one am drowning in lectures to watch... it feels like I have 3x more work than I did before we went online! I’m not terribly upset by graduation being cancelled but I understand those who are :( especially high school seniors! 

I’m toying in the idea of starting an instagram for studying purposes... I’d also like to document my veterinary school journey! Let me know if anyone would be interested in following it :) hope you all are well!

[studyingstudent]

ACT Tips, Tricks and Strategies

GENERAL TIPS:

ANSWER EVERYTHING. ACT doesn’t penalize you for wrong answers. I repeat, THERE IS NO PENALTY FOR WRONG ANSWERS. You’ve got nothing to lose, so guess if you don’t know it! 

If the proctor gives the 5 minute warning and you’re not finished, go through and mark an answer for all of the remaining questions. Then go back and figure out all of the questions you have time for and change the answer if needed. This way, you aren’t stuck with blank questions when time is up. 

Watch the clock! Time is key. 

Write in the test booklet. Mark what you are trying to find, underline stuff, mark on the graphs, etc. 

Science

You have roughly 5 mins for each passage

The last question for each passage is always the hardest 

If you don’t know it, don’t spend too much time on it. Move on. 

There are 3 types of passages:

Data Representation (there are roughly 3-4 per test)

questions based on a diagram, table, picture, etc.

Research Summary (2-4 per test)

presents the results of experiments and asks you to compare the results

questions over results/method of research

Conflicting viewpoints

different viewpoints on the same issue

compare/contrast the viewpoints

Don’t read the passages first. Look at the questions and graphs. Most of the passages are designed to slow you down, and you can answer the questions without them. If you feel like you need to read the passage after looking at the questions, go for it. 

Exception: Passages with no graphs/tables where they ask you to examine different views (conflicting viewpoint passages)

Ignore fancy science words

Math: 

60 questions, 60 minutes

There are different ways to approach questions-

you can use multiple choice strategies like estimation, use the answers provided and work the question backwards or guess and check

If you don’t know it, guess and move on. You have one minute for each problem, and if a problem is taking up too much time mark an answer and circle the question to come back to if you have time. 

The math test covers: 

pre-algebra 

elementary algebra (Algebra 1 stuff)

intermediate algebra/coordinate geometry (algebra 2)

plane geometry

trigonometry 

Review the topics before the test and do practice problems. There are tons of resources online, just search the topic you struggle with. 

English

1/5 of answers are “no change”

This is English, NOT reading. Don’t waste your time reading the passages, go to the underlined portions and read the sentences around them if you need context. 

Exception: questions that ask about paragraph order, order of sentences, main idea, etc. 

When all answers mean the same thing, choose the shortest one. (Omit needless words, Strunk and White #17)

If you have an “omit” question (where they underline a phrase and ask you if it should be deleted) read it without the underlined portion first and see if it makes sense. 

It helps if you know the Strunk and White rules

REMEMBER: 

For sentence boundaries, use . : ; 

To set off clauses inside sentences, use , - or ( )

If you see theses words, ACT is asking for a specific example from the test

example

illustrate

demonstrate

describe

show

If you read the words LEAST, NOT, or EXCEPT in a question circle it so you don’t miss it!

If you see a YES or NO question look at the NO options first

If you see a KEEP or DELETE question look at the KEEP options first

When you have three answer choices that mean the same thing, always choose the old man out.

The most common correct answer concerning punctuation is the one with no punctuation (ACT irony) If in doubt, leave it out.

READING

4 passages

Literature

Social Sciences

Humanities

Natural Sciences

You have 35 minutes to read 4 passages and answer 40 questions, so you get roughly 8.5 minutes per passage.

Depending on your target score, preview the test and pick the hardest passage to leave out. (Not recommended if you’re going for high twenties or anywhere in the 30s… you have to do them all) If you’re going for a higher score, leave the most difficult passage until last. 

Skim the questions and circle key words before you read, take note of questions that reference specific lines in the text (I put the number of the question by that line)

This is helpful, but make sure you’re doing this quickly! It is meant to save time but it’s not worth it if it takes you too long. I would do this on a practice ACT first to make sure it will work for you. 

Most correct answers are paraphrases of the text. 

Be careful if a question uses exact words from the text because in most cases the meaning has been changed and they are trying to trap you.

Questions containing always, all, never and other absolutes are usually a trap because they mean that there can be no exceptions.

Circle contrast words. (However, but, despite, yet, therefore, nonetheless)

ACT doesn’t care about your opinion– if you disagree with the passage, you just have to move past it! 

WRITING

30 minute essay

You are provided with a prompt that presents an issue and two points of view. You are supposed to write on your position. 

ACT graders look for 

how you articulate your opinion

how well you maintain focus on the topic

how you organize your essay

your use of standard english

In your intro, make sure you

take a clear position

paraphrase the argument

give the argument broader context

have your thesis as the last sentence

Body paragraphs 

Have good transitions and topic sentences

develop your ideas logically and fully

make sure you stay focused on the issue

use specific examples

Explain the weaknesses/limitations of these positions

Counter argument

Good topic sentence

Give a specific example, relate it to your argument.

How is the view you picked better than this one? (”The other view says this, however, …”) 

Conclusion

Clear transition (”In conclusion…”)

summarize the ideas clearly

Overall, make sure you have varied sentence structure, strong word choice, and as little spelling/mechanical errors as possible. 

[studyingstudent]

a big sister’s college tips

wait until after syllabus week to buy your textbooks. they might not be required. it’ll save you money 

prioritize your classes by number of credit hours. more credit hours = bigger impact on your GPA. sometimes there’s not enough study time to go around  

if you wanna dress up for class, dress up for class. if you wanna pull up in the sweatshirt you wore yesterday, that’s okay too 

locate your classes before they start, so you don’t get lost on the first day. check and see if your college has an app of some sort with a campus map! 

old exams are more valuable than life itself  

set your class schedule as your home screen until you’ve got it down 

Chegg.com. you’re welcome 

carry a sweatshirt. it may be 100 degrees outside but chances are it’s 30 degrees in your lecture hall  

keep your syllabi  

write things down!! planner, phone, laptop, etc.  

sit in the front. go up and introduce yourself to your professor after the first day, say you’re looking forward to the class. build a relationship! Professors do not round grades for students they don’t at least recognize 

bring your chargers with you everywhere 

sometimes it’s easier to wake up early and study for an exam than stay up late the night before  

shower shoes. have you ever heard of toe fungus 

the dorms are bad BUT you will get through it (and make friends while doing it) 

there’s no such thing as a condom that doesn’t fit    

every time you skip class it costs you money. go to class. (unless you are dying or have no other time to finish something for another class)

your mental health is important. college can be overwhelming. know your limits. seek help if you need it. 

sometimes if you go to your professor’s office hours and ask questions a day or two before an exam they will steer you towards information that will be covered 

find your study space. the library is your friend  

parking is a bitch and a half 

it’s okay to miss your parents. call them. (they miss you too) 

talk to your advisor!!! let them advise you!!!

don’t study yourself into the ground. after college you’re a real life adult - enjoy college while it lasts. go out, make friends, if you drink, do so responsibly. uber exists for this very reason 

keep an eye on your drink at all times 

don’t feel pressured to go out and drink because college. it’s not for everybody  

on a related note: pedialyte is your friend  

don’t be afraid to drop a class that doesn’t fit you, but talk to your advisor first 

chances are you’re paying a lot of money to be where you are. party if you wanna, but do not let it interfere with your grades.  

you’re gonna get a lot of free stuff. take advantage 

if you can handle it with your class load, get a job. it’s a good way to make friends. 

it’s okay to change your major. really! 

first semester is easier if you get involved with something!!   

there will be weeks when you have nothing due, and then there will be weeks when you have 5 exams 14 assignments and 2 papers due all at once. take advantage of down time. work ahead!! make life easier for your future self  

carry a water bottle  

exercise will not only help avoid the freshman 15 but also make you feel better  

it’s okay if you’re not best friends with your roommate 

communicate if they are doing something that annoys you  

keep your dorm clean. the only thing worse than a tiny space is a messy one 

buy an umbrella

[heyrosiebee]

i can attest to every. single. one. of these. wish i had this knowledge my first year. it’d have been a biiig help 😅

[lokithanos]

Reposting this for myself tbh

[bottomofthe9th]

Tips from a community college administrative assistant:

• Your professors are there to help. Absolutely go see them for class help, advising, scheduling, etc., but try to make an appointment ahead of time either directly with the professor or with the department’s administrative assistant. This ensures that the professor will not already have another student in their office, lets them prepare ahead of time for whatever specific topics you want to discuss, and means they will have enough time to cover your questions.

• Keeping your syllabi is REALLY important, especially if you are going to transfer schools. A lot of departments will allow for re-evaluation of transfer credits if they aren’t awarded the first time, but their main source of information about the class is the syllabus. Of the two, the Master Syllabus is the most important, but the Class is helpful too, especially if the assignments are detailed. If you don’t have the syllabi anymore, contact the admin of the department of your old school by email. If you provide your student number, class number, and semester you took the class, they should be able to email it to you.

[studyingstudent]

AHHHH I just submitted my formal vet school application!! 

[studyingstudent]

i’m in!

[emmastudies]

Digital Bullet Journal App

Hey guys! Whilst replying to my last message, I came across an application called Elisi - it is a free digital bullet journal app for iPhone/iPad, Andriod and Mac :D

I’ve just downloaded it to see what it can do and it has:

weekly calendars (unfortunately, no monthly or daily specific)

colour-coded lists (with % completion)

habit trackers (each week and tracks your record/streak)

notes - these you can have per week, but if you bookmark them they’ll stay for any week you go too!

check off your tasks or check off and leave a reaction (sad, neutral, happy)

Here is a screenshot of me testing it out so you can have a quick see!

Just thought I’d share it since it’s free and looks quite useful! :-)

[studyingstudent]

I can vouch for this program. I LOVE

[bn-studies]

My brain is a little fried I won’t lie to you 🍳

[studyingstudent]

managed to scrape by with a 4.0 this semester!! just barely! more motivated than ever to crush my summer classes

[academedical]

20.05.19 12.38pm It’s been a while since I’ve posted here! I’ve been working on neuro and regional clinical anatomy.

[studyingstudent]

I had a multiple choice exam this morning. The teacher copied the test questions from some test bank... and forgot to delete the “CORRECT” that was written next to every right answer haha. Five minutes into the exam everyone starts laughing and he grabs a copy, turns around and says “...SHIT”