Advice on how to study?

naturallynicole · Jul 16, 2013

Have you been tested for add? I too had a similar situation like you. I was a huge procrastinator in high school, and I never could figure out why it was so hard for me to study. WHen I had my daughter, it was terrible because I could never use my available time effectively. I told my doctor and I was diagnosed with ADD and have been put on meds. Now, I can study when I need to. Flash cards help the most with subjects like A&P and study groups too where you can test each other. I still have almost a year left.

Idiosyncratic, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2013

It's all about finding your "click." For me, it was going through the notion. I tried writing notes a few times over - didn't work. Tried reading everything word for word - didn't work. Finally, I tried flash cards - worked amazingly. I'm the weirdo who will sit there and "sing" my flash cards. That way they get stuck in my head. For instance, right now, my polyatomic ions song is going through my head. It helps, me at least.

Just have to try everything. :)

ScientistSalarian · Jul 16, 2013

I agree, it's just a matter of trial-and-error to find out what works best for you. Some people like flash cards, some like to record lectures to listen to over again, and some do perfectly well with regular old reading and highlighting. I personally learn best by re-writing and organizing my messy lecture notes, writing out key terms and re-drawing important textbook diagrams by hand, and color-coding everything. Kinda weird, but as a "visual/kinesthetic" learner it's just what happens to work best for me.

Try a few different methods out and see what sticks - it might take a while but you'll find it!

DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2013

Google "active learning". The type of studying where you do more than just read and look at it. Things like teach the subject to someone else, answer the questions at the end of a chapter NOT just because they are part of an assignment. Sometimes, if the subject is particularly hard, I will write a paper about the subject (again, even if it is not an assignment). Like the previous posters put, you have to find your own style, but don't stick with one for long if it doesn't work, meaning if you try a method and you don't do well on a test, abandon that method and try another one.

swansonplace · Jul 17, 2013

There is a how to succeed in college class for nursing students and for everyone.

I guess you need to find out what about it you are having trouble with. (short term memory, study skills, anxiety, vitamins/diet, environment issue, etc)

It would be great if you could sit down with someone, and they watch as you study to see what is going on. I would try the tutoring center, advisement, and your advisor.

This way you can get in the tools that you need for what is happening.

lyssie · Jul 17, 2013

Sometimes making silly acronyms helps with studying especially if you're taking hard classes like anatomy. And of course, flash cards are good (i know some websites have study help too like games and such).

I found it was also helpful for me to study with groups of peers who were smarter than me so i could learn from them and be challenged to do better. Another thing that helped was getting out of the house and going to coffee shops so i was forced to make the most of my time.

LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN · Jul 17, 2013

I am starting nursing school in the Fall and one thing I have trouble with is letting my mind wander while I am trying to read a chapter, and thereby having to re-read paragraphs over and over. I read on here where someone reccommended reading aloud to myself. So I am planning to do that. That way you read the material and hear the material. I also am a hands on learner and an artist so I plan on redrawing diagrams, that will definitely help. It certainly helped in A & P.

claritasd · Jul 17, 2013

I always had trouble figuring out what worked best for me (at least in the sense of auditory, visual, or kinesthetic). It seemed like I could learn any of those ways, and I'd always come out even on the tests for them. The way I figured it out was with directions. If somebody gave me written directions, I'd go through them and move my hand (turn left, go straight, turn right, etc). If someone was saying them to me, I'd also move my hand. I realized I need a combination of movement and either visual or auditory info.

When I started trying to memorize the names of bones, I always had to touch the area of the bone. I couldn't just say the names or look at a picture, I had to point.

That's what has worked for me. Of course it's not going to work for all subjects (umm, Chemistry??), but it works for a lot. It's really trial and error, unfortunately. And it sounds like you've tried a lot of different things already. In that case, some of the suggestions here of study skills classes, googling, or even checking in with a doctor might be a good idea.

studentmom1418 · Jul 17, 2013

i am a visual person for studying too! I like to re-write the information over and over and then it just stays stuck. Ill take all the information I already have and then go back and re-organize it and make it neat. that way works best for me.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2013

Good day:

I just turned 50 this past May, and I'm finding out things don't work as they did when I was in high school or the college and business school I went to when I was a lot younger (last time I was in school prior to working on my nursing prerequisites 1984).

What I'm finding is that when I incorporate multiple study techniques, I pick up the material better than just using one technique (method).

For example, for studying Human Biology, I'm finding the following to work well:

1. Prior to the 1st class, I went through the book using "Semikolon Sticky Page Markers, Assorted Colors" at the start of each chapter as well as the appendix and glossary; for the latter two, I actually put two stickers -- one to the right and one on top. I took note that the appendix included answers to review questions.

I also took note of the various study helps in each chapter --> a highlight section that summarizes the chapter, a set of review questions to test one's knowledge of the chapter as well as what figures, tables, etc. are present. Each chapter also has a glossary of terms the author thinks you should know from the reading.

2. When I received the syllabus, I used a calendar / planner to note what lecture days would cover what chapters, and when there would be exams. I back tracked from there to plan specific chapter reading times, specific times to study over time, and specific times to really press into the exams with the key note that pressing in for me is not cramming (i.e. the press time is over several days).

3. Prior to the actual reading of the chapter, I type the chapter highlights in the book where reading and typing gives me a reasonable overview of the chapter. I also type out the review questions and leave spaces for my answers so I can test myself. I also type out the glossary of terms (sort them), and fill in the descriptions. So after just doing that I have a feel for the vocabulary (I'm not stating I've memorized all those terms, but I now got a feel for them; and can probably remember some of them). That plus the chapter highlight flesh things out to make reading (for me) more productive.

4. I then read the chapter(s) in short blocks:

* 20 minutes of reading

* Do 5 minutes of something involving physical activity away from the reading area -- i.e. pace, run in place, go do some house chores, etc.

* Come back and do a quick (5 minute) review to yourself of what you have read.

I do highlight using different colors; BUT, I try very hard to highly only key areas so those key areas stand out upon re-reading.

I also try to use a ruler to help guide my eye focus.

5. When I've gone through a chapter multiple times, I take the review quiz and then check my answers in the appendix.

6. During lectures, I tape record the lecture while I do my best to take good notes. Once at home, I edit the recording to combine separate files, give the combined file a meaningful name, and then transfer the MP3 to my smart phone as its speakers are louder than the tape recorder.

I type up my hand written notes; and I typically will use Google images to find figures that describe my notes to insert into my type written notes to use for studying. I.e. copy http://healthinformatics.wikispaces.com/file/view/MS.jpg/366894736/MS.jpg into my printed notes dealing with the neurons and Schawnn cells related to M.S.

BTW, for labs our professor doesn't allow us to take pictures; so I will often go to Google images to find pictures that come as close as possible to what I remember (I try to do this extremely quickly after lab so my memory is fresh); and then print those out for review for lab exams.

7. I re-listen to the lectures as often as I'm able -- home, driving back and forth to school, on my way to church and back, etc.

8. When I'm giving study guides (which are typically in bare outline format), I will then fill them out to be as complete as possible so I can study from them plus my rewritten notes (which include imagery) plus re-listening to lectures.

9. Anytime I hear other students in class talking about areas troubling them, I try to listen in so I can either help or brainstorm with them on the solution.

10. I try to participate in class often (sitting in the first row when able); and I often find that participating I get bad information ruled out (the teacher corrects me), or good information reinforced, or maybe even have a light bulb -- think out of the box approach (rare, but it happened once so far for me in class).

Thank you.