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As a student, you probably feel that the hours in a week are too less for you to finish everything on your schedule. Did you know that there are 168 hours in a week? Now that seems like a lot, right? Well, if you know how to learn and study in the best way.
you’d need to know these 20 ways to study efficiently:
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Same Information, Different Ways
Research has shown that different ways of learning the same information stimulates the various parts of our brain and the more they are activated, the better you’ll understand the information. In the Physics Math Café, we’re the best tuition centre in Singapore with top-notch notes and textbooks that tests your learning in different ways from doing a plethora of questions to doing Kahoot in class.
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Study Multiple Subjects Daily
Diving deep into one subject per day is less effective than studying multiple subjects daily. Study a little bit of the subjects so that you’ll not confuse similar information if you study the same subject in one day. Spread out your study time for the various subjects and give at least 45 minutes or an hour for each subject. Your brain will thank you for giving it more time to digest everything.
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Review Studied Information
Reviewing information that you have studied is important so that they move from your short-term memory to long term. Have an optimal review interval depending on how long you want to retain the information. Try out different periods to review what you have studied and see what suits you best.
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Sit In Front
If you’re one of those lucky ones who get to choose your seat, be sure to sit in front. Studies have shown that students who sits in front tend to score better in exams. By sitting in front, you get to hear your teachers more clearly and see the board.
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Multitasking is Not an Option
Multitasking makes you distracted and unproductive. Effective students focus on one thing at a time, they don’t get distracted by gadgets or mobile devices and scroll through Twitter feeds. Try turning off your phone or the notifications that constantly make you stray away from your work. Clear your study area if it is too cluttered.
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Summarise the Information
Use mnemonic strategies like acronyms to increase learning efficiency. Study smart and try to create your own acronyms that makes it easier for you to remember. Simplify and compress the information into a table or mind map, these tools help you learn your materials quicker.
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Take notes
Taking notes by hand is much effective than using your phone or laptop. Those who take notes by writing them down tend to process the information and remember them more. This method is highly recommend as using laptops to note information down will only distract one and learning becomes less effective.
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Write Down your Worries
To be less anxious, take around 5 to 10 minutes and write down all the things you’re worried about with relation to the exams. Expressive writing helps to improve memory and learning as it allows students to express their pessimism, which diverts them away from this distraction of feelings.
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Test yourself
In PMC, we are a Physics tuition Singapore that tries to include short quizzes for our students so that they know how much they have to improve and we are aware of their progress. We don’t encourage our students to just read their notes and textbooks, we advise them to do tests, especially in class and have fun quizzes like Kahoot to engage them.
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Apply it to What You Know
It takes time to connect new information to what you already know but it definitely makes things easier. For example, the current of electricity is similar to the flow of water. The more you relate new concepts to what you already know, the faster you’ll be able to get what the new information is talking about.
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Read Key Information out Loud
Reading aloud helps you imagine and hear it whilst reading it silently will only help you see it. Yes, it’s not efficient to read every single set of notes out loud so choose the key points or concepts. Read them out loud after you have identified all the essential points of the topic, as many times as you can. Test yourself and see if you can remember them.
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Take Breaks
Taking regular breaks help enhance productivity and improves focus. Take an hour to study one subject – 45 minutes of revision and 15 minutes of break after. Although you’d be tempted to cram everything all at once so that you feel you got a lot done, taking breaks help you relax. Time your break and know that you’re on track. Refrain from using mobile devices so that your mind can fully rest.
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Reward Yourself
Set a reward for yourself before you start anything so that you’ll stay motivated. For example, you can treat yourself to a small snack or go for a walk. Rewarding yourself at the end of every study session helps boost your confidence in terms of studying smart and learning fast.
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Focus on the Process
Students who are able to score do not focus on the outcome, they concentrate during the process. Setting learning goals instead of performance goals helps students perform better. For example, solving at least 3 questions as compared to trying to get 90% for the next test is a better option since it teaches growth and helps master the topic slowly.
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Drink 8 Glasses of Water
You might think you’re drinking sufficiently, but most people are often dehydrated. Dehydration is bad for the brain so drinking at least 8 glasses per day is ideal. Bring a water bottle to the exam and drink up every 30-40 minutes so that you stay hydrated and give yourself a short break to refresh yourself.
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Exercise
Exercising improves your memory and brain function; it also reduces stress. To study better and smarter, exercise so that you’ll be healthier and feel more energetic. This way, you’ll remember information better.
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Have Sufficient Sleep
As a student, there is a lot to do and sleep is often sacrificed when it comes to mugging for the exams. Research has shown that getting enough sleep means you’ll stay more focused and your memory will improve. Sleeping at least 8 hours can help you deal with stress more effectively, so don’t take sleep as a luxury. It’s a necessity and your studying sessions will become more productive.
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Eat fruits
Fruits have many vitamins and minerals that improves your short and long-term memory. They strengthen the brain and stimulates regeneration of the brain cells.
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Consume more Chicken & Eggs
Foods high in choline – essential for formation of new memories, helps one to perform better during memory tests. Worried that over-consumption of eggs might be unhealthy? Fret not, eggs are actually healthy, you just have to eat moderately. If you’re a vegetarian, you can consume cabbage, broccoli and lentils etc.
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Eat Food with Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Taking in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids help reduce anxiety and improve mental concentration. Foods like salmon, mackerel and walnuts prevent a lot of health problems like ADHD, depression and diabetes.
In a nutshell, even though this whole list is rather long and lengthy, apply the tips one at a time and try what works for you. Turn it into a habit, education is to cultivate your strengths and excellency. It’s all about learning and growing.
