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Math Tips

(Pictures are not mine)

Well, let me tell you, we all have this love-hate relationship with this subject, right? The worst part is that when you don't know what the heck is going on, so, as a girl who studied maths (2 Volumes/textbooks) on her own during the year she was homeschooled, here are some tips and tricks that I did to get an A+ in my math finals!

Get your syllabus together

In the beginning I had no damn idea what was going on and it was just confusing. I had to do the first thing I did was taken my index/table of contents and mark the chapters which i knew very well and the ones I had no clue about. And then i arranged them with the marking scheme, like which one carries the most marks etc etc and study accordingly.

Complete lessons/chapters that you already know

When you finish off the things you already know then that's gonna give you the confidence you need even if you know only 1-2 chapters, learn it throughout and make sure that you'll get the answer no matter how twisted the sum is. If you're doubtful about the whole textbook like any normal person.... Start with the easy ones. (I know there are literally really no "easy" chapters, spare me)

Harder chapters need hard work

Most chapters like Trigonometry proofs, Geometry proofs, Algebra, Graphs, Mensuration and Calculus etc need more than minimum effort but here's a trick, what is the common thing in this? Yes, they're all formulae and theorem based which goes to my next point. These chapters are completely based on how much you've understood your basics.

Formulae and theorem cheatsheets

Make a list of all formulae and the theorem used in the book, write them chapter wise and no printouts or digital notes. Take a paper and write it down, no excuses. It helps you while you're practicing, revising and in the last minute review, it helped me damn much. Remember, maths is a sport. The basic formulae must come to you like reflexes.

YouTube is your best friend.

For every single chapter, go and watch the basics and how a sum is done step by step. A recommendation for this is Organic Chemistry Tutor who literally is one of the reasons i passed. He has videos from basic geometry, trigonometry, statistics to calculus. Search for your own YouTubers and be clear with concepts.

Math is fully memorization

Memorize formulae and theorems with the back of your hand, you should be able to recall them within seconds. Be thorough.

Memorize basic math values (if calculator isn't allowed)

Do this if you have a majority of chapters like Statistics, Mensuration, Profit/loss calculation etc, where large numbers are concerned. Memorize the first 10 square, cube, decimal and multiplication values. It may be dry but there are literally songs available for these things, I'm serious, i learnt the first 10 cube roots by listening to Senorita xD Search for rhymes and they'll definitely be many!!

Work it out!!!!!!

Can't stress this enough, atleast 30-40 mins is the minimum for maths. I'm serious, work out each sum, don't ever think it's a waste, you'll see the results. Practice makes perfect. Work out every single sum, from examples to exercise ones cause let's be honest, our examiners love to take problems from every nook and cranny of the book.

Whiteboard method

So, I made this up and it actually works, if you have a whiteboard or anything else, once you completed a chapter, take a random page and whatever sums you have on those two pages, you need to complete within a given time limit. It helps you to identify your weak points and where the hell you're losing both time and effort and not to mention that it gives you confidence boost up.

Hope this helps :))

Study Strategies

For everyone asking "What does 'playing' with the material even mean when it comes to studying??"

Well, basically when you think about the material in a way that applies to your real life or interests, or that entertains you.

Writing a tumblr post about it (my blog started out as a study tool when I was in nursing school, because I re-wrote what I was learning in fandom/fic terms)

Talking about it or explaining it to a friend that is NOT in your field of study

Trapping your blorbos in a weird situation they can only get out of by learning the material (I once went through a whole scenario in my head about my blorbo getting injected with insulin and his friend having to figure out how long they had to give him sugar before they died to learn insulin onset-peak-duration)

Flash card "war" where 2 or more of your friends bring their flashcards and every time you or a friend puts down a card, the one that gets the answer the closest first wins the cards (google allowed)

Make a comedy routine about the material using only jokes that would be funny if someone understood it

Order a list of facts from least to most interesting- bonus points if you do it with a friend and you both have to agree, bringing your own arguments to the table as to why a particular fact deserves a certain rank

Finding an old textbook on the material at your school's library and figuring out what still holds up to today's knowledge

Find a group of people on the internet that are really interested in what you're studying and get the latest in DiscourseTM

Make the most misleading fact sheet you can make on the subject, with everything you say being technically true

Make a fact sheet that holds up to the reading comprehension of tumblr dot com

Basically anything that reframes studying from "I hate this and it takes up so much time" to "something I was probably going to do anyway for fun, but this time with more [subject]".

my tips for students that struggle with consistency

15 Productivity Hacks 💻💭📝💡

Use the Pomodoro Method. Work in focused intervals (typically 25 minutes) followed by a short break. This helps you maintain high levels of focus and gives regular breaks to rest.

If a something takes less than two minutes, do it immediately.

Schedule specific blocks of time for specific activities. This helps in dedicating focus to one task at a time.

Group similar tasks together and tackle them in one go. For example, respond to all emails at once rather than sporadically throughout the day.

Contrary to popular belief, multitasking can reduce productivity. Focus on one task at a time for better efficiency.

Use apps and tools like Trello, Asana, or Notion to manage tasks and projects.

Use the Eisenhower Box or the ABCD method to categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance.

Keep your workspace tidy. A clean workspace can enhance focus and reduce distractions.

Even if one doesn’t exist, setting a deadline can create a sense of urgency.

Large tasks can be overwhelming. Break them into smaller steps to make them more manageable.

Aim for excellence, not perfection. Sometimes waiting for something to be perfect can lead to procrastination.

If someone else can do a task, delegate it. This allows you to focus on tasks that only you can do.

Working for long hours without a break can lead to burnout. Short, regular breaks can help maintain high levels of focus.

Use apps to play background music/noise that enhances concentration or block all notifications to prevent you from checking your phone.

At the end of the week, review what you’ve accomplished and what needs to be adjusted for the coming days.

study methods

the second brain method

this method focuses on organizing the information you learn to maximize effectiveness. a common way of doing this is through the CODE method:

capture - be quick and efficient in how you receive the information

organize - organize the information in a way that works for you

distill - break the information down to its key elements

express - apply the information you’ve learned

* there is a ton of information out there about this method. if you struggle with burnout and knowing where to start, i recommend researching this method further to figure out what works for you.

the pomodoro method

the pomodoro method is a time management method. the most common expression of this method is to pick a task, work for 25 minutes on that task, then take a break for 5 minutes. then, repeat. if you’re planning to work all day, you may up the time spent studying. for example, after a while of this, you may work for 30 minutes at a time, then 40, then 45, and so forth. this method is particularly good for when you’re feeling unmotivated or having a hard time focusing. if you’re still not feeling it after a while, you may start to take longer breaks. for example, you may study for 30 minutes, break for 15, and keep going like that.

the 5 minute rule method

this method is good for when you have to do a shorter task, but you’re procrastinating doing it. this method requires you to dedicate only 5 minutes to do your task. after that, you may stop, but chances are, once you’ve started, finishing won’t be as difficult.

the blurting method

this method is particularly good for revision. the blurting method requires you to read over the content you are learning, then put it away and write down everything you know or can remember. then, check the content and revise everything you didn’t write down.

spaced repetition

spaced repetition requires you to spread out your study reviews over the period of a few days. this has been shown to improve memory. rather than studying one thing at a time, then studying something else the next day and so on, review the information right after you’ve learned it, then recall it after a few hours, then a few days, then a few weeks, and so on. if you’re studying something you will need to remember for an extended period of time, this method would be perfect for you!

active recall

this is my absolute favorite method! it’s been shown to improve your studying immensely and so many people have benefited from practicing active recall. active recall involves retrieving information from your brain, usually done through questions. a good way to do this is to explain the concept to yourself, to someone else, or act like you’re doing a presentation on the subject. after you’ve recalled all of the information you know about the subject, go over your material again and be sure you covered everything and explained everything the best way you could. if you didn’t, review everything you did not remember or got wrong, and go again. do this until you get everything. doing this can also be referred to as the feynman technique.

the SQ3r method

survey - skim your text and identify bolded text, headers, images, etc.

question - generate questions about the text based on what you surveyed. what are the key concepts in this text? what is each paragraph about? what information do i need to take away from this text?

read - read through the entire text and answer the questions you created

recite - summarize what you learned in your own words

review - recall the key concepts and answers to your questions

Study like Spencer Hastings ☕️

1. First, organize your study well! Divide the number of pages to study by the days you have available (leave a few extra days free to repeat everything)

2. Always integrate your lesson notes with the books you have to study

3. To get the best grades you have to study for a long time... study 6/8 hours a day but remember to always take breaks

4. During study sessions try to drink a lot of water (and also a lot of coffee!!!) eat a lot of fruit and vegetables to stay hydrated but also carbohydrates for energy

5. Remember that to have a good preparation you also need rest. During the day, always take a few hours for yourself: rest, exercise and do what you love

6. Sleep at least 8/10 hours a day

7. You have to make a good impression on the exam. Don't study the day before. Rest, take a nice shower, wash your hair and relax. On the day of the exam, choose a comfortable but also elegant outfit (I always wear something white) and wear light make-up

Study Tip - 2

Writing practice and i don't mean time management. By writing practice, I mean, no matter how well you know your content, if you can't put it in words appropriately then you won't get your grades.

Now, it's hard to remember every single thing so here's a technique...

What? When? Who? Why? How? What's the use?

The basic information for any topic would be the answer to these questions. I'll take an example, suppose you have to write a short note on computer.

The points would be:

What is it? An electronic device.

When was it invented?  Between 1833 and 1871.

Who invented it? Charles Babbage

Why did they invent it? To perform calculations

How does it work? (Input-Process-Output)

What's the main use? Storing, receiving and processing data

The more questions you answer, the more points you get. This can be applied generally, if you take your textbook and observe how many points each topic has, many might answer to the above questions.

So when you're writing the exam and you don't know how to continue, just think about what questions you've missed and answer to them.

Note: Change questions according to the topic/ subject and do not change the main keywords.

Bonus: Write all the general questions related to each lesson at the starting of the lesson or your notes. So, while revising, you'll know your order.

❥﹒♡﹒☕﹒𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆

organization: i know it's the most trivial advice in the world, but i swear it works. before doing anything, i take my planner and review everything i have to do, i divide the study by subject, amount of things to study and review spaces for exams. realistically, you can't expect to do it all in one day, but a good plan could almost allow you to sleep at night!

a clean workspace: i can't fucking concentrate if there's a mess aroud me, i get distracted easily, even by dust, so before i start studying i always deep-clean my desk. i know that not everyone can afford a personal and quiet place to study in their houses, so try to find yourself a small angle where you can really focus.

go to study in a library / café: i didn't believe it at first, but it's actually useful. if you have the opportunity to go to a library or a café after school ( or near your house ) do so. being surrounded by people who are studying like you really helps to focus, you'll be less inclined to get distracted and procastinate. i would feel uncomfortable using my phone in a library with other people who are doing their work while i'm sitting there scrolling on tumblr.

breaks: ik ik, not very blair waldrof, hermione granger, spencer hastings, rory gilmore of me, isn't it? but is it worth it. sometimes i end up having really bad headaches from studying and, even if i keep studying, the quality of my work decreases significantly. breaks are fundamental. i would not recommend using social networks for your beak, because they litteraly drain your attention, rather do your skincare, prepare yourself a snack ( eating is important! it's what makes you focus ), read 10 pages of your book, dance a little bit in your room, do stretching, go outside and buy some mint chewingum, something like that.

EAT!: girls, boys and theys, we know. i honestly think that almost every person that craves academic validation ends up developing a sort of eating disorder. it's not even the food, is the fact that you are too busy studying that you forget to eat, ignoring stomach cramps, or the fact that you didn't get that answer right and now you don't feel like you deserve the lunch. i understand bc i AM like this, like you. but think about it: you need to do it in order to survive ( but this is secondary to the grades, right? ) and to keep your brain active. you can't walk around with blurred vision because you haven't eaten or drunk for fourteen continuous hours. i swear that eating like a normal human being helps you to keep going.

sleep: same thing as eating, but with our terrible sleeping schedules. i know that school is toxic so we end up finishing our homeworks at 2 am everyday ( if we're lucky ) but when you have the chance, take a nap and recover.

repeat things as if you were explaining them to someone: this is litterally the fastest way ever to learn fundamental concepts when you're studying. imagine that you're talking to a friend that doesn't know anything about the subject that you're studying and try to explain the topic to them. finding simple words for a difficult topic will help you understand it thoroughly, on this basis you can then build an articulated and more academic speech. repeat things out loud, doesn't matter if you look crazy, you already are <3

check and organize your notes the same day: i never have time to take proper notes in class, so i review them as soon as possible, with the lesson still fresh in mind. it really helps me understand the subject and makes the further study much easier.

watch youtube videos: youtube is my favourite class. sometimes teachers are dumber than students and you, who don't have a degree in that subject and are tackling a topic for the first time, don't understand a damn thing. ofc not!! sometimes professors are terrible at explaining stuff, but fazal from pakistan isn't. i passed my physics class with a 10/10 thanks to an indian guy on youtube. documentaries and yt videos are a simple and nice way to understand better topics and do insights for extra credits.

delete social media: i'm gonna do another post specifically for this.

"STUDY!" wallpaper: last but not least, the dumbest yet the smartest advice, set as lockscreen a white / black / whatever background with a big fat "STUDY!" written on it. everytime you're about to pick up your phone and procastinate the wallpaper will scold you.

hope this was useful or at least fun to read byee

🍃 Trying to get out of a rut 🍃

new semester, new me, am i right?

last semester I realized i was getting super overworked and i wasn't getting enough rest to make up for it, even tho I was sleeping 8 hours everynight and doing the routine that usually works better for me. But i didn't work bc of the amount of stress I was in, and now that routine does not work for me at all. So, even tho i was scared to change a routine that i knew i liked, i decided to change everything. but EVERYTHING

set a decent sleep schedule. Even tho i was sleeping 8 hours everynight, those 8 hours could be from 2am to 10am or 10pm to 6am, it was a mess. So now, im trying to roughly wake up and go to bed at the same time everyday

I also changed my breakfast. Even tho it's my comfort food, it started to work too well, and now it makes me fall right back to bed with my comfort movie. So that had to change. And now my new breakfast takes a while to prepare, so i use that time to drink water and clean up around the kitchen while breakfast is getting ready.

Mandatory rest time. But like, intentional rest time. 30 min before going to sleep, i'll try to do something that makes me feel more rested. Hopefully no screens, but i can't be that strict with myself. Most days I'll just put on some soft music and prepare the next day's outfit etc, but on good days i also manage to read for a bit.

change my usual study places. Ideally change it as often as possible. Im too used to my old study places, so now I can't be as productive there.

new study playlists. i went throught too many playlists while in college. Sometimes I would study while listening to musicals, then asmr, then disney instrumentals, then brown noise. It's important for me to choose the "vibe" im going for asap, so i stay somewhat consistent until im bored of that especific playlist again.

did I already post multiple times similar things? Yes, i did. But i needed to write and post this all over again bc i tend to forget about my own routines

TIPS TO STAY FOCUSED

phones: keep your phone in another room, turn it on do not disturb, make your colour scheme black and white, delete apps that have you losing focus, set time limits.

set timers: set a specific time to study for, and then reward yourself with a break. for example, study for 45 minutes and have a 10 minute break; this can be adjusted throughout the day.

during breaks: do not use any devices during your 10-15 minute long breaks. instead, walk around your house, walk outside, stretch, get your legs moving. in your longer breaks, do something fun. talk to friends, family, read a book, watch a film.

sleeping: get to sleep as early as possible and try to sleep for at least 8 hours. sleep is essential to retain memories and without sleep you're likely to not remember anything.

atmosphere: keep your desk as tidy as possible, turn on some lofi music to study with or white noise, whatever suits you best. keep water beside you at all times.

i hope this helps, and i wish you luck on your study journey!

Tips to Study Efficiently:

1. Gain Awareness ASAP. As soon as you get your homework, just have a glance of it so that you don't feel overwhelmed to start the homework and even make sure that you do not lack any material to do your homework.

2. Learn by doing. Just jump into the homework right away and if you are stuck on a question then, consult your book and in that way you will remember that you made this particular mistake.

3. Use the following:

1. Active Recall: Take a topic which you wish to remember, then make questions based on that topic and then solve them without consulting your book.

2. Blurting: If you want to remember/understand a chapter, then read 1 or 2 pages first and then pull out a seperate sheet of paper and write down everything that you would remember. It doesn't have to be order. (If you miss out few points then re-read them and write it down.)

4. Use the Parkinson's Law. Using Parkinson's Law can be real useful as you set a deadline for yourself and can get things done at a particular time.

5.Use Feynman Technique. The Feynman Technique was given by Richard Feynman. The main idea behind the technique is to take something that's hard to understand and try to clarify by explaining it to someone or yourself as if you were talking to a kid.

The Feynman Technique

What is the Feynman Technique?

It is a four-step process to understand any topic. In consist of:

Choose a topic: start small and be specific

Teach it (to yourself or other person): try to explain it, write/describe it with simpler words

Return to the source material if you get stuck: fill the gaps of your knowlegde

Simplify your explanations and create analogies: clarify it until it seems obvious, like if you are trying to teach it to a kid

Pros

You cant trick yourself, the method makes you encounter the holes in your reasoning and the white spaces on your knowledge

You learn and undestand it instead of memorize it (which is ten times better)

The capacity to learn increass

Symplicity is the best way of understanding

Analogies are easier to recall and explain

Cons

A basic nevel of comprehension of the source material is needed. If it is too hard or difficult, it would be more complicated to simplify it

Subjects we recommend for this method

It works well for a great amount of subjects, so if it works for you, you can apply to all of them. It is also one of the best methods for "exact subjects" such as maths, biology, physics, chemistry, etc

The Blurting Method

What is the Blurting Method?

It is a revision techinique that consists of:

Write notes about the topic and read them until you undestand it and remember some of it

Write everything you remember about the topic (without using the notes)

Go back to your notes and with a different colour add what you missed and correct your mistakes

Repeat the process until you know it

Remember to take breaks!

Pros

This method uses active recall, which makes your memory work harder and helps you store information in your long-term memory

It is incredibly effective

Cons

It is a really intense study method and it takes a lot of time (remember to take breaks!)

Subjects we recommend for this method

All subjects that are more theorical than practical.

The PQ4R Reading Method

A technique for better comphrension and memorazing of textbooks

Steps

Preview: Read the introduction and headings, look at the pictures, graphs, etc

Question: Ask yourself questions before reading. What are you trying to learn from this?

Read the material/textbook

Reflect: Were the questions answered? How? What did you learn?

Recite: Think about the material, discuss it, write it down, explain it to the wall

Review: What were the main points? Did you understand them? Were your questions answered?

Pros

Helps you have better reading comphrension (understand the material=easier to study)

It is really effective in that aspect.

It's quick. Preview and Question takes a few minutes and if there is an assignment with the material, it can cover the Recite part

Cons

It cannot stand as a study method on its own. It is amazing to undertand the topic, but not to study it. It needs to be complemented

Disclaimer: even if the "con" makes you think "oh, i shouldnt use this method because i need to complement it", thats false. The reason for this is because it is a reading method instead of an studying one. It works wonders and will help you a lot even if it doesnt seem like it.

Subject we recommend for this method

History, Geography, Literature, Civics/Ethics, Sociology, all subjects with that way of working

any suggestions on how reduce screen time and stop wasting time on social media?

a hard one (who doesnt spend a little bit too much in their phones) but a few ideas to try out

A widget on your phone about how much screen time you had. A lot of phones come with this option, it lets you know how much time you spend entirently on your phone and usually, the top 3 most used apps of the day. There is nothing that makes one feel more guilty than going to watch tiktok and next to the app there is widget that tells you you already spend 2hours and 30 minutes on it that day.

Social media feeds are made to be addictive, that's why you open the app to see a notification and end up spending 3 hours on it. If you think something like "I'm just going to see if my crush posted a story" or "I'll see how my lastest post did and then i'll do the homework" DONT. You'll open the app with the intention of only 5 minutes and we all know it isnt going to be 5 minutes.

Set alarms. Set a "goal" like, only using it for 20 minutes. Set the alarm in your phone and when it sounds, close the app.

Try other activities. We mostly go to our phones because we are bored. Go on a walk, clean you room, cook cookies, read a book, draw, talk to someone irl. Look for alternatives. Some of them will be difficult at start (social media is known for ruining attention span and things like reading requiere that), do it gradually.

Hope this helps!

-Jay

Hey critter! Why do you study in 30 minute increments?

This is a technique I've learned called the pomodoro technique. This allows me to take breaks without stopping every five minutes because I'm bored or can't focus. Having an allotted amount of study/homework time allows me to drill information into my noggin! Lots of people do it in 20 minute increments with 5 minute breaks, but I've found the more I stop, the less likely I am to finish the time I set up.

Example of Pomodoro Technique (How I Use It): 30 min. work 10 min. break 30 min. work 10 min. break 30 min. work

I give myself more or less work time depending on how many assignments I have, and the difficulty of each one. If you have any further questions, feel free to leave a comment! :3

Jay's Prefered Study Method

First I read the material (obviously) and highlight what I deem important. I explain how in this post.

With the key information clear, I do conceptual maps about it. These maps are divided by specific topics.

I make questions, one or two for topic (usually they end up being somewhere between 9 and 20 questions). I make these practice tests through Uquiz. I found it really helpful because they are easy to make, can be re-taken multiple times and you can go see your own answers. (I use the free-text option instead of the scored test option). (I swear this isn't publicity for Uquiz).

I do this test two times (the first time with the help of my notes but trying to use them as little as possible and the second without the notes). I always say I am going to do it 3 or 4 times, but I'm a chronic procrastinator (in recovery though), so I don't have enough time for more. It isn't a problem for me because I have good memory, but still.

A few minutes before the test I re-read the notes to make sure everything is fresh.

Highlighting Information in Textbooks.

Highligthing is always a key part of studying, it help us finding the important informantion faster and easier. But it is a doble-edge sword. If done right, it's amazing. If done wrong, it just makes studying more complicate and make us miss important informantion

How NOT to do it

Highlight entire paragraphs

Higlight with one colour

Highlight only the answers of practise tests questions

How to do it

Have different colours to higlight different things (for example, I use orange for key words, thick lines of yellow for key word's definitions/primary ideas, and thin lines of yellow for secondary ideas and examples)

Dont highlight unnesary words. The important information will stand out without filler words. Example: instead of "Rome was built on 753 BC" hightlight "Rome was built on 753 BC" Now, the key information (Rome/built/753BC) stands out in the sentence. Also, having the sentences reduced to key words without connection forces you to create those conections in your head and can help to get better in redaction of texts.

Highlight the information necessary to understand the topic, not what sentences you need to memorize (understanding is ten times better than memorizing)

How do you highlight?

Ways to be Productive after School.

1. Take a break & relax about 40 mins or so.

2. Have a To-do list so that you don't have a excuse to procrastinate and get straight into studying.

3. Listen to music (especially, white noise or lofi beats) while studying which does not have lyrics so that it would not distract you.

4. Start off with the easiest subject so that it will build momentum and you could keep going.

5. If any of these are not working right now then you should watch study with me videos so that you have an online buddy to study with.

6. Get inspiration to study on Instagram or Pinterest, whenever you will see something inspiring about studies you will be down to do it.

7. Set rewards for yourself. When you know that after studying a particular topic, you will be rewarded then you are more interested to do it.

8. Don't have a start time instead have a end time, this is called the Parkinson’s law where you give yourself a deadline.

Best Study Techniques

Blurting: By far, blurting is my favourite way to study. By using this method we could find our knowledge gaps and focus on them.

Quizzing Yourself: Quizzing yourself using flashcards or the app Quizlet could be extremely helpful as you are gamified your studies and make it fun. Your main motive, while using flashcards, should be to recall the information as fast as you could and get it to A 100%.

Feynman Technique: Feynman Technique is basically pretending to teach yourself or a kid in simplest words, which could be used for subjects such as History and Biology to find your knowledge gaps.

Moderate Study Techniques

Highlighting the important text so that you don't have to waste time on unnecessary text.

Re-reading your notes won't be much effective as you will only be reading your text and actually won't be able to digest the content.

study methods

🐰 ˚. episode 3 ᵎᵎ of “𓍼ִֶָ The Little Study Guide”

𓂃 masterlist ⊹ . ♡ ۫ .

[💌] hi loves! 💓 today’s blog is about different study techniques! I decided to classify them into two different categories; “test yourself! - active recall” and “study profoundly! - effective studying”. i hope these study methods are helpful for you! <3

SECTION ONE | TEST YOUSELF! – ACTIVE RECALL

-             BLURTING METHOD

The blurting method is a revision technique using active recall. It can be applied in different ways, for example by reading a section of notes and writing down as much information as you remember without looking at the text, or can be used to practice spaced repetition by writing down everything you remember about a certain subject.

When you test yourself over and over again you’re learning in an active way, thus making your strong recall muscle work harder, which you activate when you use this method, making it effective.

The most important thing about blurting is that you’re challenging yourself to think harder. By doing that you will retain information for a longer period of time.

STEPS:

Make sure you thoroughly understand the material and subject.

Take a piece of paper and write down everything you remember.

Mark your work. Write down everything you forgot. I highly recommend doing this in another color. Always pay attention to detail and highlight the information you missed so you know what you need to focus on.

Attentively go through the material again and try to remember as much as possible. Pay attention to things you’re more likely to get wrong (again).

Keep doing it until you feel like you remember everything.

🎀 The blurting method is a really profound studying method so remember to take breaks!

-             QUESTION BLANK METHOD (FLASHCARDS)

The question blank method is a study technique where you cover up the answers or key information in your notes or study material, leaving blanks that you can fill in as you test yourself or review the material.

This method helps you actively engage with the content and test your knowledge. Since you use active recall, this method helps you reinforce your memory.

STEPS:

Read one paragraph of a chapter and turn as much as you can of it into questions. Do the same thing for the entire chapter.

Cover up the key terms or answers in your notes and try to recall them without peeking.

Additionally, you can create flashcards with the questions on one side and the answers on the other, covering the answers as you quiz yourself.

-             FEYNMAN TECHNIQUE

The Feynman technique is a study method where you explain a concept – essentially simplifying the concept – as if you were teaching it to someone else. This technique helps you identify any gaps in your understanding and simplifies complex ideas. This forces you to break down the material into simpler terms, making it easier to remember and comprehend.

You can combine the Feynman technique with any other study method since it helps simplify complex material and solidify your understanding, making it a versatile tool for learning.

STEPS:

Study the subject and focus on understanding it thoroughly.

Teach it to yourself or anyone else.

Find the gaps in your knowledge and try to fill them.

Simplify the material.

🎀 If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself. – Albert Einstein

SECTION TWO | STUDY PROFOUNLDY! – EFFECTIVE STUDYING

-             SQ4R   METHOD

(survey – question – read – relate – recite  – review)

The SQ4R method stands for survey, question, read, relate, recite and review. It’s a study method that involves actively engaging with the material by previewing, questioning, reading, reflecting, reciting, and reviewing the content.

This is a helpful technique to improve comprehension and retention while studying.

STEPS:

Survey;

1a. Look at the chapter title and section titles. What do the captions discuss?

1b. Look quickly over charts and graphs.

1c. Summarize and try to get a sense of what the assigned material is covering.

2. Question;

2a. Turn the chapter and section titles into questions.

2b. Read the questions at the beginning or end of the chapter and sections.

2c. Did your instructor cover this information in a lecture or lab? – What do you already know about the subject matter?

2d. Sometimes its helpful to write these questions down so that you can refer to them during your reading.

3. Read;

3a. Read the answers the questions you wrote out (the ones about the content).

3b. Pay attention to captions and section summaries.

3c. Bold, underlined and italicized words and phrases are noteworthy.

3d. Stop and reread if not clear.

3e. Slow down if you need to; quality over quantity.

4. Relate;

4a. Try to link new information to concepts or previous information to what you are familiar with. This could include basic knowledge and everyday information you consume.

4b. How does this new concept relate to the concepts you already know? Does it relate? Why and how?

4c. How does the reading relate to your lecture notes? What are the discrepancies (differences)?

5. Recite;

5a. Ask your questions aloud. Answer the questions you can without looking at the text.

5b. If you need to, revisit the text to answer the questions you found difficult.

5c. Recite key terms and concepts.

5d. Practice all the information aloud and pay attention to things you forgot about.

5e. How would you put the information in your own words?

6. Review;

6a. When finished reading, go back over the chapter and your notes/questions one final time.

6b. Review is ongoing, so take a little time each day to go over your notes and readings for each class.

-             MIND MAPPING

Mind mapping, a technique that allows you to visually organize information in a diagram. First, you write a word in the center of a blank page. From there, you write major ideas and keywords and connect them directly to the central concept.

This helps you visually organize information in a way that’s easy to understand and remember. It allows you to see connections between different concepts, making it easier to recall and recognize information during exams or while studying.

STEPS:

Begin with a central idea or topic in the center of a page.

Branch out with main categories.

For each main category, create sub-branches to represent subtopics or subcategories.

Keep sub-branching ideas to expand you mind map.

Tips for understanding complex topics

I've struggled with this but I'm adapting, you know? So here are some of my tips I use for this :)

If you can't understand it at once, do not think that it is hard

Many times, the topic itself if simple but the way the textbook has described it is complex so go and search for related videos and Google about it until you've got a hint about what it is.

If it's complicated, divide the sentence.

When you find yourself getting completely lost in a topic while banging your head against the wall because it's so confusing.... separate each part of the sentence while you write each part as you say it out loud. It'll help you to atleast get a short idea about the subject.

Read! Read! Read!

Read it over and over again and underline the words you think are important, write them down, explain it to yourself, draw small diagrams around your notes, connect them through visual representation. The more you use different types of senses, the better you understand it.

Give yourself time.

Let yourself grasp what the whole topic is about, do not under any circumstances have a time limit for difficult topics. I took days just to understand how Javascript loops work and I'm still not fully clear about it but i can explain the general, very basic purpose of it.

Explain it to someone or yourself

The best way to learn is to teach, this actually does work. It helps you to put your understanding in words and clear any underlying questions. And lastly...

Handwritten notes!

I cannot stress this enough but things that you've written down generally stay in your memory for longer durations. I also prefer handwritten notes to digital ones cause personally it works better.

Hope this helps! :D

Ways to actually start studying after procrastinating

Don't multi-task: Multitasking does not come in the form of making notes and watching Netflix, it can come in the form of switching between two or three subjects too many times then it is like washing a plate and watching a show. It barely makes any sense to me.

Batching: Batching is where you take your to-do list and batch similar tasks into groups and take a break in between these batches.

Do Not Use Pomodoro Technique: Don't use the Pomodoro Technique because you have fixed tasks (tasks that require a particular amount of time) and flexible tasks (tasks that might take up more time than fixed tasks).

Flashcards: These things are the gamer-changers. Flashcards can be used in subjects which have a lot of terms that you need to remember, such as biology, chemistry,etc.

Don't feel bad about modifying your to-do list: If you have your math homework and an exam due next week, and you don't feel like doing math then you could study for your exam. Its okay to modify your tasks according to your mood.

Bonus tip: If you have to revise a chapter, get a few blank pages and put it beside your textbook/notes. While reading your notes, write down points that you can't remember or think is important that you wanna recap later on. If you compile those papers up that could be your go-to revision booklet before your exams.

greetings my neurodivergent friends

i have found an excellent new study strategy

timing yourselves for 15 minutes at a time

it actually works for me so i hope it works for you guys too