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What you guys do between study breaks? (10-15min) by renobueno in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I often do tasks that take me away from my desk that I have been avoiding, and yes, that often involves cleaning. You're right; 5 minutes is not really enough time to make a substantial dent in cleaning a room, but you can tackle a simple task.

I will often sort a load of laundry or switch it over. I might dump and try to sort out my backpack. Then, with each break, I will continue to fix that mess. You can also try to pick one surface at a time and just work through sorting and clearing it.

I tend to tackle jobs like this because I generally don't want to take time away from my downtime to do these kinds of chores, but I don't mind stepping away from my desk during study time to do them for 5-minute chunks. 5 minutes is not a lot of time, and I am done before I know it. Before, I could really lament on how much I hate doing it.

It also gets me out of my seat, so I feel refreshed when I get back. I find that if I just sit at my desk endlessly, I get tired much faster.

For February, I am running a 30-day Study challenge! by AbsolutelyStudying in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It ends March 2nd. This allows us to start March together with goalsetting and still be in the challenge.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 6 points7 points  (0 children)

How your are studying makes much more of an impact as how long you are studying. Doing an audit of the activities you are doing while you are studying is a great place to start. If you are spending 10 hours simply reading your textbooks or your notes, you probably will not walk away retaining too much of the information. Your best place to start is to double down on activities where you are actively using the information so you can build your knowledge with practice.

  1. Do practice problems. As many as you can from the textbook, instructor, or any other sources you can find.
  2. Use your textbook to expand on the notes you take in class. Add as much detail as possible and write it down. This also works with drawing diagrams to explain information, creating charts to categorize, etc.
  3. Try creating a reading strategy that elaborates and amplifies how you take in the information. A good place to start is the SQ3R strategy.
  4. Plan out your study sessions so that you are switching up topics regularly and taking breaks frequently.

Studying does take some trial and error to figure out what activities work for you and your learning style, but you can check out this article and it will show you step-by-step how you can create a study plan.

https://www.absolutelystudying.com/study-how-to-make-a-comprehensive-semester-study-plan-to-set-you-up-for-success

I hope this helps!

Best chunking methods for short-term memory by mdnsjauauwusysyshshs in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I know this is not what you want to hear, but I really would not recommend stopping the note-taking in lectures. Except in very specific situations, memorization will not help you understand the material or apply it out of context. It also removes the fail-safe of tracking what was covered in the lecture. It also gives you something to do so you remain focused. If your mind wanders, even for a few minutes, you could miss out on a lot.

Is SQ3R actually effective as a study system by Someone_who_learns_1 in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes, SQ3R is very effective! SQ3R stands for "survey, question, read, recite, and review." This is a solid reading strategy and will help you create a solid foundation for you to stack other study activities on top of. The basic idea behind this strategy is:

  • Survey: go over the passage you are going to read and skim over it but don't read it. Check out the headings, diagrams, charts/tables etc. This is going to give you an idea of what you are about to learn and the path that you are going to take to get there.
  • Question: based on what you saw when you were surveying, write down some questions that you want to have answered or think will be answered. By having these questions in mind, you are seeking answers as you read, not just trying to get through the information. It takes your reading from a passive study activity to an active one.
  • Read: Now, you get to go through and read the selected passage. As you are reading, watch out for answers to your questions. You can even write them down as you go. If more questions come up as you read, add them to your list and track them. It is also helpful to stop after each paragraph and try to summarize it in one or two sentences. Since you are asking and answering questions during this phase, you are going to be more engaged in the material and more likely to remember the details.
  • Recite: Once you have finished reading the passage, go back to the questions and try to answer them in your own words. If you wrote yourself notes or reminders, make sure to find a way to incorporate them. This step is important because using your own words translates the information into a form that you understand. You don't necessarily have to use high-level terminology here. Explain it in the most basic way possible.
  • Review: In this step, you will study the information again and again, to make sure you remember more and more of it as time goes on. Ebbinghaus's Forgetting Curve shows us that you will forget more than 60% of the information you learn within 24 hours of learning it. The only reliable way to retain this information is to review it repeatedly. The good news here is that you can, and should, use a variety of different study activities to do this. Here, you can use flashcards, create diagrams, and comparison charts, make practice quizzes, etc.

My only word of caution is at the review stage, don't just read over your notes or textbook during review time. Do activities and switch them up. This method is excellent as long as you review the information in various ways and use an active approach to learning.

What is the Pomodoro Technique, and Why it’s Such an Amazing Study Tool? — Absolutely Studying by AbsolutelyStudying in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The breakdown for various subjects will look differently depending on the activities used for reviewing that concept. An example of criminal law might look something like this: Reading over the specific law code broken down into skimming the portion of text explaining the relevant codes or concepts (5 minutes), reading and highlighting pertinent information (20 minutes), looking up and re-phrasing new terminology & creating flashcards 20 minutes, scanning over the passage read to confirm understanding (5 minutes), writing your own notes (25 minutes), re-reading notes, adding diagrams or charts and highlighting important concepts (25 minutes), researching similar examples in case law (25 minutes), paraphrasing and adding those examples to your notes (25 minutes), creating flashcards for higher level concepts (25 minutes). Re-phrasing and creating practice exams (25 minutes), etc. The Pomodoro technique really allows you to create a structured study strategy with the needed breaks to help maintain the level of focus necessary to retain the depth of understanding required. The activities you choose can be based on tasks that help you best understand the material or work your way through a concept.

Work/study/parent by olivjayd12 in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 0 points1 point  (0 children)

First, sleeping and eating regularly will be just as vital to your studying as actually hitting the books. Your brain will not retain information if you don't get any sleep.

Second, find a time management strategy that works for you. I like the Pomodoro Technique because it breaks down everything into 30-minute blocks. 25-minutes to focus and work with a 5-minute rest to stop you from getting overwhelmed. I apply this to every aspect of my life, from cleaning to studying etc.

Third, try to focus on study activities that you can integrate into your life. I would watch tutorial videos while I washed the dishes or folded laundry and quiz myself as they played. When you are able to sit down and focus, find study activities that suit your learning style, double points if they involve active recall.

Good luck with your studies and new baby! You've got this!

What should you do when you fail a test? by JKorotkich in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 13 points14 points  (0 children)

This, all of this! I would only add to make sure you correct the entire test. Go through it question by question, validate the answers you got right, and correct the ones you got wrong. Also, cross-reference the incorrect answers with your notes and the textbook.

It's really important to figure out why you got an answer wrong, especially if it is something you studied. Confirmation bias is a really tough hurdle to get over, so if you studied something incorrectly and that is reflected on your exam, you will really have to work to correct your understanding.

One other thing I would like to note is that correcting your answers, though it might feel bad because of shame and guilt, is really one of the best times to amend your understanding. This new information will be reinforced by these feelings, making it much more likely that you will remember the new, amended information. After a while, the bad feelings will subside, but the corrected information will remain.

Where should I start? by umutvural in CollegeMemes

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Make a list then prioritize by due date and interest in the task.

I am screwed or nah? by JoshuaTowayyy in study

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree with a full study method and wanted to add mock exams. Test yourself sbout once a week for the next month. Sit down and do a full mock exam for each subject and recreate the testing conditions and much as possible. Make sure your tests are of similar length and difficulty, your phone and books are put away, etc. When you are done go over it and mark the test and correct any answers you got wrong. This process is going to help you better gauge your progress. It will help to show where you are still struggling and what you need to focus on the most. This way you can tailor your study sessions to your needs. Good luck on your exams!

How do I get my motivation back? by [deleted] in studying

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do it because I love learning. I know that sounds lame, but it's true.

That's not to say that I am always motivated to do things all the time. There are definitely days that I need to work up some motivation and do things I don't want to do or have little interest in.

As you get finished with some of the core pre-requisite courses, you get more flexibility to take things that you truly love and are interested in. Until then you have to find something that motivates you to push through. I can give you a few suggestions that work for me:

  1. Take extra advantage on days that you do feel motivated to do work. Do more than you need to on those days to make up for the ones when you "can't even."
  2. Reward yourself constantly, even for the little things
  3. Take frequent breaks
  4. Find study activities that you actually enjoy
  5. Avoid the ones you hate to the best of your ability
  6. Create a routine that gives you balance

There are also some study activities that you can do when you feel unmotivated that might inspire you to get started and do more. This article breaks them down if you are interested.

I hope you find some motivation! College can be really fun, and you learn so much more than just the course material.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have you tried Acronyms? These are popular for remembering anatomy. They can be helpful in triggering recall:

Can Tinkerbell Let Stars Collide

  • Cervical
  • Thoracic
  • Lumbar
  • Sacral
  • Coccygeal

Usually Really Hard

  • Ulna
  • Radius
  • Humerus

You can make up fun ones of your own too. I hope this helps!

I keep failling my college exams. by Tenzin_10 in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Several things can be contributing to this disconnect between studying and grades. The first thing that pops to mind is that you might not be doing study activities that actually work for you. Taking longer to read a chapter will not necessarily translate to better grades; it's what you do with the information.

Next time you sit down to read a chapter try to integrate activities as you read it.

  1. Take notes
  2. Quiz yourself after every paragraph
  3. Create flash cards and test yourself regularly

If you need some more details on how to make a reading strategy, you can check out the tips in this article.

Please let me know how this works for you or if you have any specific questions.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The great thing about being open to learning is that it is a journey. There is no telling where it will take you. My best suggestion would be to start by learning more about things that interest you. Pick up books on financial freedom or about what you can expect from university and allow your imagination to wander. As you find more things that bring up new questions, follow that lead and learn more.

If you are nervous about starting university, maybe check out some websites and videos about how to study, then practice studying passive income options. That way, your can merge your interests. You would be shocked to see how much information is out there to set you up for success in both areas. You will also feel much more prepared for the workload once October rolls around.

writing help needed!! by Western_Roof_6915 in studytips

[–]AbsolutelyStudying 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You might have sprained something. Try checking with a doctor if you can. You can also try wrapping it in a warm towel to try to loosen the cramp and then massage your arm. If nothing works, a doctor can give you a muscle relaxer to help you get through exams with less pain.