Studying Tips

Hey can anyone give me any studying tips?

For the past 2 years I've been part of a God-awesome class where everyone watched each others backs and helped each other cheat. Concealed notes, books, note-passing, you name it and well now I'm separated from said class and God knows I can't cheat by myself.

So basically I need help. Got any tips guys?

Lol, do you need cheating tips or studying tips? Anyway if its for studying, say the things out loudly while your reading, its an audio/visual method it really helps, it would also be nice if u would write down important definitions or facts that will help you remember other minor stuff while your repeating without the book. That way u remember important facts and learn how to use logic to connect important parts. Its also good that u have a break every now and then so u can think through what you've learned.

....I hate you. TAT Tell me this isnt college or I might kill myself. *gets porn books ready to burn* *then put out* And yeah you want studying tips or cheating tips? o.O;

Studying tips. As I said before, I can't risk getting caught cheating solo. Thanks Kat. And koko, you don't have to burn porn books, just focus on one task at a time.

Ask a friend to write you a Practice Test on Subjects you have trouble with. Take the test and see what your strongest points are and what your weakest are. Keeps you in check to make sure where you need more studying on. Also, take breaks in between. It allows for the mind to process what you just learned instead of adding stress.

Lol @ this being in SD...

I think what's key is figuring out how you learn best. If it works better for you to see lessons being put into practice, then study examples and work through extra problems. If you're more of a visual learner, then use charts, graphs, colors, etc. to help you understand the concepts and make it stick. Or, if you're someone who learns best through listening, look up videos and audio files that could help you.

Once you've got that figured out, all you need is a good work ethic and determination. Good studying habits doesn't necessarily constitute of hours spent hunched over books. If you're spending more than 3 hours on one subject, you're either 1) being super inefficient and wasting time, or 2) you've procrastinated hardcore lol.

Wouldn't that take too much time? I mean its troublesome for the friend and i dont s how it improves anything, its better if he spends that time studying on his own, he will know which parts hes better in and which not while he studies :/

Some methods I use.

"Read your notes over assuming that you have taken good notes in class about the said topic".

"Get 8 hours of sleep so you remember everything correctly".

"Never cram last minute, you'll get some things mixed up if not all".

"If your studying for stuff like math, the only way to study really is to just do math".

"Learning concepts, well memorization helps, studying requires some sort of memorization anyways. Rewrite your notes, try to recite them without the paper, learn the concept, rinse and repeat."

"Study with a friend. Ask each other questions about the topic and answer them, make sure you both know your shit and are focused on studying. I've done this before but with a PS3 infront of you, we didn' do much studying haha".

"Flash cards also help me remember terms that I need to know for a test as well. Have something on one side of the card and then the definition or whatever on the backside of the card".

I think I have more but I can't pull them out off the top of my head.

I suggest a quiet place with your book. For me an absolute silence or I cant focus. D: But this also depends on your study style 8D. Like if you dont mind a little music or going out to study like the library or simply using the internet and fap...looking up what you need from there? But I think a good library in your area is best choice. They know the word study better than any other place and obviously has all the materials you need. Bring a drink and lunch and take a brake so you dont strain your eyes. Dont just STARE AT WHATEVER YOUR READING FOR 3 HOURS STRAIGHT (Sorry I emphasized it...^^;; Its cause I did it..=A=) Or you'll vision will worsen and have a headache.Do your best~xD

This.

That's what I did in my high school (except for the last two points) and it tuned out pretty fine for me.

Probably the most important point is to not cram for the last minute, and not panic. This kind of combo (which is more common than you'd think) is the worst think that you can do, ever.

Learning regularly, for at least an hour or so everyday is also a very good way of refreshing the material you did that day, and will definately make things easier on you in the long run.

That's about it, honestly.

And don't cheat. Seriously. It makes you too dependent on it, and leads your actual skills to be rusty. So when you'll have to do something without cheats, you'll be screwed.

-3- Well, for starters... no cheating! *bops head*

Other than that... find someone in your classes who seems like a smart kid: ask to study with them! I do this a lot, and you make new friends by doing so as well!

I'd also agree with a lot of the above suggestions, especially the re-writing notes one. Helps SO much! By reading it in your head, then writing it again more legibly you really get it ingrained.

Flashcards are great for me. Also, I use cute stationary items like pens, pencils, highlighters and page markers to make myself get psyched about working, lol...

Just do it, seriously. Sit your ass down and read, and make sure to take notes both while reading your textbooks and during class. And personally I always re-write all my material before a test, organizing it.

Try and get some of your friends/classmates to do the same and lend notes to eachother, they might have got something you missed and the other way around. Getting a group to study with is also a good idea.

I find repetitive things easier to learn, so I read my notes and my textbooks over and over again, forcing it in there.

And try to get some sleep after a long study-session when things are still fresh in your memory, even if that means a 20-30mins powernap in the afternoon. I've found that this helps me remembering things.

memorization is key. Its rather simple since all tests/exams are based on content that was given to you (text books, handouts). Re-read and review the content and you should do fine on anything.

Figure out what method you learn best from. by that i mean, i learn better by doing or watching than from reading or lectures. in that order.

As someone who just finished another set of exams I can tell you what I am usually doing.
First of all - make a separation. What do you need to learn and what do you need to actually understand?
There is a main difference between the two. While the first one just basically means to read it out loud (you can whisper it aswell if you want people in public places like trains to think your cursing them - works well with medieval German literature) and do so over and over again until you got it memorized, the second one helps you to link information (mental network) inside your brain. Though it is more work at the start to actually try to understand it, it really helps, as you won't have to memorize each new information by itself, while alot of information you have to memorize is already available somewhere else.
Kinda imagine the process of memorization and understanding like the difference of having to install an operation system for every new program you install, that is specified to work only with that program, or having a more complex operating system, that can however run all the other programs you have installed and make them work together.
If you actually need to understand it, try the following things:
A) Write down the main theory (if it is e.g. philosophy)
B) Check if you know things that are connected to that theory. E.g. if you see "German enlightenment" and "Kant" you should be able to connect a few other philosophers and philosophies to that.
C) Create something alike to a mind-map or a cluster to get the bigger picture

As for the more general things: try if listening to music helps. For me it does, as I can blend out my surrounding and everything that would distract me. Try making use of your PC at it's best. PowerPoint for making learning slides with the key points of the topic, Photoshop / Paint or whatever you feel comfortable with to create schemata and models, etc.

If you find that e.g. your lacking in a certain area, try to get yourself a fixed point where you can start out from that your acquainted with fairly well. Example: if you have to deal with e.g. history, try to take a major event (e.g. 14'th July 1784, french revolution, siege on the Bastille), check if you understood what led to this point, where things developed from there etc.

Last but not least the most important rule: Make use of your friends. Have them ask you questions about the topic. Learning by yourself and understanding it by yourself is one thing, having to explain things is another.

UNDERSTANDING IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN JUST SIMPLE MEMORIZING! Memorizing is a major point, true enough, but understanding the topic is way more important, as otherwise the amount of information you will have to force to memorize will skyrocket.

Here are some things that have helped me get through high school and get to my level of study in college:

Repetition, repetition, repetition. The more times you access the information the more likely you are to learn it and remember it. This is especially useful for math and vocabulary. Also, take extensive notes in class and on the reading. I find that writing things down as well as hearing them helps me to remember the information and to understand it.

Ask questions if you don't understand something. Ask the teacher/professor first, either during or after class. If you still aren't comfortable with the material ask friends for help, but don't be too reliant on their knowledge of the material, since they may not know the material correctly or may be incorrect on minor yet important details. Also, look online for valid material on the subject. Wikipedia is not a bad place to start and to find keywords for further searches. Go to the library and find another textbook on the same subject. Basically, do whatever you can to get the information from as wide a variety of places as you possibly can. Often I have found that a lack of understanding of a topic is from the style in which the material is presented. Also, ask your teacher/professor for where they recommend you go to find further information. A good teacher/professor should be glad to have someone asking questions about the material and asking them for more information and help, they may then be more willing to give you a bit of help with your grades if you need it. I know a few times in the past, professors have taken a grade that was right on the margin of a B and an A, like an 89.3 or something and given me an A just because they have seen me trying my hardest and going to them for help whenever necessary.

Always, always read the text before class. I have found this to be one of the most crucial things to do. If you read the text before class, then you can ask questions about the material in the text that you did not know. This has always seemed to work for me.

Do the problems in the book if there are any, even if they are not assigned to you. The more practice you get with the material the better you should do.

This is what has worked well for me, and not to brag or anything, but I am a physics major in college with a gpa between 3.4 and 3.7 (I can't remember the exact value). Also, I am a National Merit scholar and am taking honors courses now. Academics are my strong suit, so I hope that this helps in some way, since this is what has helped me in the past. Also, I may be able to be of some help with any math or physics questions you may have, depending on the difficulty.

Yup, repetition is one of the most basic things to do. Analyzing sentences over and over, reading secondary literature etc. helps you on your ways. However before all comes motivation.
Also it might sound strange but if your good at cheating you should have experience when it comes to writing small hidden notes. That is a talent that can actually be used in a positive way, as you should already have trained how to boil long definitions (not in the math sector but when it comes to literary studies) down to their essentials, which should speed up the pace at which you learn greatly.
As for other help:
I can also offer it, when it comes to German, sociology and history.