why some people dont study ✍(◔◡◔)
“Well, actually.. I don’t study.” You’ve heard this multiple times. From the class toppers, the people that seemingly don’t do anything, the people that shrug their shoulders and walk off with full marks. You gape in astonishment, and perhaps, in envy. All your hard work and hours slaving away.. All for a grade you aren’t happy with. How do they do it?
I’ve personally been in both situations, where I didn’t study and got good grades, and where I sacrificed so much for a bad grade. Here’s some reasons why people “don't study” and get good grades:
They have mastered the topic: This is usually the most common reason. Imagine you are taking a test, and the test is about addition and subtraction. Did you need to study for this exam? Probably not, since you have already mastered the topic. It’s easy to ace it (hopefully..). It’s the same for that person. They have already mastered the topic, from prior education or activities, so there is no reason to study for a test. The exam would be easy, and they have already moved on to harder topics. No need to try.
They are thoroughly engaged with the class: I have never needed to study for psychology exams (although I still practiced for them!). Why? Because I loved that subject! The teacher, the class, the topics, everything was so engaging to me. I was the one person with my hand raised, because I really loved discussing and engaging in that class. Listening in class was most of my studying. I did really well on the final exams, even without much studying (I still studied guys!) because I was having fun. Imagine someone gave you a test on your favorite book, TV show, or sports team, versus a boring subject test. You’d obviously do better on the test about the things you love! It will not take much effort when you love learning it.
They have memorized the types of questions during exams: Sometimes professors or teachers will not change the questions that come up on the exam, or the formatting for them. I ran into a similar situation when I was taking a calculus test. I had seen one exact same question on the practice exam, so I didn’t even have to check the answer or solve anything. I already knew the questions and the answers. The content of the exam is usually the same, especially during multiple choice or vocabulary quizzes. This may be the reason you looked over, but professors and teachers are lazier than you think.
They are lying: This is a harsh one, but it’s true. Sometimes people love to get praised for not studying and still doing well on a test, when they did the same thing you did. It’s even more obvious for bigger exams, like SATs and other cumulative final exams. There is quite a bit of content to remember, master, and practice. Even if you didn’t study, it’s probably not true. You may have mastered the material beforehand, or have some good practice tips and strategies.
And remember, don’t beat yourself up for a bad grade. And don’t compare yourself to someone who didn’t study. Look back and review; maybe it's time to implement some of those skills or new studying methods. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll have to take an exam you don’t need to study for!
