Study Tips

Today I purchased the books for my A&P class, well didn't purchase, but I put them in my cart to purchase in a few days. Of course purchasing books are pricey, but it's an affordable price this time. Doing this made me realize all the studying I need to do this semester, so I decided to do a post about studying,and tips for effective studying. 

• Get rid of every and any electronic device!

No that doesn't mean keep it at the table with you, nor does it mean to just put it on silent. It means GET RID OF IT! Sorry but keeping it near you is means for distraction! Now unless you need that electronic device for studying, there's no reason to keep it by you! I use my IPAD for studying because I take lecture notes on it. I have yet to find it as a distraction because I turn the wifi off! If I find it starting to cause distraction I tend to print those notes out and use them on paper as opposed to my ipad. If I make any new notes on it or change it I will scan it on my printer and add the document on my note taking app. I don't need my phone or computer for studying, that's what the book and lecture notes are for.

• Take quick and easy notes in class, change them later

Doing this will encourage you to go back and add information that your missing. For example, the professor goes over a definition in class and instead of writing down the definition because you know you can find that later, you write down the examples he gives. Professor that give examples are more likely to use those for the exam as opposed to just asking you to define a word. So write down what he says, and later go back to the book and look for whatever you're missing. Also using this method means you miss less of what he's saying by trying to write everything.

• Read the chapter twice

I know how odd that sounds, reading the chapter twice especially when you have tons to read and not enough time to read it. When I say read, I mean skim through the chapter. When you do this twice, you'll notice more things than before. Actually read each header, and while skimming through the paragraph in that area, find the main ideas. When I skim the first time I don't highlight nor write any notes. When I skim the second time, I highlight or make note of what I find important. I usually do this the second time, because I tend to notice that somethings are obvious which means I don't need to highlight or note those because if I know the main idea of the paragraph, I know the obvious facts. When I note the main ideas, I make bullet points to go with them and write my own facts and understandings of the lecture and chapter. It sounds like a lot of work but it helps to learn the topics of the class.

• Color Coding

Color code everything you write/read. Definitions in green, facts from the notes in purple, facts from the book in pink, facts from your own understanding in blue, etc. I hope you get the point, it just makes things easier to look for. Don't go and write everything in a different color if you don't want to. I write everything in black, but I make the bullet points color, or I write the specific topic in the corresponding color. I use highlighters on the headers of different sections depending on what information it belongs. I just add colors to make it call for more attention, and it helps remembering later because you use a different memory for the different writing methods. It also helps to find information on a fully written on sheet quickly. For example if the professor is asking me for a definition on an assignment, I'll grab the notes for that topic, look for the corresponding header, and look for the green writing or highlight. It makes it easier to look for.

That's all I can really think of right now, but I'm hoping to get some more tips out of my head. I'll write them on my phone as I remember, and update this post with them. I don't normally take pictures of my notes, and I don't really have any notes right now because classes don't start for another 2-3 weeks but I will post pictures of what my notes and stuff look like as soon as I start!

I hope that this helped, and if you want any more specific ideas for studying feel free to contact me; stacyh003@gmail.com!!

How do you study? What do you use? How do you take notes? Do you change it later? Tell me what you do to study, maybe we can collaborate and make a huge studying post! Don't be shy, comment below!