How to Study Smarter

Studying can become quite tedious if you aren’t careful. You may find yourself having to revise the same topics over and over again, with no real progress being made. Whether that’s because of poor concentration, ineffective study techniques, poor time management, the level of difficulty of the topic or something else entirely, here are 5 tips to help you study smarter!

1. 

   Join a Study Group

Joining a study group is a great way to learn new material as well as revise content you already know. They allow for faster learning, reduce procrastination and sharpen your study skills. Students in study groups tend to learn a lot faster than those who study alone because you can quiz each other, reteach material, and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Having someone explain a difficult concept in more than one way eliminates the time you would have spent trying to figure it out on your own. Similarly, teaching someone a difficult topic reinforces the information in your mind, making it easier to understand and recall at a later time. This also allows you to fill in gaps in your knowledge. You may be surprised at what others contribute and how their study methods compare to yours. Lastly, regularly scheduled sessions with a study group is a great way to reduce or eliminate procrastination.

2. Study in Multiple Settings

When you need to settle down and pull an all nighter, where do you go? Choosing the right surroundings is as important as any other factor of a good study session. It is important that you have a dedicated space equipped with all the materials and aid that you will need, however, it is also important to note that you will not always have access to this space. Get used to the idea of having more than one setting that is conducive to learning for you. Studies show that students who study the same material in 2 different rooms test better than those who stick to the same location. The important thing is your comfort. Not feeling comfortable can be a distraction in itself. If the environment you choose does not seem to be working for you after a couple of attempts, it is time to give up and try a new venue.

3. Reduce Multitasking

Although multitasking seems like the solution to getting more done, research suggests that effective multitasking is not possible because there is a delay when you are continuously switching between tasks, breaking focus each time you do so. There are ways, however, that you can effectively switch between tasks by grouping similar tasks together to allow for a more seamless transition between them. Set aside specific and manageable amounts of time to do each task on your list, remove unneeded electronics during this time to reduce distractions and get rid of clutter to keep your workspace organized.

4. Make Learning Fun

One way to learn smarter is to make learning seem a little less like learning. Being forced to study is not effective, but making the topics a little more interesting is always a game changer for students. There are many ways to do this, but of course, it depends on you and what you find entertaining. Humor is one way you can boost retention significantly. Infusing humor into your lessons makes it easier to swallow and fosters a light hearted and positive vibe in your study sessions. You can also try to incorporate key points into popular songs and rhythms, or create a game centered around hard to learn topics. You can also elevate your study sessions through the use of debates with a study group and argue against or for a particular moot, or even have a trivia night with different subjects or topics. Depending on what you enjoy, you can come up with different ways to make learning fun!

5. Test Your Own Knowledge

Frequent testing is a great tool to help students learn. It is a great way to quantify your knowledge on a particular topic and in many ways, it helps you to focus on what you do not know. While revising and restudying is great, many studies show that writing down as much as you can remember (rehearsal) is actually the better choice for retaining information. Use your syllabus to devise your own questions and after each study session, test yourself to see what you have learned. In addition to helping you strengthen your ability to retrieve information, failing to retrieve information shines a light on the topics you are struggling with. If you cannot answer your questions, then you know that you need to spend a little more time on the topic to have a better understanding of the key concepts. Testing yourself is also a great way to prepare yourself for exams, especially if you integrate exam conditions into your own test settings. For example, give yourself a time limit to complete your test, remove your electronics, and limit contact with anyone during the test. Not only is this great practice for exams, it may also lessen the anxiety associated with exams.

These are just a few ways that you can improve your study sessions and increase your productivity. You may try one or a combination of the aforementioned tips, however, remember that everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. 

Check out our other resources for more study tips:

• Which Study Technique is Best for You? 

• Last Minute Exam Preparation Tips 

• 7 Ways to Improve Concentration