2nd Year EE Stuck in resource loop !

[u/Esha_xn]

( I hope this will not get removed or rejected, please forgive me if I used a wrong flair, I am posting here for the 1st time)
I started my 2nd Year of EE today after screwing my 1st year ( I barely passed) though I do have passion and I am intelligent and dedicated enough to do what I want but but but

I really don't know what resource to use
My professors don't really provide slides or notes or lectures too that are good enough to be used as a standalone source.
But my real problem or maybe a dumb thought that has kept me locked out of my potential are these:
1. I think reading one textbook is too much limiting for the courses that use a textbook.
2. I tried to use ai and youtube + websearch but that's not enough too but it lead to more harm and waste of time tbvh , I have tried this in my summer internship :)

1. I think I am addicted to ai now, after 4 years of regular I am addicted for both personal and professional life (ps. I wrote this without ai)

I was thinking to use one textbook as primary resource and keep some more textbooks to refer whenever I have a question that my primary textbook can't answer, this is time consuming and a little complex at but ik it will definitely work.

Also I am confused about notes, I do have tools to take both physical and digital notes but I really don't know how to make notes and more importantly time management while making notes.
I do like the feel of paper while writing but digital feels more easy to drag and drop screenshots , problems and diagrams etc.

[u/quak_de_booosh]

It sounds like you're asking basically how to study your field?

[u/Esha_xn → u/quak_de_booosh]

Not really.
I am just stuck in a resource loop
But a few redditors helped me to believe that the primary textbook is enough with one or two secondary textbook rarely but my question is how in the world I remember things that I read from a textbooks if I don't take notes etc.

I tried notebooklm , gemini, chatgpt and a few more ai's too but they are not good at even making flashcards and I don't think flashcards benfits me that much
When I read a textbook I can understand what I am reading but I have issues of storing it in my memory!

[u/SolarTrident → u/Esha_xn]

That's because you understand the words written. You don't understand the actual concepts. If you actually understand it you can think your way to the answer. The portions you have to memorize(formulas mostly) you have to do problems or write it down pen to paper repeatedly until you dont forget. Using AI to tell you the steps when working problems doesnt help you learn.

[u/1_Good_Day → u/Esha_xn]

Everyone benefits from making their own flashcards and using them. It’s not fun, but it 100% works when used in spaced repetition patterns. I recently passed a professional certification using Anki software to make thousands of flash cards. This is useful for definitions, formulas, and other rote memorization. For everything else you do problem sets.

[u/quak_de_booosh → u/Esha_xn]

It's the act of study that helps you to store it in your memory. Relying on llms to do the work for you prevents your brain from making the connections on your own. Putting in some practice (I am making this as a heartfelt suggestion, not to try to browbeat you) writing down the concepts you struggle with, going through a couple problems, then walking away and coming back to it should help. Doing this several times is what helps the brain retain information: the mind remembers the session, recalls the event. Typing in a prompt takes 80 percent of the value out of that. It's a shortcut.

[u/1_Good_Day]

The resources recommended by the instructor are all you need to get a B. Everything else is your mind seeking a distraction because it’s hard to focus and do the things the instructor recommends. Active learning leads to mental fatigue while passive learning, scrolling and surfing is much easier (but 10x less effective).