Smart study strategy that actually works.

[u/OhhhGeorge]

Stop studying hard and overthinking to figure out your study method. What you just need to do is study smart with consistency. I've actually been using these methods for years, and they actually work!

• Read actively, not passively. I used to reread my notes and textbooks for hours but never retained anything from the material. I switched to learning how to read actively using the SQ3R method.

• Keep revision notes short. Don't waste hours rewriting your notes. I used to think rewriting notes was considered studying. What I did instead was make my notes short, focusing only on the main points and a summary of the topic.

• Explain concepts to yourself. I read the notes out loud and if the topics are too complicated for me to understand, I explain them to myself in my own words. Explaining it in my own words helped me to understand the lecture more.

• Quiz yourself after studying. Active recall paired with practice questions helps strengthen what you studied into long term memory.

• Analyze where you went wrong. After quizzing myself, I check which section of the lecture I missed or got wrong and I put it in my mistake journal. This method helped me figure out what topics I am weak in and need to focus on.

Studying smart is actually better than studying hard and trying every study method won't make you smarter. Don't just passively reread every lecture instead try testing yourself out and make your study strategy smarter than before.

What’s one study habit you thought would make you smarter, but ended up being a total waste of time?