Back to School STUDY HACKS
As the first day of school approaches, it means it’s time to switch gears. Whether you spent your summer lying by the pool, traveling, waiting tables, or playing sports, it’s safe to assume you didn’t spend much time studying for exams. Since you’re going to be a little bit out of practice, I figured I’d share some “study hacks” that will make your exam preparation much easier, and possibly even fun!
The “do not disturb” function on your phone is your best friend!
If you’re at home, you can easily just put your phone in another room. If you’re out and can’t seem to put your phone down– or if you want your phone close by for the clock– put it in “do not disturb” mode. No texts, no Facebook notifications, and no Instagram likes to distract you. Allow yourself to switch it back to normal mode when you’ve finished your studying for the day. You can even set it to switch back automatically after a certain time.
15-30 minutes on, 10 minutes off. Repeat.
Remember this rule. The best way to prepare for an exam is to study for about 15 to 30 minutes, and then take a 10-minute break. Set your timer so that your break doesn’t accidentally turn into an hour. The best way to prepare for an exam is to take it slow and steady, so give yourself as much time as possible. If you try to study for 5 hours straight, you won’t absorb as much of the information.
Make study guides or flash cards in interesting colors.
This is a trick I started using in college, and it worked like a charm. I got so tired and bored of reading my notes in black ink. I started printing out my study guides in pink (my favorite color), and creating flashcards in other fun, bright colors. It almost made studying seem fun.
Teach the subject to someone– anyone!
Your parent, a sibling, a friend, or a dog will do. The best way to judge if you’ve learned material is if you’re able to teach it aloud to someone else. You can read the same passage of information over and over again, but can you put it into your own words? Challenge yourself to teach someone a new concept, and then re-study any aspects you stumbled over. By reading and talking about the information out loud, you help commit it to memory.
Watch the video below for even more tips and tricks to help you study smarter– not longer!
