For years, students have been figuring out ways to maximize their effectiveness while in school. There are endless hacks that have been thought of for students who study as often as you. You don’t have to dread going over all of your notes before a test, you don’t have to worry so much about what to remember for each of your classes, instead, find a way to enjoy your time while studying. Figure out what study methods work best for you, are you a visual learner or more a verbal learner? The best way to study may be different for everyone, however, some study hacks have shown mostly beneficial results. Just like there has been many good study hacks, there are also many study methods that don’t work: such as staying up super late cramming for a test, drinking energy drinks or eating junk food, disorganization, or multitasking. Be careful not to fall into any of these bad study habits.
Don’t stress trying to think of new study methods when so many students have found efficient ways to study before you. Whether you are in college or high school, these ideas may be helpful. When preparing for your next exam or presentation, consider these study hacks.
Prioritize sleep
In my opinion this might be one of the best college study hacks. A good night’s sleep can go a long way when it comes to preparing for a test. Too often are university students staying up late and cramming for their test, this will only leave you to be tired and inattentive. Although studying before going to sleep does help you retain more information, it is important to avoid cramming and leaving yourself 2 hours to sleep; to avoid that, coordinate a good sleep schedule. Set time aside to study before bed. Make sure that you get enough sleep so that you can stay alert and attentive when it counts!
Exercise
Regular exercise has proven to boost your memory and brain power, improving performance. Exercising causes more blood flow in the human brain and makes it easier to concentrate your attention and recall information. Go for a brief walk or do some sit ups/pushups before you study or take a test. If you are just quietly sitting in your chair for a long time it can be hard to concentrate, take a short break while studying and go get some exercise. Your physical health can directly impact the things you remember while studying.
Reward yourself
This is a good method to integrate when studying or doing homework assignments; every time you finish a page, eat a piece of candy, or every time you do well on a practice quiz, have a treat. Your brain may be wired to perform better if you know that you are going to get a reward the next time you finish reading a page or a quiz. I find this strategy to be helpful because of all the reading required each week in my university classes.
Study with a group
A study group is an easy way to learn from one another. When you set time aside to go and meet with a group, you get to hear everyone’s answers. Group members will usually have a variety of ideas that probably would not have been considered if you studied alone. You can get a lot more done when you work in a group than if you were working alone. Fellow students will be able to share resources with you and discuss key concepts to be included in your group project or final exams. Studying with a group can also be fun! When you are studying alone, it can get boring or tiring. However, a group will keep you focused on the task at hand.
Use the Pomodoro Technique
Take regular study breaks. The Pomodoro technique essentially is: study for 25 minutes and then take a short break, and repeat this process 4 times before taking a longer break. When your brain is working, a short five-minute break will help keep you motivated and focused. This is essential because if you spend a lot of time studying, you become tired and unmotivated. Taking regular breaks is one of the best study hacks because it keeps you motivated to finish the task at hand while not being bogged down.
Write down your notes
This is an extra writing exercise that may help jog your memory of the important points that you need to know. If you are allowed scratch paper for your test, then the first thing you should do is write down all the information that may be relevant to know. It has been proven that if you write your notes by hand, you will learn more than if you were just typing them on your laptop or tablet. Go over you study notes from class and jot down the key points again. Essentially, what you will be doing is creating a cheat sheet that you’ll never use. This is one of many effective study hacks that will help you retain important information. Another helpful tip – using blue ink on white paper is a memorable visual to read method. Consider using different colors when writing your notes.
Make an outline
Creating an outline is a good idea to help your visual memory. If you like everything to be organized and neat, and outline is the way to go. I find this helpful in some of my harder classes where I don’t have much time to go over all of the material. Outlines are a great way to organize class information in your own way.
Practice tests
Practice, practice, practice! Everyone has heard the phrase “Practice makes perfect.” Well it’s true; with enough practice you are guaranteed to do well on your exams. Study guides and practice exams are important for you to find out in what areas you need to work on more. You don’t have to spend a great amount of time studying all the material that was covered in class, instead, you can go over the things that you haven’t quite mastered. This is a demonstration of good time management. Additionally, when exam time comes, you will know what content to expect to be on the exam.
Discipline yourself
Limiting your distractions is another good way to be efficient with your time. I personally have a hard time staying away from social media and other sites that distract me from my studying. One thing that I have found to be helpful is going to the library, there I have my own study space. Sometimes I will also put my phone in my backpack by my feet so that I am not tempted to get it out and start playing a game. Cell phones are usually the worst offenders for limiting study time. I try to limit all the distractions that will potentially keep me from getting my work done. There are also apps that you can download that will literally block those distracting websites or apps that you like to spend time on.
Create flashcards
Flashcards are one of the study skills that have been helping me to get good grades. They are good to quickly run through before your test so that you feel more confident going into it. One thing that may be problematic is the tedious work it requires to make all of your flashcards. However, they can definitely contribute to your academic success.
Use a specific scent or chew gum
This might be one of the most interesting study techniques. An unfamiliar scent sprayed while studying and then again before you take a test will help you to recall some of the things that you went over. Chewing gum can work in the same way.
Teach what you know
After you have studied, teach a friend about that subject matter. This is an effective way to figure out whether or not you know the concepts. If you cannot answer some of the basic questions, then go back to square one and start studying some more. Your memory may work better if it hears the information rather than just being read.
Use these study hacks to get through your long study sessions. Successful students may see their best results when they use these ideas. Use the resources that are available to you; visit your professor or TA during office hours or study somewhere silent like inside a library. I hope you find these tips to be helpful, good luck on your tests!
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