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Written by Anonymous
I was never a student who could study for 8 hours straight without a break. Nor was I someone who could get A’s with minimal studying. I found myself using passive studying techniques like continuously reading my notes over and over again or highlighting everything. These bad habits caused burnout and bad grades. So my solution was to find study techniques that helped me retain info in a time-efficient way. Here are the 2 techniques I use every time I have to study for a quiz or an exam:
1. Active Recall
I found the best way for me to retain hordes of info was to actively read out my slides to myself, not just reading the words but explaining the concepts like I was speaking to a 10-year-old. Then I would grab a whiteboard or blank piece of paper and write down everything I could remember about the topic. I would go back to my notes or slide deck and write down stuff I missed in a different color. I noticed this technique strengthened my memory pathways by forcing my brain to immediately recall the information instead of passively absorbing information. This helped me cover chapters in significantly less time.
The other technique I use is:
2. Pomodoro Method
Like many others in this generation, I have a short attention span. I constantly get tired of schoolwork and can’t focus for extended periods of time. I found out the best way for me to maintain productivity is to spend 25-40 minutes in a focused study session and then take a 5–7-minute break. I found that during this break I can’t go on my phone and stay in my desk. I didn’t feel energized when I did this. The best way for me to take a break was to get up on my feet and take a breath of fresh air. I like to step outside and just calmly observe my surroundings and gather my thoughts. I found this helped me reset my brain, and I was able to regain focus very quickly. These techniques helped me change my daily routine, and I noticed a shift in my productivity relatively fast. By incorporating these methods into my studying, I was able to time manage better and increase efficiency. Studying is not about suffering; it’s about strategy. Finding what works for you is the only way you can change your habits. Remember it’s about trial and error, but solutions are easy to find if you’re determined to do so. Grades improve when your intention does. Happy studying!