Sunday finally rolls around, and what do you have to show for it: a bad hangover and a pile of books that have yet to be opened. Exam season is in full swing and with college football and the onset of beautiful fall weather, who are you to blame for wanting to enjoy yourself outside and away from anything classroom relevant?
I have recently experienced this and decided instead of the usual cram system of hurriedly reading all my books and notes for 12 hours straight, I’d be the guinea pig for a method I’d created. I like to call it “effective cramming.” Here’s a quick rundown:
- Set aside a day (depending on how behind you are in classes, maybe even two days, but let’s not get crazy) preferably Sunday or a Saturday when the football game is away
- Separate your notes and books into subject piles for the classes you need to study
- Choose one of the subjects and sit down for 4 hours, working through the bulk of it
- These 4 hours are intended to give you enough time to read, study and create materials that works best for you (flashcards, outlines, etc.)
- After the 4 hours is up, take a 1 hour break, freeing your mind of the previous subject (take a nap, watch an episode of your favorite show, nothing too mind-straining)
- After the hour is up, switch out the materials and begin a new subject
- Repeat (4 hours on subject 1—1 hour break—4 hours on subject 2—1 hour break, you get the idea)
- If you decided to do 3 subjects, don’t forget about taking that break
Although this method may seem simplistic and obvious, I found myself feeling more in control of what I was studying. The overwhelming factor drops significantly, because you portion out your learning as opposed to haphazardly switching from subject to subject. The following day, repeat this method but solely for studying your created materials and reviewing.
How is this more beneficial? The studying is continuous, so you’re not having to remember what you read from a textbook two weeks prior. The built-in break allows you to reset your brain and rev it up for the next subject. The time intervals can be altered, and as busy students, it’s nice to have an organized study schedule without spending too much time on planning the actual schedule. Give it a try and see what works best for you. Happy studying!