Studying

You’re in university now, and hardcore studying is going to be a part of that sooner or later. Don’t underestimate it, studying for an exam is more than just staring at an opened book for a couple of hours. You need to understand and usually practice the content.

Now your studying method might vary more or less depending on what you study. Doing physics requires a whole different approach than studying law.

Few things to effectively study:

-          Starting early. You probably have some time to study for your exam, and you should use it wisely. Starting early buys you a lot of time later on, and it helps estimate how much work you have left. 

-          Planning. You need to plan what you are going to learn on what day. Estimate how much time it is going to take, but you should plan chapters for example rather than hours. One chapter will always be one chapter, whereas the content you study in one hour varies greatly.

-          Learning environment. A clean, calm environment without distractions is the best place to learn. Don’t just turn of the television, unplug it and put the cable away somewhere. Do the same for the computer if the matter you are studying doesn’t require the use of a computer. The library is always a great place to study, and it even has additional recourses in case you need them.

-          Practice. If the subject you’re studying allows it, practice the matter you just studied. This will not only give you a clearer view of how good you have studied, but also help increase your knowledge. Practicing old exams are always a great choice.

-          Being honest. A lot of people tend to lie to themselves regarding how much they have done, and how much left to do. Try to avoid this and objectively look at how much work you have left. However, if you had a great learning day, reward yourself with a nice meal for example.

-          Fresh air. Preparing for an exam usually means spending a lot of time inside. Notice how this turns you into some sort of zombie? Go for a walk every day, get your head out of the books and enjoy the fresh air. If the weather is nice, you could even take your books to the park and study outside.

-          Procrastinating. Yes, your wall could use a fresh paint, and yes, your cd’s would look awesome if you align them by color to recreate the visual spectrum, but now is not the time to do those things. Focus on what’s important or you’ll lose too much time.