Let’s face it. We’ve all had the moment of spacing out in a class only to hear the last snippet of conversation being about an exam that you had no idea about.
Now, you have a few days and short motivation, but you must pass.
I’m all about studying and maximizing academic success, but in college especially, studying harder is never the answer.
Whether you had weeks ahead to prepare, one week or a few days, with these study tips (backed up by science!), you’re bound to do well, and your results will show it.
1. Spaced Repetition
As unfamiliar as it sounds, spaced repetition is pretty simple. All you need are flashcards. Once you’re familiar with a term or definition, you move it to a section of cards that you don’t need to study as often. If you’re still having a difficult time with a flashcard, you move it to a section of cards that you need more time to work on. By then, there should be two sections: one for “mastered” terms and another section for when practice is still needed.
Not a fan of old-fashioned paper flashcards?
Spaced repetition is automatically done on Quizlet with its Learn Mode or when using Anki Flashcards. The concept is exactly the same. Your studying is now accessible on any smart device so that you can retain information on the go.
2. Active Recall
Also known as active retrieval or practice testing, active recall is done so that information learned from the brain is taken to help you answer questions. Instead of reading to memorize, you memorize information and then apply it. So, let’s say that you’ve recently learned about depolarization. With active recall, you would create a set of questions about depolarization. These questions would be answered with information that you’ve learned. After some time, this method will help you retain information, as you are training your brain to recall answers. Active recall is superior to re-reading notes, as it has been proven that that popular technique to study, doesn’t do much in the long run.
3. Use Mnemonics
Mnemonics help you remember information by associating a topic or term with a word or phrase. It would be much more difficult to remember whether it is PEMDAS OR PEDMAS without “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.” Cute little phrases or rhymes are usually so unique that don’t escape your mind as easily as “Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction” would. It might sound silly when reviewing, but “King Henry Died Unusually Drinking Chocolate Milk” might be a lifesaver.
4. Pomodoro Technique
Translating to “tomato” in Italian, the Pomodoro Technique came to be after Francesco Cirillo used a timer shaped like a tomato to time his study sessions. He realized that a 25-minute interval was the ideal time to truly focus without a break. The technique was validated, and it’s now considered a great method to manage time. 25 minutes are allotted to study, then a five-minute break is given. This repeats three more times until after the fourth interval, a longer break (between 25 to 30 minutes) is taken. 25 minutes is the perfect median of time, as we often tend to take too much time at once to study. Our brains deserve breaks too.
5. declutter your space
If my environment is—plainly speaking—messy, I can’t do any sort of work. That might be the same for you too. Take a minute or several minutes, to really clean and declutter the space where you will be studying in. It’s difficult to focus on the different parts of a neuron when your eye cannot help but focus on the parts of last night’s leftover Panera Bread on your desk.
The end result of your decluttering will most likely not be as aesthetically pleasing, but it will most likely still be pleasing to the eye.
6. Just Relax!
This is my favorite piece of advice for elevated studying since you don’t have to do anything. Know your limits. If you can’t understand a topic by 12 a.m., you won’t understand it by 3 a.m. There’s a large chance that what’s holding you back is simply exhaustion. Enjoy your sleep and bring your best energy for your next study session. If there isn’t another chance to study, sometimes you have to take your losses and let it become a lesson.
One thing about these six tips for studying is that they all work hand in hand to improve how you learn and retain information effectively. Write your flashcards using Active Recall and organize them with the Spaced Repetition technique. In these flashcards, use mnemonics to remember rules or other terms, then break up your study sessions with 25-minute Pomodoro intervals.
You might still be technically studying hard, but at least your studying will be leading to something.
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