smarter not harder

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Mar 21, 2016

Make sure you know your vocabulary.

Make liberal use of flashcards and grab the spare minutes that pop up throughout the day waiting in line, waiting for the teacher, walking to your car, etc.

Spend the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes of each day reviewing material that you've already covered.

Consider avoiding a study group. Some people swear by them but I've always found them to be a terribly inefficient use of time, particularly when you include the transit time to and from the group meeting place.

Draw pictures, make tables, build mind maps, etc.

Track how much time you're actually studying... not setting up to study, not getting your stuff together, not doing homework (that's not studying, that's doing homework... different activities) and establish a baseline. You should be studying at least twice as much as you're relaxing or socializing.

Don't spend time rehashing things that you basically know. Study time should be focused on material that you haven't mastered.

koko_xoxo · Apr 9, 2016

Thank you so much so far I have implemented this we'll see how it goes!!!

verene, MSN · Apr 9, 2016

Figure out what you've done to study differently on the test you've done well one vs. what you've done when you haven't done so well. Do the things that helped you score higher. Learn how you best learn because what works well for one person may not work well for another. For me flash cards are horrible, I spend a lot of time on them and find them too passive to actually learn from. Drawing flow charts and pictures is much more effective for me.

Also don't be afraid to use non-required materials to study from. In subjects were I've struggled going through a non-required study guide, Khan Academy or Youtube video can be helpful, because sometimes you just need a different perspective on the material in order for it to "click" and make sense.

Finally, remember to take breaks now and then. If your brain is overwhelmed and tired you aren't going to take in the information and retain it, so know how to quickly recharge and refresh your mind, be it going for a 5 minute walk around the block, listening to a favorite song, or meditating for a few minutes so you can come back to your material ready to learn.

Purple_roses · Apr 9, 2016

I really would suggest that you step away from the flashcards actually. But that's just me! My grades improved once I got rid of those time-suckers. Now I take notes in lecture, go home and read only what the teacher covered in lecture (if it's not emphasized in lecture, it probably won't end up on a test) and combine book notes and lecture notes. I like the linear layout because I can see how all of the topics connect. I print those notes out, highlight only the things I need to go over again, and make helpful notes in the margins.

Do not study one subject for more than 2 hours in a day. Review a little bit each day. Once you're done reviewing, put your notes away and write down what you went over for memory, then check that against your notes. This will help you detect what needs more focus and what doesn't.

Again, this works for me. It may not work for you.