How To Improve Your Study Habits and Remember Better
If you're a student attending classes, you have probably experienced many moments when it was hard to make yourself settle down and study, even when an important exam was coming up. If you're like most students, you put off studying until the very last minute. The night before the exam, you'll stay up all night cramming, getting little or no sleep. In the morning, you'll drag yourself out of bed, psych yourself up with lots of coffee and some cigarettes, and go into the exam feeling exhausted, drained and jittery all at the same time. You'll find it hard to focus or think, and you'll be cursing yourself for not starting to study sooner. And not surprisingly, unless you're blessed with natural brilliance, or you happen to know the subject matter extremely well, you'll probably do terribly on the test. If this is your typical method of studying, you already know it doesn't work. Every time you go through this ritual, you tell yourself that you're going to smarten up the next time you face a big exam. Next time you'll start to study weeks in advance, you say. But instead, you keep repeating this crazy pattern. Why does this keep happening? And what should you be doing instead if you want to get better marks? A big problem for most people, especially those who are young students, is that life gets in the way. If you're a student, you probably have a part time job, and like most young people, you also want to have a social life. Studying can seem very boring compared to all the exciting temptations just outside your door. Or the games on your computer. Even watching old reruns of Sesame Street can seem more interesting than the biology text your teacher is expecting you to master! One reason we often don't start studying until the last possible minute is that we have misjudged how long it will actually take us to absorb and understand the material. If your mid-term is still six weeks away, that might seem like plenty of time left before you need to get around to studying. You might find however, that the subject matter is a lot harder to understand than you thought it would be, and all of a sudden there's no time left to ask someone to explain it to you. Another reason we often put off starting to study is that we are too overwhelmed with how big the project actually seems to be. Somehow we convince ourselves that putting off a tough study project can be the best way to avoid feeling overwhelmed by it. When we are faced with a study project that seems exceptionally difficult and overwhelming, it can be to maintain a high level of interest and motivation for the duration of the learning process. If you have been guilty of all these bad study habits, it's not too late to learn some other habits that will work better for you. First, remind yourself why you want to do better in your studies. Maybe you need a good mark to get into a good college. Maybe you want a chance at a career that will pay you well. Always keep your end goal in mind. You can put little cards up around your room with inspirational messages, and attractive photographs that will remind you why you want to do well in school. If you feel very overwhelmed, you can improve your motivation and your performance by breaking up the project into smaller sections, or "chunks". Each time you accomplish one little bit successfully, give yourself a meaningful reward. If you have a deadline looming, decide how much of the project you need to tackle at one time. Let's say you have six weeks to master the content of a difficult biology text. Looking through the book you realize that if you study one chapter each night, you can get through the book in 28 days, leaving two weeks in which you can again review the material. With this knowledge you can pace yourself. You know what your assignment is. You know how much you need to read every night. Concentrate on the immediate task at hand. You don't need to feel overwhelmed by the entire book at one time. Next, work out a system of rewards for yourself. Give yourself a series of small rewards each time you master one chapter, and a larger reward for completing the entire book. For rewards to work they must be immediate, and personally meaningful to you. There is no point in rewarding yourself with a new fishing rod if you hate fishing. Rewards don't need to be material objects if there is something else that would really motivate and inspire you. How about attending a special concert, or taking a special trip? You decide. Get creative and think of something that will spur you to take action. It's very important that the reward take place soon after the work has been accomplished. This creates a sense of positive reinforcement. Give yourself a small reward every time you finish a small part of the job, and a bigger reward when the project is completed. If there is too long a gap between the activity and the reward, it will not have the effect of reinforcing the desired activity. Besides motivating yourself with a series of external rewards, learn to motivate yourself internally. Tell yourself you're a good learner. Tell yourself you enjoy learning. Tell yourself you enjoy giving your brain a good work out. Congratulate yourself for your efforts. Tell yourself you love acquiring new knowledge, and let yourself feel a joy in learning. Be proud of yourself for the work you do to gain more knowledge. For information to sink into your brain and be accessible to you, you need to review it several times, and your brain needs to sleep properly for the memories to be encoded in your neurons. You need to reduce your mental stress. Your brain needs good nutrition and it needs to be in a peaceful, confident state. Drugs and alcohol don't help the process of learning. Write out what you are learning in your own words, and find a learning buddy. Practice explaining to someone else what you have learned. This will increase the likelihood that your brain will remember it. If you start to cram the night before, you are putting your brain at a big disadvantage. You're increasing your physical and mental stress, and you're not giving yourself time to review the material several times. By cutting back on your sleep, you're not giving your brain a chance to put the information you've been studying into the hard drive storage of your brain. By starting your studies early, and reviewing what you've learned, you have a much better chance of remembering and understanding what you need to know when you face a big exam. Royane Real is a science educator and the author of several books on improving learning. This article is taken from the new short report "Your Quick Guide to Improving Your Learning Ability" You can get the paperback version or download it from http://www.lulu.com/real
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
College Residence Life Staff: Speak to Gain Respect
When you speak, do residents listen or ignore you? If you're having trouble commanding respect, it could be the way you're saying it. Here is a list of words that can sabotage your effectiveness as a communicator. See if you recognize any of these red flags in your speech:
Natural Healing Schools
What are NATURAL HEALING SCHOOLS? Natural Healing Schools teach natural medicine that are holistic approaches that rely on natural remedies. Sunlight, air, and water are thought of as natural healers; this, along with nutritional supplements and massage therapies are all curriculm in natural healing schools.
Need Money for College?
Finding money for college can be a challenge for many students and their families. While saving in advance is the best choice, many times saving money for college is not easy for families. Even for those who do save, many find that the savings are not enough to cover the full cost of a college education.
Getting Into College No Longer A Numbers Game!
Sending your kids to college has never been more difficult or more expensive, and outstanding grades no longer guarantee admission! Student competition is at an all-time high and families now face the toughest admissions committees in history, soaring tuition costs, and a financial aid system designed to eliminate all but the most knowledgeable and persistent applicants.
Distance Learning Degree Program ? How to Study
The format of distance learning courses is different than what most students have experienced. The teaching style is more student directed and you will have to become accustomed to these differences. Distance learning relies heavily on technology. If you aren't computer and internet savvy, you will need to learn new skills, in addition to your coursework. Look for classes or workshops on computers and the internet. These are often available in public libraries or community centers. You may feel overwhelmed at the thought of taking another class, but the time you spend learning to use the technology will save you time in the long run.
Too Much to Read and Too Little Time
I spent the better part of 17 years in and out of higher education. Eleven of those years were invested in taking classes and pursuing degrees. In the process of having to read a lot of books and articles that I didn't really have time to read, I began asking myself, "Isn't there a more effective way to do this?" Like many of you, I had a life outside of the academic world. I had a family, jobs, responsibilities, and the desire to enjoy some portion of each week. Reading was necessary, but it wasn't something I always enjoyed.
The College-Bound Students Early Bird Menu
Many parents and students I counsel confuse Early Admission, Early Read, Early Decision, Early Action and Early Notification. How these and the other admission strategies listed below are used, will determine the course of the student's college years. Understanding them is an absolute must!
An Education in Saving on Textbooks
Every year students flock to the college bookstore to purchase the various textbooks that they require for their classes. Little do these students realize that, in doing so, they are throwing good money away. As unbelievable as it may seem textbooks, in some cases, actually cost as much, if not more, than tuition.
How to eMail Your Professor
So its 12:30 Pm and there you are at the computer trying to refresh the email inbox page. The big test is tomorrow and your Professor still hasn't replied back, but why? Contrary to popular belief, that your Professor wants you to fail, the problem could stem from the fact that your email never reached him/her. Hence, the purpose of this guide is to show students how to write an effective email to their Professors.
Education - Let The Learning Begin!
You've probably heard it since you were little, 'get a good education and you'll go far in life.' Maybe you used to wonder how truthful your relatives were when they said those words to you. Maybe now you know or wish you had listened to them a little harder. Whatever the case may be, it's undeniable that education is vital to your success for many reasons.
CRI Releases Its 2003-2004 College Graduate Survey
Upper Saddle River, N.J. - May 2004 - Compensation Resources, Inc. has
released the results of its 2003-2004 College Graduate Salary Survey. The
purpose of this study was to obtain compensation data and information on
recruiting and hiring trends for recent and new college graduates. The
survey sampled compensation data from 71 organizations, including 1,253 jobs.
Surviving School
Well, I finally finished my 1st semester of college and I think I did really well.
I am pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice, possibly with a minor in psychology.
I absolutely love school and now often wonder why I didn't go back sooner.
I think school has made me a lot more independent if that is possible. I do love it.
Commercialisation of Higher Education in South Africa
Introduction and Literature Review
Aurel Voiculescu Memories From High School
High School Ion Minulescu, Slatina, Graduates 1991.
Physical Therapy Schools
Physical Therapy Schools administer course instruction to potential physical therapists. Physical therapy schools help students to meet physical therapy requirements and the ability to pass a licensure exam before physical therapists can begin to practice. Physical therapy schools offer accredited physical therapist educational programs that may include masters' degress, and doctoral degrees.
What Makes A Penn State Online Degree Preferable To Other Online Degrees?
A Penn State online degree is a college degree from Penn State University that is offered through the Internet. This is equivalent to a degree received from the traditional on-site Penn State University, and is advantageous because Penn State has a highly esteemed reputation in the academic world.
Distance Learning and Distance Learning Online
Distance learning has become extremely appealing and widely attended because of the many educational options it offers through an educational format that caters to students who require flexibility in pursuing a degree. If you have decided that you need to jump-start your flagging career, want to change careers, or reach higher for an education that can increase your earning potential, then a distance learning online school is for you!
The Freshman 15, or 20, or 25
Now I remember being a freshman in college, and let me tell you, there are a couple of key things to keep in mind (that most people don't). One is how to manage your time, another is how to manage your money , and last but certainly not least is how to manage your health (what most don't realize is that all three are closely related).
Oxford Student Convicted of Child Pornography Offenses
An Oxford student has been convicted of downloading child pornography and has been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years. However, the student continued to study in Oxford for several weeks after his conviction and did not inform his college or the University.
Study More Effectively
If you are studying for an exam or if you need to learn some material for a presentation, you may be wondering how early you should start to study, and how often you should review the material in order to remember it.
|
