Anyone have any good study tips for our student members? (including me) I'm finding it harder to remember things... So far.. here are the study tips that have been recommended by different people: Get a full night's sleep (which i'm failing at the moment) Flash cards Take breaks between sections of a chapter Re-read
Um, I don't have that much advice since I never actually studied ever in school, for the most part. The only thing I have is association, which I use, which is basically just finding something to associate with specific things about what you're studying, like...well, I don't really have any examples. Boy, I bet that was helpful!
Reptition of material. Go over it and over it, and make NOTES. That helped me out in college. A good nights rest, and also listening to classical while studying can help. I trained myself to fall asleep to music on my iPod to anything. It helps with being able to study in noisy environments like student unions and cafeterias.
Unless you have to while doing research. You'd be amazed at the "tricks" you can find on Cisco routers "browsing" the internet.
Apply yourself. I did for the most part but narrowly escaped from the distractions that college has to offer. Have fun but set aside time to study and don't stray from it once you've committed to "Ok big test on Friday, I need to study yada yada yada..." I'm going back soon for my MA. Uh oh.
Get rid of distractions - like screwing around here. Seriously, abstaining from those little liberties of checking email and the goings on here will help you concentrate (does for me anyway) (Advice from a past professor) Learning comes through the arm, not the eyes. As in subjects like chemistry, math, computer science, etc. Do the problems & homework and get hands-on with the material.
Read through things once, then leave it for 20 minutes or so. Do something completely different, wash the dishes, feed the dog, whatever. Then go back to what you were reading about previously. This repetition with the delay worked better for me than just sitting there trying to force it in. Edit This only really works for revision, for remembering facts and stuff. If you need to remember equations and maths formulae this is how I did it.
Put away anything that will distract you. When I was studying for my GCSE's, I packed up all my TF's, all my Game Consoles and my TV. With the distractions gone, I was free to study.
1 - Learn to enjoy the topic, even if you don't. Try to see it from your instructor's point of view; learn why he/she likes it. 2 - Read the text section for the period in advance, if you know in advance. Take notes, and note any questions you may have. Read your notes from the previous class as soon as possible before the current class starts. 3- Get to class early, if possible. Reread the text and your notes. 4 - Take good notes during class. Write down everything even vaguely important, together with lots of examples. 5 - After class (can be another day, but well before your next class), reread the text and your notes. Work through any example questions or problems. Do all assigned homework, and anything else available (odd questions when only even are assigned; having the answers available to check is helpful). Whenever the author asks questions in the text, answer them even if it's not in a "question" section. Go through the review sections. Check your answers. 6 - If you don't "get it," ask for help, preferrably from your instructor, next from another instructor, or next from someone who's doing well in the class. It doesn't do any good to ask help from someone who doesn't know the topic themselves.
Well, this is my 7th semester in college and I have tried everything. I finally found several strategies that have really helped me out. Repetition- When reading, don't try to force it. If you don't get it the first time, just read over it and then read everything again. Notes- Make sure to take good notes in class and don't hesitate to ask the professor anything you don't understand. Hands on- Reading is one thing, but actually applying it and doing it is much more helpful than just reading it. Finally, get at least five or six hours of sleep and have some orange juice in the morning. Hope this helps.
Usually I scan through whatever I'm supposed to read/study first, and pick up on the key parts (aka the BOLDED VOCABULARY WORDS!) Then I go through a second time and kind of do a thorough read. Then again, I tend to procrastinate and do this like two days before.
Practice Practice Practice. Sample Tests, Textbook problems, whatever you can get to help you learn the material. GO TO CLASS. Even if you dont think you're learning, you are, and having the prof recognize your face may help you out later. Try studying with music. See what works for you. It helps me to put on something that keeps me awake, but only if I can still tune it out so its just in the background.
With me I just wing it, I usually did very well at school surprisingly (I'm not a straight "A" student). I think it has something to do with the subconscious part of your mind where the first answer comes from, the calmer and relaxed side before the hysterical side takes over. I don't know, this is what my best friend told me about the exam thing. When it comes to studying I just use music to help get me in the mood (try using music without lyrics, like original acoustics from your favourite artist. I just listen to the piano versions of Linkin Park but it differs from person to person). Try to find some similarities too for further enjoyment, for example for Literature we had to study Shakespeare's play "King Lear" and I found some similarities between Galvatron and King Lear as we went on and in Drama where I read up on "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" for research I found similarities between the Megatron and Galvatron debate (in support of the Megatron is Galvatron theory) it was quite an interesting story. Sometimes stories inspire us and I almost always keep my school novels from the past because with the way teachers got involved in the books with the rest of the class made me appreciate the stories more. Looking for symbolic parts also hit well with the teachers because it shows that you understand the text and that you're using your mind to think outside the box. For example, with "the Great Gatsby" there was a green light towards the beginning of the story that Gatsby always looks out to (it was across the harbour near West Egg I think). The light could symbolise his envy towards Tom Buchannan who married his love interest Daisy (seeing that green usually symbolises envy) or it could be there to demonstrate his unobtainable dream of being with Daisy (his fatal flaw). And if you're not sure about what's expected of you or you have questions about the set work don't be afraid to ask for help from your teachers, I cannot stress this enough, back at high school there was this really complicated Drama essay that I had to hand in during year 11 or 12. I went to the teacher who gladly went through it with me and with only a week to finish it in, it was completed on time and I got an "A+" for it. The other students who didn't ask for help got much lower scores. If you need clarification ask the teachers because students may misunderstand the questions which is why you turn to a teacher. Study hard, take notes, mesmerise for a while and when you're certain you know all you need to know stop reading and mesmerising the text and just wing it. You'll be rewarded in the end with good marks Although study habits vary from person to person, if this isn't your thing then pick a different study habit that suits you better. Everyone has the potential to be something great, it takes a while for us to realise it you're no different and I wish you luck in your studies and a successful year. I know you can do it.
Pro Tip (1): Don't study some pansy shit like arts or chemistry. Pro Tip (2): Try and sit behind a hot girl in lectures and check out her thong. Pro Tip (3): No matter what happens you're gonna leave it to the last minute. Embrace this fact and you will be happier.
