It’s the middle of midterm season, and the stress is running high at this time of year. As deadlines loom and exams approach, it can be helpful to manage your workload and improve the effectiveness of your study sessions. Here are some tips and tricks to help you excel this semester.
- Try out a variety of study techniques
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It might take some trial and error to figure out which study methods are most effective for you, so testing out a couple of different methods might be useful.
One popular method is the Pomodoro Technique. This is often effective since it involves short periods of focus with time in between for your brain to take a break. Generally, you select a single task to focus on and set a timer to study for 25 to 30 minutes continuously before taking a 5-minute break. You then repeat this several times before taking a longer break of around 20 to 30 minutes. An app that I enjoy using when employing this method is Forest, which is a timer on your phone that allows you to virtually plant a tree for each timer you set, as long as you don’t lose your focus, eventually making a digital forest with a variety of different trees.
Another effective technique you might try is the Feynman Technique, which ensures a thorough understanding of the concepts by forcing you to break them down into simple explanations in your own words. With this technique, you try to summarize the material and explain how you would if you were speaking to a child. It’s useful for figuring out what you already know and the topics that require further reinforcement as it forces you to know the topic well enough to be able to teach it.
- Make a study plan and don’t cram before exam day
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I know it’s easier said than done, as it can be tempting to leave all your studying for the last couple of days (or in some cases, the day before your exam). However, not only does cramming prevent you from actually retaining the material in the long run, but it also increases the stress you might feel leading up to the exam.
Instead of cramming, I find it helpful to create a study plan for the few weeks leading up to the test date to ensure that I pace myself while being able to cover all the material. Of course, this doesn’t work if you don’t stick to your plan but otherwise, study plans tend to prevent procrastination by giving you a place to start each study session and a roadmap to follow to get you through the course content.
- Select a good study playlist
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Sometimes it can be hard to get into the zone when starting a study session, and there’s nothing like music to get you into the right headspace. However, selecting the right type of music is essential. If you find yourself easily distracted, you might opt for classical songs, lo-fi music, or sounds of nature instead of the playlist you usually sing along to. On the other hand, if you’re like me and you find yourself falling asleep to the calming nature of classical music, you might try the modern electronic genre. Regardless, the key is to figure out what will optimize your concentration and minimize distractions.
Happy Studying!
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