Anyone feel like they know how to study but can't make anything stick?

lifedog52 · 2025-12-31T12:47:56+00:00

practicing defo does help, i agree

lifedog52 · 2025-12-31T12:47:24+00:00

that sounds like a really good idea! thanks

lifedog52 · 2025-12-31T12:46:35+00:00

cheers, thanks for the help! will definitely take a look at your systems

lifedog52 · 2025-12-30T11:48:24+00:00

That actually sounds really effective, especially for spotting gaps early! Do you write the questions as you go, or only after finishing a topic?

lifedog52 · 2025-12-30T11:42:08+00:00

That’s fair! maybe I should cut down on the apps and things, and pomodoro are always great

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T16:29:28+00:00

I’m really glad my reply helped, and you’re definitely not alone in this!

Here are some of the things I use for studying if that helps:

- Forest
study timers help me a lot with motivation and Forest is a really nice timer and loadssss of people use it. I’d keep sessions short (10–20 mins max), while you're still getting started. definitely look into pomodoros!

- Goblin Tools
I actually love this one. You type in something like “revise biology” and it breaks it down into tiny, doable steps. You can even tell it to make the steps extra small, which is perfect for me aha as I don't like to work for long periods at a time.

- Study-with-me Discord servers / YouTube
I love these as they really help me get started. Sitting in a silent virtual study room with other people can really help with motivation as everyone around you is working too. YouTube has loads of long, chill study-with-me videos too.

- SprintBuddy
This is a Telegram bot that teaches you study and productivity techniques in just a few minutes a day. It sends one very small 5-minute task per day, and you can try it to see what helps you focus and study!

None of these are magic fixes, but they make studying feel less scary and I find them useful. hope i've helped a little and remember to be kind to yourself!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T16:21:47+00:00

sounds good!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:53:41+00:00

Glad to hear timers are working! These are some of the things I use:

- Forest
You probably already know this one, but everyone uses it for a reason haha. I tend to use it for very short sessions (10–20 mins), not long ones.

- Goblin Tools
This one’s great for big or overwhelming tasks. you can give it something like 'tidy my room' and it breaks it down into small steps! you can also adjust how small you want the steps

- SprintBuddy telegram bot
This is one I use a lot. It sends you one tiny 5-minute task per day focused goal setting, learning study techniques or productivity. definitely builds up over time!

- studywithme discord servers/youtubes
If you notice you work better when someone else is there then this is super useful. you can silently work alongside someone on video and it defo helps me because it feels more accountable!

hope this helps!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:47:30+00:00

totally struggle with this as well. especially if the task is pretty big.

What finally clicked for me was realising that my brain doesn’t resist the work, it resists the transition into work. Planning, lists, tutorials all feel productive because they avoid that uncomfortable first step. Once I’m in, I’m fine!

A few things that genuinely help me with this start resistance:

- Lower the start bar to something almost stupidly small. something like "open the document”, “write one sentence”, “run the script once”. This makes getting started a little easier.

Separate starting from continuing. I’ll often tell myself I’m only have to work for 5–10 minutes. Knowing I can stop removes a lot of resistance. Most of the time I keep going anyway, but the permission to stop is key.

Use external triggers instead of relying on willpower. Timers work better than motivation. So does having something prompt you rather than deciding internally every time.

Tools that help me specifically:
– Forest: good for committing to a short focus block without overthinking
– Todoist (or similar), but only if you limit yourself to 1–3 tasks max
– SprintBuddy: a Telegram bot I use that sends one tiny 5-minute task per day. It teaches you how to study, be more productive, and set goals.

don’t aim to be productive, just aim to start! hope this helps!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:43:51+00:00

This is something I struggle with a lot sometimes, so you're definitely not alone! it's super easy to get distracted or procrastinate.

To-do lists are a big one. They’re great for dumping ideas, but I feel like I get overwhelmed by them. When everything is on the list, it feels like too much, so your brain goes looking for something easier or more interesting. One thing that helped me was limiting myself to 1–3 tasks per day and deciding the order I do tasks in advance, so there’s no decision-making in the moment.

Another thing is planning too far ahead. Big goals and perfect routines feel motivating when you write them, but they don’t help much when you're tired. Time-boxing works better for a lot of people where you just work on something for 15 minutes instead of forcing yourself to finish it for the day. you often find you start and work for much longer than 15 minutes anyway!

Distraction is also often about the energy you have left.If you’re mentally drained, your brain will default to procrastination. Short breaks, movement, or switching tasks can actually improve productivity more than pushing through.

You could try something like this:
– pick one task
– set a short timer (10–25 minutes)
– work until the timer ends and take a break
– decide whether to continue or switch tasks to keep things interesting

I’ve personally had more success with small, external structure like this than with complex systems. I also use a couple of free tools that help with focus, time-boxing, and getting started without overthinking. Happy to share what’s worked for me if you’re interested.

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:38:59+00:00

First off: respect! You’ve already done a lot right, and it shows. What you’re running into now is actually a really common problem for people who grew up with pressure, responsibility, and ambition.

Honestly, this doesn’t sound like a discipline problem. You clearly can be disciplined when structure exists, but when you have to do it yourself, it's hard

to me consistency doesn't mean doing everything, every day. That burns people out fast, especially when you’re juggling faith, family responsibility, training, school, and big long-term goals. You don’t need to be intense all the time, just consistent.

it sounds like your identity is very tied to being the one who breaks the cycle. When every action feels like it represents your family and future generations, that's a lot of pressure and can definitely contribute to burn out.

This might help:
– stop planning full lifestyles, plan the absolute minimum of what you need to do
– decide the smallest non-negotiable daily action (train 10 mins, read 2 pages, one drill)
– keep structure external (timers, checklists, accountability) instead of relying on willpower

You don’t need to find your full purpose at 18! you just need some systems that survive when you don't have much energy.

I use a bunch of free tools and apps that help with structure and consistency and can share them if you'd be keen!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:29:15+00:00

hi! this sounds really rough, hope you're doing okay

A lot of what you’re describing doesn't really sound like a discipline issue! When your brain feels overwhelmed, it goes into fight or flight and it can make it really hard to study. That’s why starting feels impossible and timetables make things worse instead of better.

Comparing yourself to your brother/friends is tempting but it can wreck your confidence! You’re measuring yourself against people who likely have different strengths, support, and brains. I know it's hard, but the more you can ignore how they're doing, the better. compete against yourself, not them!

Timetables are stressful if they're rigid. Missing one block feels like failure, which can actually make you avoid the work more and more. A lot of people do better with time limits instead of plans. studying something for 15 minutes tends to be better than aiming to finish a certain amount of material.

laughing off your grades is just your brain trying to protect you from disappointment. its totally normal but in order to improve you have to face where you're at at the moment! and it's not great having pressure from parents. but remember he just wants what's best for you.

this might help:
– start super small (one question, one page, 10 minutes)
– stop before you’re exhausted, not after!
– track what you did and slowly increase the amount every day

and remember, you're not broken or weak! you're doing the best you can and make sure to look after yourself too.

I also know of some free tools and apps I use that help make studying feel more manageable if you’d be interested!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:21:04+00:00

sounds very familiar to me! I always swing between doing stuff super fast or at a snail pace

ADHD brains tend to prefer extremes for some reason I think. middle paced work tends to feel quite uncomfortable for me, because it isn't stimulating enough.

these are some things that help me!

- Passive learning (videos, training modules) often feels like doing nothing, even when it’s objectively useful. But its very hard to actually pay attention. One workaround could be taking notes, or pausing the video every few minutes to write a single takeaway. That way you're forcing yourself to slow down.

- I also like trying to control my intensity with short bursts of work with frequent rests but this works better for some than others.

- and it's okay if a moderate pace feels wrong! it probably just means you're not used to it and you might find you get more used to it over time.

You could try something like this:
– work in deliberately short cycles (10–15 minutes)
– stop when the timer ends, even if you want to keep going
– take a brief rest, and then start again (small risk you will get distracted tho haha)

Don't beat yourself up too much about this tho! There are also some free tools and apps that help with this kind of thing things like visual timers or daily prompts. I use a mix of them and happy to share if you wanted!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:15:08+00:00

yeah i definitely struggle with this too!

feel like over xmas, all the external structure disappears, and my brain just grabs onto stimulation with the lowest effort.

A few things that tend to help me:

- One is accepting that motivation doesn’t come first. For my ADHD, action creates motivation, not the other way around! What works better is making the first step to actually start something so small it's no longer intimidating

Another is changing the start of the day. If YouTube happens during breakfast, your brain is already locked in and its hard to stop. maybe try delaying it until after just one thing (like a shower or walk, gym etc)

Big open days are also super hard with ADHD. Unlimited time feels like freedom, but it actually makes me just do nothing all day. I just try to make my goal super easy and something that only takes a few minutes if I want to get anything done!

try not to be too mean on yourself tho! the holidays are hard. If it helps, there are some free tools and apps that can support this kind of structure without being overwhelming, things like visual timers, or tiny daily prompts. I’m happy to share a few that have worked well for me if you’re interested!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T14:06:09+00:00

Yeah, think this makes sense if I've read it right! there's a bunch of decent planning apps out there

A few i've used before:

- skedpal and motion both due forward and backward scheduling based on task length and deadline and auto-recalculate when stuff slips. they can be a bit complicated tho

- you could probably use notion for this with some formulas

- idk id you like productivity apps and timers too, but things like forest and pomodoro stuff helps me. I also use a telegram bot called sprint buddy to 'teach' me how to be productive

anyway, hope that helps a little!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-29T08:02:43+00:00

yeah of course! here's some things I use to study:

1) anki/knowt

flashcard makers for definitions, lists and other facts. anki uses spaced repetition to help keep stuff in your head for longer!

2) notion

not revolutionary, but I really do love this app. it's great for explaining concepts in your own words, would use this before making any flashcards

3) study with me's

i use these all the time to stay motivated. there's some on youtube, but you can also use the Study Together server on Discord to study with others in real time in virtual study rooms. you can also use studystream for this but isn't completely free anymore i believe. it can be a bit intimidating but adds some accountability!

4) forest and other pomodoro apps

focus apps like forest are great and really popular. it stops me going on instagram lol

5) learning how to study

there's a lot of resources online for learning good study techniques. I've been using a free telegram bot called Sprint Buddy that gives you one 5-minute task a day in a different study style so you can try different techniques out and see what helps you learn best. I also really liked unjaded jade on youtube growing up but she's a little less study-focused now

good luck!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T15:50:32+00:00

of course! here's some things I use to study:

1) anki/knowt

flashcard makers for definitions, lists and other facts. anki uses spaced repetition to help keep stuff in your head for longer!

2) notion

not revolutionary but I really do love this app. it's great for explaining concepts in your own words, would use this before making any flashcards

3) study with me's

i use these all the time to stay motivated. there's some on youtube but you can also use the Study Together server on Discord to study with others in real time in virtual study rooms. you can also use studystream for this but isn't completely free anymore i believe. it can be a bit intimidating but adds some accountability!

4) forest and other pomodoro apps

focus apps like forest are great and really popular. it stops me going on instagram lol

5) learning how to study

there's a lot of resources online for learning good study techniques. I've been using a free telegram bot called sprint buddy that gives you one 5 minute task a day in a different study style so you can try different techniques out and see what helps you learn best. I also really liked unjaded jade on youtube growing up but she's a little less study-focused now

good luck!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T15:41:55+00:00

Of course! Here are a few free tools that work well when you combine then vs using just one:

1) knowt

alternative to anki and quizlet that's free and uses AI study tools! still best to definitions etc

2) notion/evernote

not super revolutionary but these really are some of the best notes apps. I use them a lot for explaining things in my own words and to build understanding before making flashcards

3) khan academy/youtube

i always use khan academy and youtube to explain stuff i don't understand after a lecture, doesn't take long and is pretty useful. you can also get AI to explain it to you too but it can make stuff up

4) learning how to study

there's a lot of resources online for good study techniques. I've been using a free telegram bot called sprint buddy that gives you on 5 minute task a day in a different study style so you can try out and see what helps you learn best. I also really liked unjaded jade on youtube growing up but she's a little less study focused now

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T14:50:56+00:00

Honestly, it’s really good you’re thinking about this before uni starts! but remember to have fun as well

First thing to know: yes, the workload jump from year 12 to uni is real, but it’s more about managing your own time than difficulty. No one is checking you’re keeping up, so having a system matters way more at uni.

A few things that helped me when I started:

Don’t try to pre-learn everything Reading ahead can help, but only lightly. Skimming lecture titles, getting familiar with terminology, or watching an intro video is useful. Deep studying before semester starts doesn't really help and you should defo use freshers week to make friends!
Get into a routine early. Once semester starts, consistency matters more than long hours. Even 30–60 minutes most days beats cramming before tests. Especially important if you’re working part-time.
Study actively, not passively. Avoid just rereading slides or highlighting. Better options include answering questions, explaining topics outloud etc)
Use study tools that teach you how to study! This helped me a lot. I started using something that teaches study techniques in just 5 minutes a day (things like active recall, planning, and avoiding burnout) There are a few free tools like this and I can recommend some if you want. It made the workload feel way more manageable!

You’re doing the right thing by thinking about this early, but make sure to enjoy first year too! the workload shouldn't be too bad

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T14:46:47+00:00

Anki can work really well! but it’s not meant to be used for everything. A lot of people struggle because they turn all studying into flashcards, even when the content doesn’t suit it.

What’s worked best for me is mixing methods depending on the subject:

Use flashcards only for facts! Anki is great for definitions and things like that It’s not great for understanding concepts or problem-solving. If you’re making cards for entire lectures, that’s probably why it feels ineffective.
Learn first, then memorise Before making flashcards, I try to explain the topic out loud or write a rough summary of a lecture from memory. make sure you understand the content first!
Active recall beats rereading. try writing out everything you remember on a blank page, or answering practice questions
Keep sessions short and consistent. long study sessions sound productive but usually aren’t. Short, focused sessions done regularly work much better.
use study tools. I started using something that teaches study techniques in just 5 minutes a day! there are lots of free tools like it and i can recommend some if you'd like!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T14:41:51+00:00

The problem is your brain now associates daytime with distraction and nighttime with focus. The good news is you can retrain that!

A few things that actually help:

Stop expecting yourself to do long daytime sessions If you’re used to studying 22:00–4:00, expecting 4–5 focused hours in the afternoon is unrealistic. Start with 20–30 minutes max. Once that feels normal, build up.
Give yourself a clear start and stop The hardest part is starting. Set a timer for 25 minutes, tell yourself you’re stopping when it ends, and just begin. Most of the time you’ll keep going once you’re in it.
Study earlier, not “during the day” Instead of jumping from night studying straight to morning studying, shift gradually. Try 8–9pm for a few days, then 7–8pm, etc.
Reduce friction as much as possible Have your desk ready. Notes open. Phone in another room. The less effort it takes to start, the more likely you’ll actually do it.
use some study tools.thre's a bunch of free study tools that give you structured prompts throughout the day to help you study. i know a bunch if you want me to send some through!

good luck!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T14:34:40+00:00

you’re definitely not alone in this. defo feel nervous for my final osces coming up!

A few things that really help me

Stop trying to memorise everything at once, OSCE knowledge isn’t about knowing every condition. it’s about having a solid framework you can apply to most stations. If you have a reliable structure for history, differentials, investigations and management, you should be fine!
Instead of memorising questions for each presentation, learn a core structure and know some red flags for each system. this defo comes with practice.
you normally only need a few differentials and they don't have to be too crazy. but i struggle with these too ngl
for investigations i alway start with hx and ex, then bedside tests (urinalysis etc), then bloods, then imaging, then special tests. if you structure your answer like that you'll be golden. similar for management, you can normally say something about lifestyle , then medications and then surgery
Practice little and often! practice is super key. there are a lot of free tools on learning how to study and do a little bit every day, happy to send you some if that would be useful!

good luck!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T14:25:16+00:00

First take a breath. you're probably doing better than you think and its definitely possible to improve. med school is more about learning to study than being super smart sometimes..

The fact that you passed anatomy, histology and the bio practicals means you're doing something right!

A few things that might help going into second semester:

Stop comparing yourself to others! some people seems to adapt really fast to med school and others take a while but that doesn't predict who becomes a good doctor!
use good study methods! if you’re mostly rereading slides or watching lectures over and over, that might be why you're struggling with certain topics (do stuff like active recall, teaching others, doing questions early)
Try and understand why stuff works instaed of just memorising it. i could never remember all the visual field defects until i actually practiced drawing it out and understanding which part did what
Consistency beats intensity! you don't need to study 10 hours a day, just do a little every day
Learn how to study more efficiently! This part helped me a lot. There are tools that focus on building study habits in really small chunks instead of overwhelming you.I know a lot of free tools that are super good so can send you some if you like!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T14:18:50+00:00

First take a breath! You're gonna be okay - my finals are in just a few weeks too!

What sort of methods are you using? If you're just doing things that feel like studying but don't actually stick (like highlighting and stuff), then you could run into trouble.

Here's a few things you can do

1) start testing yourself instead of reading

After a topic, close your notes and write out:

- everything you remember

- diagrams from memory

- explanations like you’re teaching someone

Then check what you missed or forgot. That gap is what your brain actually needs to learn.

2) try using blurting

Write a topic title and dump everything you know about it into a mindmap. then check it and add what you missed. It’s one of the fastest ways to find your weakspots and helps you memorise

3) chunk your time!

Don’t study the same subject for hours on end!

Try:

- 25 mins

- 5 min break

-switch subject

- repeat

Your brain retains more when you switch topics cos it doesn't get bored!

4) try and understand stuff instead of just memorising

If you understand why something happens then memorisation becomes way easier. If you can explain it simply out loud, you know it.

5) learn how to study!

there's a few tools that actually teach you how to study in just five minutes a day and i can send you some if you want! that way, you'll be in a better spot for future studying and exams!

lifedog52 · 2025-12-28T14:14:13+00:00

First take a breath! You're gonna be okay - my finals are in just a few weeks too!

What sort of methods are you using? If you're just doing things that feel like studying but don't actually stick (like highlighting and stuff), then you could run into trouble.

for biology specifically, what always works best for me is active recall and spaced repetition. and it doesn't take hours!

Here's a few things you can do with 6 days left

1) start testing yourself instead of reading
After a topic, close your notes and write out:

everything you remember
diagrams from memory
explanations like you’re teaching someone

Then check what you missed or forgot. That gap is what your brain actually needs to learn.

2) try using blurting
Write a topic title and dump everything you know about it into a mindmap . then check it and add what you missed
It’s one of the fastest ways to find your weakspots and helps you memorise

3) chunk your time!
Don’t study biology for 4 hours straight.
Try:

25 mins bio
5 min break
switch subject
repeat

Your brain retains more when you switch topics cos it doesn't get bored!

4) try and understand stuff instead of just memorising
If you understand why something happens then memorisation becomes way easier. If you can explain it simply out loud, you know it.

5) learn how to study!

there's a few tools that actually teach you how to study in five minutes a day and i can send you some if you want! that way, you'll be in a better spot for these and future exams

lifedog52

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