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top 10 productivity tips

productivity hack ft google cal

Memorization is the core of learning, especially if you are learning a language. There are many different ways to memorize, but the key to using a successful technique is utilizing a technique that works with your learning style. I’m going to group the different memorization techniques by each type of learning style. 

Make sure you take this quiz to see what type of learner you are. 

The Visual (Spatial) Learning Style

Method of Loci: Learner associates a location with an item that needs memorization. Then the location becomes a trigger to remembering the item. i.e. you need to remember a grocery list so you associate the couch with milk, the window with eggs, etc. (see illustration)

Visualization: creates images and sequences around certain objects. Similar to The Method of Loci. Object or information that needs to be remembered is associated with a future event. i.e. If you need to remember to bring your jacket, you take time to see yourself in a future situation with your jacket. This triggers the subconscious to help your conscious remember the item. For language learning one might see their cat and then visualize the kanji 猫 or use pictograms of future activities to pair with vocabulary. 

Reading repetition: The average person only retains 10%-25% of what they read once. A visual learner can read something 2-4 times and have a retention rate of close to 90%. 

The Aural (Auditory-Musical-Rhythmic) Learning Style

Chaining/Story Lining: Create a story surrounding the things you need to remember. If you have a good imagination this technique will drastically increase your ability to retain information. Similar to the Method of Loci, but instead a detailed story is created. Make sure you say the story out loud. i.e. As I spoke about before I created a story including anatomical terms. “The evil gastrocnemius had to travel over the semimembranosus mountains in order to conquer the gluteus maximus.”

Rhyming and Songs: A technique used by Dr. Seuss to help early readers in English learn basic vocabulary. String together rhyming words and/or create songs that contain the things you need to remember. Acronyms can also function within this method. i.e. Japanese verb form you could use the acronym IESK ( I rule, Ed rules, Sam rules, Kings rules) and set it to music. Make sure you sing your Acronym to help make it stick in your memory. 

Music Listening: Listen to specific songs while you study. Then as you remember the song, you will remember the information. I got through a semester of 24 credits this way. This can also help if you are someone who needs to study with background noise. 

The Physical (Bodily-Kinesthetic) Learning Style

Dramatize:  Acting out the information in a dramatic way can create associations to help you remember the necessary information. You can combine this with Chaining. 

Walking: Studies show that the act of walking increases memory formation by 25%. The motion allows parts of our brains that are idle during resting study to activate. The ability to unconsciously walk allows the conscious mind to focus more on the task to be learned. Bring your flashcards with you and go take a stroll. You can combine this with The Method Loci and tag things you see on your walk with what you are trying to memorize. 

Repetition While Exercising: If you are a hard physical learner you might want to combine time at the gym with your memorization. Each squat you can repeat something you need to remember. i.e. instead of counting your pushups, use the 25 vocabulary words you need to memorize to keep track of your pushups. You can even have the flashcards on the treadmill, and can use circuit training to trigger your memory. 

The Logical (Mechanical) Learning Style

Systems Thinking:  understand the links between various parts of a system. An important point here is that systems thinking helps you understand the bigger picture. Often the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Person who use this do well with creating outlines, bullet notes, and drawing diagrams of what needs to be memorized. 

Repetition Writing: Write the thing that needs to be memorized 100 times. The act of writing it out consistently will make it stick in your memory. 

Spaced Repetition: Rewrite your notes, and vocabulary regularly. This can be helpful to all learning types as a general form of repetition as we tend to forget about 25% of new information a day after we’ve learned it. 

General tips

Make sure you rest regularly. If you can get a good nights sleep before a test you have a better chance of your brain retaining the information. (So stop cramming.) 

Similarly make sure you eat right and give your brain fuel. You do burn calories while studying, so don’t deprive yourself. Snack on healthy fats like nuts for quick and cheap brain fuel. 

11.11.17 // midterm season ft. bio notes

Starting a bullet journal - a tutorial

Tips for anyone who’d like to start a bullet journal but doesn’t know how/where to begin :)

30 things that you can add to your habit tracker if you are a student

The end of the month is for many of us the perfect time to take out our planners and bullet journals to plan the upcoming month.

Today I want to provide you with ideas for every student’s habit tracker.

You don’t have a habit tracker yet? I highly recommend this productivity tool for you. It can help you to track your current habits and it will help you to establish new habits more easily. Just check Tumblr, Pinterest or Google for some inspiration.

HABIT TRACKER IDEAS FOR STUDENTS

Do homework

Go to library

Digital detox during study session and lecture

Successful Pomodoro study session

Write essay

Accomplish reading assignment

Do research

Go to class

Arrived in class on time

Number of questions asked in a lecture (easier: participation at class y/n)

Review notes after class

Rewrite notes

Prepare a presentation

Prepare presentation speech

Organize folders/binders

Write a paragraph for essay

Write a summary

Write flashcards

Save written assignments on external memory/USB/cloud

Meetings with study buddy or study group

Learn something new

Declutter desk space

Study to-do list accomplished

Do some exercises to test new study material

Prepare backpack/bag the night before

Number of study breaks taken

8 hours of sleep

Go to bed by a certain time

Water intake

Exercise/sport

TAGS:

studyblr (=smartblr) - study blog

studyspo  (=smartspo) - study inspiration (e.g., quotes, pictures of studying or stationery…)

appblr - university (college) applications blog

archblr - architecture studyblr

artblr - art studyblr

astroblr - astronomy studyblr

bioblr - biology studyblr

businessblr - business studyblr

chemblr - chemistry studyblr

engblr - engineering studyblr

historyblr - history studyblr

langblr - languages studyblr

lawblr - law studyblr

litblr - literature studyblr

mathblr - mathematics studyblr

medblr - medicine studyblr

musicblr - music studyblr

philoblr - philosophy studyblr

physicsblr - physics studyblr

psychblr - psychology studyblr

stemblr - science, technology, engineering, maths studyblr

APPLICATIONS/ EXTENTIONS/ WEBSITES:

(If there’s no price written next to something, that thing is for free)

- Forest  android | iOS ($0.99) | Windows Phone (€0.99) | Chrome | Firefox (FocusNow - a similar free version for iOS)

- Momentum Chrome

- Fliqlo Mac/Windows | iOS ($0.99)

- Habitica website | android

- Duolingo website | android | iOS

- Khan Academy website | youtube | android | iOS

- Cold Turkey (program that blocks websites) website

- Todoist website | android | iOS | Chrome

- Quizlet website | android | iOS

- My Study Life website | android | iOS | Windows Phone | Chrome

- Lanes website | chrome

STATIONERY:

TESTS/ PROGRAMMES/ CERTIFICATES, ETC:

GSCE -  General Certificate of Secondary Education is a two-year programme in a specific subject taken by school students in UK. Students start GCSEs at age 14 in year 10 and then they take the public examinations at age 16 in year 11. A level -  a qualification in a specific subject typically taken by school students aged 16–18 in UK (after GCSEs). A Levels are worked towards over two years and split into two parts, with one part studied in each year:

A1 Level or AS Level - the first part of the A level.

A2 Level - the second part of the A level.

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the USA and Canada, which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. American colleges and universities often grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations.

International Baccalaureate (IB) can refer to the international educational foundation, any of the 4 programmes it offers, or the diploma or certificates awarded at the end of the programme.

IELTS -  International English Language Testing System is an international standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers.

TOEFL - Test Of English as a Foreign Language is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in American universities. Though, it is accepted by many English-speaking academic and professional institutions.

ACT - American College Testing is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in USA. 

SAT -  Scholastic Assessment Test  is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in USA.

EDUCATION STAGES/ DEGREES:

Major - is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits in USA and Canada. A student who successfully completes the courses prescribed in an academic major qualifies for an undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degree.

Double major -  a student who declares two academic majors is said to have a double major.

Undergrad student - a student taking up undergraduate education.  

Undergraduate education - is a level of education between secondary education and a master’s degree. When a student completes an undergraduate education they get a Bachelor’s degree.

Grad student - a student taking up graduate or postgraduate education.

Graduate education - is a level of education taken up after getting a Bachelor’s degree. When a student complete a graduate education they either get a Master’s or Doctorate degrees.

It goes something like this:

Beware, things vary from country to country and from subject to subject.

27.05.17