The Guide To Effective Studying

Picture this – It’s the last night before a big test and you're cramming in as much information as possible. Is it effective? Not really. But if you’ve been there, you’re not the only one. There’s no doubt the pandemic has influenced our school lives. In the past year, schools were forced to shorten the time students spend learning each subject, rendering educators to teach more hurriedly, and tests to be given out more frequently. While this may seem daunting to get back to, there’s a lot you can do to make it less so.

Learning Through Various Means

Reading, rewriting, typing, speaking, listening, drawing; the methods of studying are endless. On countless occasions, I find myself using a multitude of them. But depending on your time, amount of information, and how thoroughly you need to memorize, some may be a better fit. One method I always use is reading through my notes first. This is likely the best way to understand the material, and probably the quickest. It’s always best to get a basic understanding of everything, rather than a highly detailed understanding of a small section. Plus, this helps you know where you struggle most. If time permits, rewriting or typing your notes is another great way to memorize. If you learn best using images, including diagrams or visual cues may further enhance your uptake of information. Reading your notes out loud, recording them, and listening to them is another great tactic. Not everyone learns the same way, and this is where a diversity of methods comes in handy. Create a Quizlet, make cue cards, watch a video, do some research, compose a song, translate your notes into a different language. Find which best suits you and make it fun! :)

Making Class Time Productive

However, not all tests merely require memorization. Understanding concepts and applying them have a substantial role in studying. This is where this next tip serves useful. There is no better place and time for understanding material than in class. Take as much advantage from it as possible. Ask any questions that come to mind and take notes during lessons. Doing so surprisingly sharpens focus and helps you preserve what you learned. While it may be hard to keep up with everything that’s being said, missing small bits of information does not hinder the overall effect of taking notes. One way to address this problem, however, may be to type your notes instead. No matter how you strive for it, class engagement will lower your chances of cramming in material.

Having a Schedule

This next tip is surprisingly simple and useful. When it comes to studying, a schedule is something you always want to have. While exams may require a month of allotted study time, smaller tests may only need a day or two. When making these plans, leaving extra time towards the end is ideal. List everything you need to study and assign an appropriate time frame for each. Plan wisely though – don’t plan to waste your time learning the smaller, unnecessary bits of information. Only focus on perfecting your knowledge after your fundamental knowledge is complete. In addition, making too overwhelming of a schedule may lead to procrastination. Make sure your goals are attainable!

Keeping Organized Study Material

This includes your textbooks, papers, worksheets, notes… Keep it all in one place and keep it neat. Keeping your study material visually appealing will remarkably affect your motivation levels towards studying. Have an area in your binder designated towards your notes, tests, worksheets, and homework. Use dividers and folders. Highlight, underline or put a star beside important things. Write your notes with a clear and delicate hand. Include titles and subtitles. This will make reviewing a much quicker process.

Sleeping Well

Finally, the last but certainly not least important thing you can do to undergo a successful year of studying is to value your sleep. It may not seem like spending that extra hour studying will do much harm, but there’s no doubt it does. Without the required 8-10 hours of sleep that keeps our brains going, the entirety of the advice above is of little help. When tired, our minds find it harder to focus. This will decrease our aptitude for learning new material, make it difficult to take notes or pay attention in class, forcefully alter our schedules to make time for sleep, and make non-urgent matters such as organization seem unimportant. For this reason, delaying sleep to make up for it later causes studying for future tests to become harder and demand greater effort. A good night's sleep will contribute more to a high overall grade than that test tomorrow.

Goodluck Studying!

Edited by Gwen P.

Nikki Zavvarian is a grade 11 student attending William Lyon Mackenzie CI. She recognizes the challenges many students have encountered over the pandemic and hopes to help with this advice.