how to study effectively. ᥫ᭡
sometimes we get caught up in trying to memorize all the material rather than study and learn the material. we also may come to realize that the way we currently “study” isn’t actually studying at all. i’ve fallen into this way of studying, but i’ve learned some really helpful tips and tricks to make sure that i actually learn and understand the material and get it to stick rather than memorize it just to forget everything later.
let’s begin …
୨ৎ — incorporate study methods
there’s a variety of different study methods that have been proven to truly help students learn the material and have productive study sessions.
some study methods:
active recall - retrieving information from your memory
some active recall techniques include…
practice tests/questions
flashcards
summary sheets
teaching others/Feynman Technique (more on this later)
take notes with questions related to the topics
whiteboard recall: write down what it is that you’re learning on a whiteboard while using as little words as possible; summarizing
record yourself explaining the material & listen back to it, be sure to make note of what you missed in your recording
blurting method (more on this later)
eat the frog - completing the most difficult task first
how to eat the frog…
start by identifying your most difficult task. whether it’s a chapter you’re struggling with the most or an assignment that might take you longer to complete.
finish that hardest task first. focus on it, understand it, complete it, and get it out of the way before reviewing any other chapters/topics.
make sure you have a full grasp on whatever it is that you’re studying before moving onto something easier!
pomodoro method - working for a set amount of take & taking breaks in increments
25 minutes of working/studying , 5 minute break
50 minutes of working/studying , 10 minute break
set timers for both the time you study & the time you take a break!
the two options i provided don’t have to be what you decide to do! choose whatever time limits you want and will work best for you!
feynman technique - teaching others the material
how it works…
start by choosing what material you want to teach to someone else (that ‘someone else’ doesn’t have to be a real person! honestly, if my cats were all sitting somewhere or near me, i’d pretend my cats were my ‘students’!)
without reviewing your notes and going based off your memory, begin your “lecture”
fill in any gaps in your memory by going back to your notes and make note of what you’re struggling to recall/teach so that you can review it again later
remember to keep your “lectures”/explanations simple! as a medical student myself, i try to stay away from using medical terminology so that my “students” can also understand. reteaching the material in layman’s terms will also help you better understand the material!
blurting method - an active recall technique
how it works…
start by reading through your notes, textbook/lecture slides, etc. & try to remember all that you’ve read
once you feel like you’ve got all the information in your head (or as much as you can! don’t feel like you have to memorize it all!) close your notes, textbooks, lecture slides, etc.
on a separate sheet of paper or a whiteboard or anything that you can write on, write down everything you remember from what you just read and reviewed
after, review what you blurted out onto that separate sheet of paper and reopen your notes/textbook/etc. & see what you might have missed and note what it is that you still need to work on
୨ৎ — work in a beneficial environment
they key point here is that where you decide to study needs to be beneficial for you. meaning that your environment needs to be an area where you feel like you can study and work at your full potential. if you need a quiet place, maybe you might want to go to a library. if you need a brighter study environment, maybe you need to open up your curtains & blinds to let sunlight in or you need significant overhead lighting. if you need something more calming in your environment, maybe you might want to have soft and calming background music playing and maybe a nicely scented candle lit with dimmed lights.
figure out what it is that you need to study productively without any distractions and without the feeling of discomfort. your study space should allow you to focus completely!
୨ৎ — study groups
study groups are extremely helpful! i’m usually one who wishes to work independently, but recently i’ve been connecting with my classmates to form study groups and have a session together! i’ve found it to be extremely beneficial and i thank the study groups i’ve been in for my success during the semester!
you don’t have to work in a big group! most times i worked with 1-2 other people, and that was enough for me! study groups allow you to share your own study techniques with others while also learning some new strategies yourself. it also helps to have someone who’s also learning the same material so that you guys can quiz each other or incorporate that teaching method with one another. also, having others there to study with might also give you some more insight on different topics! you might be struggling with one topic, but whoever you’re studying with might be close to mastering it and vice versa! as a group, you can review and share notes and helpful tips & tricks!
୨ৎ — other resources
i want to share a few posts that i, and others, have created that i feel might help with studying effectively!
my posts:
stop procrastinating: school edition
this post is pretty self-explanatory from the title, but i just go over a few things that help to get rid of that procrastination habit!
coming out of academic burn out
i feel like this is an important post to mention because studying can cause a lot of stress and lead to burn out! i highly recommend reading this to help prevent that from happening for you!
my personal study methods
i posted this earlier this month, and while i believe my study methods will be changing for my incoming spring semester, i feel like this would still be helpful to look at! it might give you some insight on how others might study and their successes with their methods!
other bloggers’ posts:
posts by @glowettee —
preparing for next semester series
one of my wonderful mutuals, mindy, has created a series on preparing for a new semester! it’s a great series filled with really great information from school supply guides to note taking secrets! definitely recommend this series for those who are still preparing for the new semester!
executing your comeback plan
this is a post from another one of mindy’s amazing series about getting yourself back up from a bad grade (because that does happen, and god this series was so helpful and reassuring!) this post that i linked specifically talks about getting back into the grind and provides really helpful tips!
posts by @glowup-princess —
how to study like hermione granger
i’m personally a huge Harry Potter fan, so this one caught my eye when i saw it on my dashboard (and honestly, i’ve always admired hermione for her educational prowess) so if you need something inspiring, then this is it! lila’s also got other posts similar to this one on her page inspired by other iconic it-girls in the academic world!
how to romanticize study
we all want to romanticize our lives in one way or another, and so why not start by romanticizing your studies? this is a great post with helpful tips on how to do so!
youtube videos/podcasts:
how to study effectively - The Zach Highley Show
study tips that got me through pre-med, mcat, and phd in immunology - GinnythePoooh
become a top 1% student - StudyToSuccess
୨ৎ — final notes
this is one of my lengthier posts, and if you read through it all: 1. thank you so very much for reading! i really appreciate it! and 2. i hope this helps you in your studies! i know we all want to be the best students we can be and receive high grades and achieve great things in our academic careers. it’s important to stay motivated and to have confidence in yourself! you will succeed in your schooling, i just hope you remember to believe that for yourself!
with lots of love, faustina 🌷
