Now I know I’m not the only one out there who must hate studying with a passion. The only part I enjoy is all the stationary buying prior to actual studying. However, due to the career that I want to go into, not studying or not revising isn’t an option for me, as I have to take 14 exams, each with a pass mark of 75%. So I have come up with my list of best tips and tricks for studying. I hope you enjoy!
Preparation
I don’t know if anyone is like me, but I have to have a plan of what I’m going to study that day, otherwise I won’t get anything done! I use my Erin Condren planner to help me keep on track of my studying, as well as helping organise my general day to day activities. I will usually come up with a plan for the week on a Sunday evening, and I will make sure that the tasks I set for myself are easily achievable, otherwise I’ll get discouraged when I don’t get it completed. You could also use a wall calender to really plan out when your exams are, and you’ll be able to clearly see how many days you have left till that exam. Below is an idea of how you could plan:
Food and Drink
This one might sound weird, but the number of times I have stopped studying because I’ve become hungry or thirsty is uncountable! I like to make sure that I get myself a large drink before sitting down to study, and I’ll usually get myself a bottle of something as well, just in case I run out and try to use it as an excuse. I’ll also get myself a snack of some sort for me to nibble on. It’s usually fruit or vegetables of some sort – a bowl of cherries, chopped up carrots and cucumber… well, you get the idea! This way I can absently mindedly munch to my hearts content without feeling guilty or unhealthy.
Note taking
Now that you’re ready to get started, its time for us to get down to the nitty gritty of studying – actual note taking. This can be super daunting for anyone; you’ve got a blank page in front of you, hundreds of pens, textbooks piled next to you… Where an earth do you start?!
The first thing I will usually do, is read through the relevent pages in my textbook and highlight key points that I will later use to make my notes.
Once I have all the relevant bits highlighted, I will start to make bullet pointed notes. Initially, I will write these in a plain format, before colouring the key parts, and I will usually add in pictures if I need to. I like to make my notes as colourful as possible as I find this is the best way to stop myself getting bored when I read back over them at a later date.
Posters
This is probably my most favourite part of studying, transforming all my notes into colourful posters! I find it’s a really useful aid to have lots of posters stuck all over my walls, so when I’m bored I can just choose one to look over. You can do anything you want to make your posters as interesting or as plain as you want – it’s up to you!
TAKE A BREAK
My final tip is don’t be afraid to take a break! I like to take breaks every 45 minutes, but if you’re struggling to get in the mindset of studying, then don’t be scared to take a break every 20 minutes instead. Breaks allow the mind to absorb the information you’ve just studied, so use them to your advantage. Another good idea is once you’ve finished your studying for the day, go for a long walk, or even go to the gym. It’s a nice bit of downtime for yourself, and can get rid of any excess energy you might have from sitting still in one place for so long.
I hope my tips help with your studying. Do you have any tips and tricks that you use to help you study? Leave a comment below and I will be sure to check them out!
Until next time,
S
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