A lot of us have difficulty when it comes to learning all types of new information. Especially when we’ve got other priorities to worry about. After much experimentation, I’ve found that the following tips helped me make the most of my time and also helped me plan much more fruitful study sessions!

- Designated Study Area.

A coffee shop, the library, a desk, or even your bed. Figure out where you are most comfortable studying - The right location provides comfort, no distractions and is quiet. Another factor to consider is timing. Are you a morning person, an evening person or a night person? Combine the time with the location and there’s your study area!

- The Key to Success is Time Management.

Plan your time using a simple schedule template, or make a simple to-do-list. The trick is to complete short tasks in a reasonable amount of time; like going over 5 pages of a textbook in approimately 15 minutes. Keeping a written schedule keeps you in line, and this way you won’t forget the tasks you need to complete for the day!

- Note Taking.

Personally, I like to keep a hardcopy of the days lecture and just scribble down any information that I think is important. BUT, there are some pretty cool note-taking strategies out there that you can utilise. Check out The Cornell Method, Mind Mapping, and the Split Page Method. Active learning produces more results than passive learning - so write down those notes and stay active!

- Meet the Syllabus.

The syllabus outlines the most important learning outcomes/ learning goals, and thats pretty much all you need to plan a productive studying session. 

Bid farewell to all that extra, unnecessary information. 

- What is your learning style?

Are you a visual, auditory, verbal or kinesthetic learner? Experiment with all 3 and find out which one works best for you. You don’t necessarily need to stick with one! Do you study better alone or do you prefer group study?  

- Bite-sized Learning.

Do not try to cram in a huge amount of information all at once. Instead, try breaking information down into learnable, manageable chunks. Combining this method with tip #2 will help you make the most of your time.

- Review, Review, Review!

It’s scientifically proven that the more you review material, the easier it’ll be for you to recall it when needed. So, take another look at your notes a couple of days after you make them, then again a week later, and so on.