For as long as I can remember, studying and taking tests felt like a chore. And not a fun chore like watering the plants. A chore on the same level as unloading the dishwasher. As midterms and finals creep closer, my skin starts to breakout, I eat nothing of nutritional value, and I tend to cry more often than not. When I got to college, I don’t think I was really prepared for the dreadful week of back to back tests. I won’t lie, that first exam week is not going to go how you think it will, but as you get more used to the intensity of it, it gets easier. I want to share my top 5 favorite and most effective study techniques and hacks.
- Number 1: Quizlet
- If you are anything like me, learning through visual stimuli is the best way for you to remember things. Flashcards are not a new study tool by any means, but Quizlet.com puts a new spin on flashcards and multiple choice practice. You can make your own study sets using personal notes, you can use other users sets, and they have different games and ways that you can test yourself using your study set.
- Number 2: Self Care Study Sessions
- As I said before, studying causes all kinds of emotional and hormonal reactions in me. Stress is probably the most common feeling students have going into tests, but in an effort to combat that, I try and do something good for myself either before, during, or after studying. Whether it’s painting my nails while reading Socrate’s arguments, doing a face mask after practicing calculus problems, or treating myself to a piece of chocolate after analyzing a few chapters of text, I find these little things give me an incentive to try a bit harder and study for longer.
- Number 3: Study in a Group
- This one can cause some eye-rolling, but studying in a group can actually help you to procrastinate less and to fill in the blanks in your personal notes. When you surround yourself with like minded individuals (or even just people in the same class) you are more likely to answer questions you might have, just by talking it out with them. Some professors set up study groups for students while others encourage it.
- Number 4: Make a Plan
- There is nothing worse than forgetting about a test and cramming the night before. While not for everybody, I find that planners and agendas are super helpful when it comes to planning out study breaks and remembering when my exams are scheduled for. In a planner, I can write down when the test is, what day I want to start studying and what topic or section of my notes I want to focus during that study session.
- Number 5: Eat Some Brain Food
- It’s a well known fact that some foods are better for brain function than others. For example, an apple will help you out way more than a donut would. Instead of ice cream, try yogurt with fruit or granola. Certain yogurts are high in protein and help keep you energized and full for longer so that you don’t interrupt studying to get snacks.
These tips, while they help me, might have different results for anyone who decides to use them. Studying is something we should be excited to do as it is something that will benefit our brains and educational careers in the long run, so the next time you are dreading a long awaited study session, refer back to this and try a new technique.