This weekend was rather dull for me. I have an exam (tonight, actually!) and spent most of the weekend studying. With finals season about to hit, it seems that all of my professors are piling on exams and last minute assignments before we completely give ourselves over to studying day and night.
Coming up with a proper method for studying has taken me a long time to figure out. At times, it was an extremely frustrating process. Why was I not retaining information that my classmates effortlessly did? What was I doing wrong? My grades would suffer because I did not have a method that worked for me. So, this post is for anyone out there who is in this situation and needs a little guidance. I have been in your shoes and I hope my advice helps!
Environment
Where I study or do homework is the biggest factor for me. Do you like having background noise like music or a television show? Do you like being comfy on the couch or at a desk? Are you too distracted at home and need to go out? Take the time to figure out what works best for you. Personally, I like a relatively quiet setting. I'm usually at my dining room table with soft music on in the background. I love going on Songza and listening to the Classical for Studying Plasylist (how fitting!). Also, for anyone who has Spotify, Erik Satie is a wonderful pianist with simple and calming melodies. These are great options for those of us who need some background noise, but don't want anything too distracting.
Method
This was the hardest thing for me to figure out. Do you need to take an active role in studying (retaking notes) or a passive role (rereading your notes)? I found that an active role works best for me. I need to take two sets of notes; one during lectures and the other from the textbook. I will then compare the two and see if anything from the book was not covered in lecture. Then, I'll combine my sets and rewrite them. That may seem tedious, but rewriting my notes really solidifies everything for me. If you're not too keen on that, writing important terms on flashcards is another great method. Study groups are also a great way to review information. Asking each other for clarification on a tough topic or "quizzing" each other is a great way to get a deeper understanding of the material.
Take a Break!
If you find that you're falling asleep on top of your notes or have read the same line 5438345 times, it's time to relax. Take a few minutes to catch up on blogs, text your friends so they know you're alive, or get a snack to help you recharge. You need to be diligent about your breaks, however. If you only need 15 minutes, do not get distracted and turn that into an hour. That has happened to me more times than I care to admit. If I take a break for too long, it's so hard for me to get back in the swing of things. No matter how long your break is, do not feel guilty about it. Not everyone can study for three hours with no break. We're not machines, after all!
I hope these tips make studying a little more bearable! Work hard, take a deep breath, and go in with a positive attitude. You will rock. :]
What are your study tips? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time!
Rachel
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