Do you dread tests because they always ruin your hard-earned grade average? Does it still throw you off when the teacher does not attach a Kahoot to help you prepare for a quiz? Is cramming the night before all you have ever known? With the middle school curriculum being relatively easy, some of us have managed to make it to high school with high grades while barely trying. If you are a freshman, you might have been surprised by the difference in rigor between your old and current classes. This also applies to sophomores and even upperclassmen who might have noticed that the old amount of effort no longer earns them the usual results.
If this sounds like your situation, this article should be helpful. While some of the studying strategies listed below are quite common and straightforward, I tried to explain the reason behind their effectiveness to convince you to try them out. I also included some of the less conventional tips, so that you hopefully learn about and adopt some new habits that will make your studying less mundane and more effective. If you want that high GPA but do not wish to study every blessed moment of your life like the Lofi Girl, keep reading.
Recording on Repeat
Whenever you need to learn a lengthy monologue for a speaking quiz for a language course or familiarize yourself with your presentation script, record yourself reading the text out loud and listen to it on repeat multiple times. The combination of auditory input combined with the act of processing the information can strengthen your neural pathways.
Pro tip: for foreign languages, use the “listen” feature on Google Translate to create your recording – this will help you learn the correct pronunciation.
Delayed Reward
As tempting as it might be, postpone the more pleasant activity until you finish studying. This will provide you with a source of motivation and help you adopt the habit of regular studying through positive reinforcement. Otherwise, your brain will be more likely to reach its dopamine synthesis capacity and will have a harder time transitioning to more demanding tasks.
Sit with it
If you find yourself frustrated when trying to get to studying but not being able to stop scrolling, put your phone screen down and out of your sight and sit with your eyes open for five minutes. Soon, you will likely get pretty bored. As your mind returns to reality and the overstimulation of social media begins to fade, you will find it much easier to concentrate on your work as you have now broken the cycle of distraction.
Important: Laying down while trying this is a trap. Never risk doing it unless you want to wake up disoriented and confused eight hours later.
Mental links
To remember quite literally anything, create your own associations and connections – sometimes the more absurd and vivid, the better. The brain is wired to remember novel information.
Example: to remember that a cation is a positive ion, think of a good-natured cat or pawsitive,
Rewrite, Reread, Repeat
Rewriting a formula over and over on a separate piece of paper in combination with applying it to practice problems will significantly increase your chances of remembering it on test day, given you understand the concept. By involving multiple regions of your brain through writing, you will create more neural pathways for recall.
Listen to Your Literature
If you do not have time to read the chapter for your English quiz, listen to the audiobook version of the book. Many of those available on Youtube have excellent voice-overs and sound effects that will engage your imagination and help you understand the characters’ attitudes.
Pro tip: follow along with the text to increase information absorption.
Strategic Spacing Out of Studying Sessions
Instead of cramming the night before, try reviewing the content one day, two days, four days, and one week away from the lesson. While slightly more tedious, the method is extremely rewarding as it ensures long-term retention.
Last Resort
Educational Youtube channels are not only helpful in understanding a concept; finding more or less engaging videos on the topic will help you continue studying even when you are exhausted or strongly do not feel like doing it. While this passive learning method might not be as effective as active recall, it will make for easier consumption of the content and additionally provide you with helpful visuals.
Tip: some useful educational YouTube channels are Khan Academy, The Organic Chemistry Tutor, Amoeba Sisters, Crash Course, Video Spark Notes, and Course Hero.
Put on the lofi beats and get to work. Good luck, you got this!
