Phone alarms: Program an alarm or reminder for yourself so you remember when you’re supposed to study. Calendars: Mark any upcoming quiz or exam dates on a calendar. Then, schedule your future study session before these dates. To-do lists: Create a weekly or daily checklist to help you stay on top of your assignments and study obligations. This is a great way to stay focused on and on-topic during your study sessions.
Some people may like the soothing background chatter of a coffee shop, while others may prefer a silent corner of the library. Test out different study spots and see what works best for you! Make sure that your desk is organized if you have one. Stack and organize any loose papers, and toss out or recycle anything you don’t need anymore. Try to keep all of your school supplies in designated places, too. [3] X Research source Choose a study space that has good lighting as well as a comfortable place to sit.
This is a great way to stay on top of what you do and don’t understand. Feel free to ask a teacher or professor for help if something doesn’t make sense during one of your regular study sessions.
Head outside for a walk Munch on your favorite snack Pop on social media Watch a funny video
Visual: Create a color-coding system for your class notes and/or represent information with diagrams Auditory: Record and listen to yourself reading through your notes and/or chat about study topics with other students Kinesthetic: Act out a scenario with another person and/or craft physical models
Picture a container of disinfectant wipes while memorizing the word “antiseptic” Associate a picture of a mirror with the word “albedo” Connect the image of a white circle with the term “lymphocyte”
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet
Listen to a recording while reading the same material on the page Act out what you’re reading or memorizing
Jotting down the answer to a flashcard before turning it over Taking a practice quiz without any study materials nearby Brainstorming possible test questions and answering them yourself
Review the cards in box 1 every day Review the cards in box 2 every other day Review the cards in box 3 every 4 days Review the cards in box 4 every 9 days Review the cards in box 5 every 2 weeks If you forget the information on a specific card, move it to the previous box. For instance, if you answered a box 3 card incorrectly, you’d shift it over to box 2.
Feel free to reference your notes when you first start “teaching” a subject. With enough practice and focus, you’ll be able to remember the material without any extra help.
Invite fellow students that will stay focused and on-topic during your study session. You definitely don’t want to invite someone who will goof off the entire time.
Invite fellow students that will stay focused and on-topic during your study session. You definitely don’t want to invite someone who will goof off the entire time.
As a last resort, the AntiSocial app can help keep you focused. This app locks you of pre-specified websites for a certain amount of time so you aren’t tempted to surf the web.
Only heading to bed when you feel tired Setting your thermostat to a cooler temperature Sticking to decaffeinated drinks in the afternoon and evening Soaking in the tub before bed
If you have 2 hours to take your English final, you might spend 30 minutes on multiple-choice questions, 15 minutes on true or false questions, and 1 hour on the essay. Then, you could use the last 15 minutes however you need.
