Student Study Support
Even though most of us have been studying for as long as we can remember, it can be really hard to find a study strategy that works best for you. The following study tips are known to work with the many different kinds of learning that there are. With final exams approaching, these tips might be useful to read and take into consideration.
TIP 1: Keep organized. Once you know the date of your test, make a plan on paper so that you can properly manage your time. Odds are, this test won’t be the only academic task you’ll have on your plate. Organize yourself so that you can get other work out of the way in time to study without stressing yourself out.
TIP 2: Learn how you work best. Some people concentrate best when listening to music, some need absolute silence. Make sure that you put yourself in an environment where you can be motivated and free of distraction.
TIP 3: Lists. When trying to memorize a list of some sort, come up with an acronym that is easy to remember. This will make the list easier to remember and odds are, you’ll probably memorize it in a shorter amount of time.
TIP 4: Use shapes and colours! Writing the different information you need to remember in various different colours might help you remember “this is what was written in red!” while writing your test. If this doesn’t seem to be working, try outlining your different information in different colours and different shapes, this might spark a memory like “this was in the purple circle!”
TIP 5: Take breaks. After a certain point, you might begin overworking your brain and when this starts to happen, your brain finds it more difficult to retain the information you’re studying. After understanding one section of your work, take a 10 minute break, then begin to study the next section.
TIP 6: Understand, don’t memorize. Sometimes, you might not be able to escape memorization, although, when possible, try understanding the information rather than memorizing it word for word. Many students have become accustomed to this habit – doing this extends study time and fries your brain.
TIP 7: Eat. Make sure to take care of yourself when studying. Eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and allow yourself for snacks in between. The healthier the food you choose to eat, the higher functioning your brain will be.
TIP 8: Review. Once you’ve studied certain material, don’t completely disregard it. Keep revising your information. It is believed that reading something over 7 times, is the number of times it takes to engrave it in your memory.
TIP 9: Word association. When trying to understand a certain concept, if possible, connect it to a subject you’re familiar with. This will help you remember it more efficiently and make it hard to forget. This is especially effective when memorizing definitions.
TIP 10: Do your best. You cannot put the pressure on yourself to do a perfect job every single time you write a test. Of course, you should always write and study for tests with the intention of doing excellently, but as long as you gave the test your all and tried your very best, you should be proud.
Post by:
Beatriz Pardal Costa
