So it’s been a good few years since I can say I’ve studied, but this post came as a request, and even though it’s been a while I still remember my steps and processes when it came to studying. So here are my tips and tricks on how I used to study.
One of the first things I want to stress is that to efficiently and effectively learn you have to understand what it means to really study and not just memorize information to pass an exam. Studying is a form of learning. It involves making an effort to devote time an attention to gaining knowledge. Studying doesn’t always have to involve taking an exam at the end. Anytime you make an effort to learn something new, that means you’re studying. Now while studying does involve memorizing information, it’s important to note that you’re doing it to actually apply that knowledge in whatever field you’re studying, rather than just trying to remember it for the sake of passing an exam. Which unfortunately I’ve seen a lot of students and even some teachers push students to do. Studying goes hand in hand with understanding.
When it comes to studying it’s important that you don’t take any shortcuts. You have to keep updated with the material and still attend class. When I was in school there were times when students would skip class because they “read ahead,” so they thought they could skip the next class, but when exam time came, they didn’t understand certain questions and tasks. That’s because teachers or courses often explain things in details greater than what you would read at the surface, remember if you already knew the material then you wouldn’t be here trying to learn it in the first place. Reading ahead is always good to do, because it can prepare you for the next class, with this you can ask any questions that you may have, because you already have a basic understanding of the topic being discussed. It allows you to review your own notes and in the process study as well while in class, because it involves reading and listening which helps with the repetitive factor in remembering material learnt.
It’s important to know that studying longer doesn’t always guarantee good results, it’s actually how you use your study time efficiently that matters. Spacing out study times is actually better than studying the same material every day. Every Sunday I would set out a study plan for the week based on topics that I wanted to cover. I normally did a full week of courses per semester, so I would give every day of the week a particular course and topic in which I wanted to focus on. Given that my degree also involved practical application of the material learnt, I would leave the last hour of my study time to put what I learnt in ready in practice. The courses that didn’t include practical learning, I spent researching videos to watch on those topics because I’m a strong visual learner. Also be practical in how long you see yourself spending on a topic, not every topic you have to spend hours upon hours learning. I actually would only study for a maximum of three hours, and not every day was even three hours because I didn’t want to suffer with burnout or lose focus. Keep in mind this studying time for me also included whatever homework and assignments that I had upcoming for the classes. I would do what is called intense study sessions which actually helped me retain information better than drawn out study sessions. Because I would focus on my planned topics effectively and intensively for that given time. This way also helped me with my habit of procrastination, because it was intense short bursts of learning that I would’ve been able to put into my schedule instead of endlessly putting it off for other tasks.
Now this next one might not work for everyone, but for me personally I could never study in silence, it actually caused my mind to drift off and had me daydreaming instead of focusing on my work. I grew up near busy streets so I don’t even sleep in silence. I grew up hearing cars and traffic and the silence is an unusual environment for me, so for me to feel comfortable I studied with music on, not loud playing music but something that I could phase out as background noise, I also studied with tv on often as well. Even as I write my blogs or do my work and job, I’m always playing music because it helps me concentrate. But the main point of this one is the environment. It’s crucial to find an environment that makes you comfortable to study and focus, so the silence works for some and others like me need the “background noise.” So whether it’s the temperature, the silence or lack thereof, even the smell, make sure you’re comfortable. Because if you’re comfortable your chances of getting distracted are slim as well.
When I was studying for CXC, I did all three sciences and the thing with sciences is, you have to have an understanding of how they work, especially when it came to experiments. The part I was always good at was the equations, they were my strong suit. The beauty of this is practice. I would compile a list of all the equations and problems that were given to us in class and rework them over and over, get new ones from online and solve them and do the same. By this repetitive practice not only did I have those equations down but it helped me understand them in case similar questions were presented in the examination.
Eliminating distractions are very crucial as well. I always made sure to put away my phone so I could reduce my temptation of going on social media, texting and going on the web to just kill time. I know it can be difficult but it’s necessary for you to get rid of the distractions for those couple of hours until you finish studying. This help improves your overall discipline for the future, especially for the working environment. It’s also healthy to take a break from social media from time to time. I would suggest turning off your phone, but if that can’t be done then put it on vibrate or adjust your notifications to only let important ones come through, like your parents or emergency contacts.
Studying, especially for major exams can be nerve-racking, and if you have anxiety it’s added stress than can affect your day to day living. There’s a lot of pressure that others may be putting on you as well as the pressure you put on yourself to succeed. I recommend that you also allow yourself your needed breaks, don’t study yourself to the point of burnout either, which is why I recommended the schedule I mentioned earlier to be put into place. I also recommend that the schedule be in a way that it doesn’t cause you to pull too many all-nighters. If you prefer to study in the night versus the day, that’s fine but ensure you’re also getting enough sleep as well for the upcoming day. You don’t want to overwhelm and overwork yourself and when the exam time reaches you crash or have a breakdown. Take your needed rest and also remember to eat healthy especially. Eating snacks filled with sugar may give you a little boost but it can also encourage you to crash and it’s not healthy for you overall. I had a strict diet when I was studying, involving mainly healthy foods and a lot of water. This helped keep me energized and with me feeling a lot better with my health it also took away some distractions that could’ve prevented me from studying. Your physical and mental health plays a strong role in how well you study. It’s not always about cramming and sleepless nights, that’s actually the wrong way to study. Just because you see it “working” for others doesn’t mean it actually helps them. Sure, they might pass the exam from cramming but chances are most times they barely learn anything and if you’re serious about your field of study then you should want to learn and retain that information. Studying can be tough at times, even with my tips and advice there can be some days where it still stresses you out and gets to you. In those times look to others for help, whether it’s a fellow student, a parent, a sibling or a friend, it helps to talk about your stressors and speak your mind, it can help clear out those negative thoughts and release that tension as well. I wish everyone who is currently studying for examinations, especially during this Covid time, all the best. Keep your head high and you will do well!
Dedicated to Sadira.