Rip

love love love soaking in the sun while studying ☀️

As a student with dyscalculia, I always had difficulties with math.

But since I’ve taken a scientific high school, has been important to me to find a bulletproof way to study this subject.

I’ve thought that it would be interesting to share it with you, so there is a guide about studying math, maybe not in an easier way, but surely in a more effective one.

In class

Pay attention to the lesson. Taking notes will help you keep concentrated. Also keep an eye on examples and don’t hesitate to ask someone to explain it.

Sometimes teachers asks for a volunteer in order to show the class how do exercises: don’t be afraid and offer to do it, so the teacher will understand if you have understand the lesson and will not wait until test for give you a help.

After class

Study each time is an always valid advice, but in math this applies even more. In this way you can better define notions and have more time for exercise on different categories of math problems.

Always take some time for study the theory part from your textbook and notes. Try to have more exercise as possible. At least do assigned homeworks and ask for help when you don’t know how to resolve one.

Often textbooks have guide exercises that show how to resolve them, be sure you don’t skip them.

Before a test

Some days before a test, try to do more exercises than usual.

The 75%of times it isn’t very useful, but it can help you feeling more prepared. So if you don’t have time for it, don’t worry and don’t feel guilty.

If you haven’t studied and exercised in a while, trying to catch up all at once will not help. I’m saying this for experience.

General advices

ask for a help from your friends: that’s what friends are for!

Consider to take private lessons. Yes, they’re expensive, but if you have many shortcomings, they can be the only solution. Personally, I’ve taken a lot of private lessons and they didn’t help me very much. But many of my friends found them useful. So try if you can.

A teacher with an interested class is an happy teacher. Don’t be afraid to mess up and remember that there are no “stupid questions”

Never despair. There is always time to improve. Math is that kind of subject that has to be appreciated, otherwise became difficult to find the right motivation to study it.

I hope that you will find this “masterpost” useful, so if you have any questions or think that I’ve missed something, please send me an ask/message.

i know it’s hard some times, but

JUST.

KEEP.

do you have homework due tomorrow? do it

did you get any homework today? do it

did you get an assignment notification? break it into small chunks, schedule these chunks and make a start on it. 

do you have an exam tomorrow? do some light revision. or if you’ve left it until the last, turn off your phone, put it in your desk drawer and revise until you’re done. make sure you get at least 4 hours of sleep if you’re cramming, 8 if you’re not. 

do you have a quiz tomorrow? do some v light revision, and redo some homework problems or handouts on the topic.

how much tea/coffee/general caffeine have you had today? how much water have you had? switch your next coffee refill to water.

have you brushed your hair? tame that mane.

have you showered? have a warm shower right before you go to bed so you feel sleepy when you come out.

are your feet cold? put on socks.

are you working your hardest? push a little harder. 

The struggle is real: even though we have a wonderful 48 hours to get everything we need to done, time somehow slips through our hands. Here’s how you can best utilize the weekend, so you can manage to fit in your work, some fun, and much needed rest.

1. Address your needs first

Did you miss out on a lot of sleep over the week? Use that first night of the weekend to fully recharge. You’ll be useless to yourself if you’re tired.

Are you just crazy burnt out from the week? Take some R & R time for yourself. Unwind with a few episodes of your favorite show on Netflix, read, take a bath, meditate, or go out with your friends. Do whatever it is that revitalizes you. You’ll also be useless over the weekend if you’re still burnt out.

2. Make a plan

As with anything you want to execute successfully, you need a plan. This is where you whip out the bujo, planner, or a bunch of sticky notes if that’s your style.

Write down a list of everything you need to get done over the weekend. This is only the essentials, the top priorities. Example: study for A.P. Bio exam, write reading response, do laundry.

Next, take each item from the list and break it down into steps. Example for reading response: 1) Read chapters 1 & 2 of Jane Eyre; 2) brainstorm response ideas; 3) make a brief outline; 4) write response draft; 5) edit

Don’t let seeing so many steps overwhelm you! The point is that you’re breaking down the larger, tougher projects into smaller, manageable tasks. You can check them off as you’ve completed them for a delightful sense of accomplishment.

3. Schedule, schedule, schedule!

Scheduling allows you to make necessary social engagements or allocate chill time for that highly important balanced lifestyle. 

If you need to break down your day into hours or even half hour units, then do it if it works for you. Allocate a realistic (generous) amount of time for each task. And stick to it.

4. “Easier said than done, Carolyn,” is what you may be thinking, and that’s totally fair. Here are some tips to make all of this easier:

Be kind to yourself. Forgive yourself if you need to. We are all human and subject to imperfection. That’s just how it is, and that’s okay. Please don’t beat yourself up if you don’t follow your schedule or feel like you’ve accomplished every task you set out to do. It’s okay, alright?

Put away your phone! In the other room! In a drawer! Have a friend hold on to it! Or just download Forest, which is a great app that incentivizes staying away from your phone.

Download the app SelfControl for your computer and block sites that tend to suck you in (like tumblr, for example!).

Stay well nourished and HYDRATED for maximum mental functioning.

And I’m dead serious about this balanced lifestyle stuff: if all your needs are being met, then you’re more likely to stay focused and driven.

Improving Your Quality of Sleep for Studying

Just a PSA, people often misuse melatonin and then think that it doesn’t work. You still need to do all the environmental things to help the melatonin set in e.g. closing blinds, no night lights, stop using technology for at least 1 hour prior to sleeping, etc. Have a read of Sleeping Early and Waking Up Early. 

Focus on exercising and meditation techniques as well. Research has shown that exercise improves the sleep quality of those with chronic insomnia. 

Also, I’m not a sleep scientist by far (I’m sure your GP/sleep doctor has already advised you on treatment/management), but on particularly restless nights I will literally force myself to keep my eyes closed and lie in bed, and force myself to clear my mind repeatedly. I have once tried doing this for two hours straight on a day I stupidly decided to drink coffee at night. Eventually I did fall asleep. 

You should also follow the tips I’ve written for people who have to study whilst dealing with sickness (listed here again for convenience):

Studying in the Worst Case Scenarios

Cramming Tips That Actually Work

Catching Up with Your Studies

Dealing with Bad Results

Being Realistic about your Results

Finishing an Assignment While Sick

Thinking Differently to Prevent Stress 1 and 2

Dealing with Guiltiness when You Haven’t Studied

Dealing with Mental Health at University

Studying With Depression

Studying With Anxiety

Studying When You’re Sick

Hope that helps!