The Art of Studying: Where to Start
By: Taylor MadridWhen thinking about the numerous obligations or responsibilities one may have, studying is beginning to become one that is ultimately forgotten, or crammed the night before an important exam. The techniques that are applied to studying can truly change the way absolute learning is achieved, so here are some different types of approaches that may come in handy before your next exam.
“Pomodoro” Technique:
Created in the 1980s, this way of studying allows for you to set allotted amounts of time to intensely focus on any task at hand. This technique serves as a reward system; you focus for a certain amount of time (25 minutes in this case), give yourself a five minute break, and then repeat the cycle. Within the longer time increments, you are able to motivate yourself to work through the task in order to receive the mind break. These breaks are not only relaxing, but are proven to allow your brain to better retain the information that you have just learned, so if you struggle with procrastination or lack of focus, try setting yourself up with a timer and getting a beneficial study session within your day.
Constant Review & Active Recall:
Although many people may disagree, reviewing topics that you have learned from the day, commonly in the form of homework, is truly beneficial in trying to permanently retain information. Instead of completely relearning everything the day before an exam, finding online tests online, making use of flashcards, or even spitting out everything you remember from your study sessions will increase the amount of information you know and be able to store itself more easily within your long term memory. For increased memorization, spreading the review over the span of a week or two weeks before an exam can prove to be useful toward learning.
Feynman Technique:
Similar to active recall, the Feynman technique is a simple way of reteaching the specific subject you are studying as if you were explaining it to a sixth grader: in simple terms. This approach, developed by Richard Feynman, sets you up to master the subject at hand through the use of taking complex concepts and explaining them in basic, simplified chunks and terms. Through this, you are able to define the specific vocabulary, identify connections between topics, and ultimately think more deeply and critically about the subject being studied.
Time Management:
Behind some of the best study techniques is a successful management of time. If you wish to become a better student, breaking studying or specific homework assignments into increments can improve your memory and allow your brain to learn without the stress of cramming or unpreparedness. For the start, try writing down the tasks that you need to get finished or the topics that you need to study and list them in order of most to least important. This will allow you to get familiar with what you may wish to accomplish first or even how to schedule out your learning days as you ease into study mode.
Prioritizing Health (Physical & Mental):
Every single type of study approach, method, and technique you can think of is rooted within your personal wellbeing. Although it may make you feel studious or more efficient to pull all-nighters or stay up late studying topics, this method is entirely ineffective. Reviewing material before bed can be beneficial, but constantly forcing information into your brain without frequent breaks or appropriate amounts of sleep can lead to way less information being retained, just about 40% of your learning abilities are lost with lack of sleep, decreased emotional stability, and even poorer work performance. It is crucial that the brain gets about seven to eight hours of sleep to not hinder memory nor your wellbeing, so make sure you are focusing first on getting proper sleep.
Conclusion:
In the end, experimenting with these suggested study techniques or finding your own type can play a very important role in helping your mind grow and your knowledge expand. In hindsight, no matter the amount of mistakes you are making, the topics you have not memorized yet, or the extended amount of effort it can take, effectively studying can truly improve your mind and transform the difficulties of learning.
Here are the sources used if you would like more information:
Sleep Center of Middle Tennessee. “Sleep Deprivation and Its Effects on The Brain | Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee.” Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee, 12 December 2023.
ScienceDaily. “Remember more by taking breaks | ScienceDaily.” ScienceDaily News, 29 July 2021.
Scroggs, Laura. “The Pomodoro Technique — Why It Works & How To Do It.” Todoist Newsletter.
Sleep Center of Middle Tennessee. “Sleep Deprivation and Its Effects on The Brain | Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee.” Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee, 12 December 2023.
Tamm, Sander. “The 7 Best Study Methods for All Types of Students.” E-student.org, 10 January 2023.
TED-Ed. “3 tips on how to study effectively.” TED-Ed Youtube Channel, 12 October 2023.
