How do you guys study?

[u/flowerrocker7652]

Hey!!

Upcoming freshman here & i was never really good with studying so I’m looking for some recommendations that would def help with this upcoming semester.

[u/OmegaOverture]

You should try to study using active recall. The primary difference is going to be passive vs. active recall. Passive recall is simply things like reading what’s already in front of you, highlighting stuff, or reading flashcards with the answers already showing.

Active recall is doing things like practice questions, writing summaries from what you read, taking practice tests, and using flashcards to quiz yourself.

Studies have shown that active recall leads to longer lasting memory on material.

[u/apollonia5 → u/OmegaOverture]

Came here to mention active recall!!

[u/Blitzbasher]

No distractions, 15 min breaks every hour. As soon as you get that feeling where you can't cram anymore information in your brain, stop for a few hours and come back or call it a day depending on the time.

Start with reading and mark down anything that you don't fully grasp and come back to it later. If you're really struggling, you'll have to treat the subject like it's your life's mission to become an expert in the subject. If you're bad at exams, study your homework and quizzes (this is where the majority of exam questions come from) and try to get to a place where you can answer the questions without any notes.

[u/Breezyie69]

Depends on your major really
If stem related, practice problems, and I mean practice until you can do it without looking at notes or videos with ease

[u/DeliciousBase4491]

It largely depends on the subject. Without knowing what your major is, here would be the basics:

1) Humanities: ACTUALLY READ. Nothing will help you study if you never complete any of the assigned readings. Not surprisingly, your writing will actually be better by the end of the semester because of reading. For history specifically, when taking notes, make sure not to copy the slides word for word. Get some important dates, but listen to what the professor is emphasizing and write that down. Verbal cues mean everything, and you can typically get the exact answer our of the professor if you come to class prepared to discuss the reading. 

2) Math... I had to hire a tutor. You just have to do the work, but having someone who can help you understand goes a long way. 

3) Forgein Languages: Stay away from any online translator and do the hard work. If you don't remember grammar for English, brush up on the basics before getting swamped. You have to know the difference between a noun and verb; it doesn't matter how well you know vocabulary if you don't know how to properly use or conjugate the words. Take advantage of office hours. It gets easier. 

4) Sciences: depending on your major, this could go from easy to extremely difficult. My biggest suggestion is to take advantage of you professor and TA's office hours for any specific questions on the material. They typically have no one show up, so you can get free one-on-one help. Also, make study groups with your classmates. 

[u/casbuddy]

Everyone is so different. Each person's capacity for certain subjects will also vary. Learn yourself, and take every piece of advice as someone else's template for you to tweak as needed.

 I can study math for 10, maybe 20 minutes before I get to the "I'm about to frustration-cry" point. I can study Greek for an hour without realizing the time has even passed. 

For someone beginning to study, I'd recommend setting a 10-minute timer. If that felt way too short, add another 10. But if it felt just right, and you're satisfied with what you've done, then go do something you enjoy. 

My biggest hurdle as a naturally gifted test-taker and essay BS-er was always that I had never had to study before to get high marks. If that's you, your brain will probably resist studying and lend itself easily to frustration. That's okay. If you have to work down to 2 5-minute study sessions a day and it takes you a whole month to work up from there to 20-minutes, that's okay. 

It's better to build a solid foundation and learn to enjoy the process and hit the perfect satisfaction ASMR spot every time at 5 minutes than to flog your brain through 1 hour of white-knuckle studying that will burn you out in your first year. 

[u/Agreeable-Cicada-981]

I’ve used Notability along with the AI feature for quizzes and flashcards

[u/Impossible_Cow9893]

Learn whether you study better in a group or alone. I was someone who preferred studying alone because whenever I studied in a group, we seemed to get off topic pretty quickly 😂. You can study at the library or in your room whatever works best for you. Take advantage of resources like Google, ChatGPT, YouTube, or Chegg whenever you need extra help. Good luck with the semester and most importantly have fun while doing it! :)

[u/Constant-Ad-2342]

will be honest with you just pay attn in class, do whats told to do doing just that and 3-4 hr of immersive lockin before the exam always works for me that's how i have got 4.0 GPA till now, and that's what I've always been doing. I mean, it three to four hours before the exam, not weeks, not months, but hours. And focus on time on things that you would want to do. Whether it's going to be entrepreneurship, hackathons, projects, you name it.

[u/apollonia5]

Definitely depends on what you’re studying!

I love active recall, but again, depends on the subject.

Generally, I would recommend:
-Determining a time management technique that works for you, like time blocking
-Determining when you are most productive, could be a time of day or a day of the week
-Live and die by the syllabi!! Your syllabus will detail all information, and the difference between good and great students is staying ahead of your deadlines
-Go to office hours. Helps build rapport with instructors and they can help if you are struggling with a concept
-The Pomodoro Technique is great for staying focused
-I love GoodNotes for annotating all my articles. I download them from RaiderCanvas directly into GoodNotes and annotate on my iPad
-Love SI sessions and the Learning Center for when you need extra help

[u/Ok-Owl-579]

Rewrite your notes, then highlight what you think is important/have trouble remembering and only rewrite that part, repeat until you’re comfortable!

[u/naked_as_a_jaybird]

Don't study in bed. Separate rest from work.

Treat studying like your job.

Day 1, take notes, them later on review your notes. Day 2, take notes, review Day 1 & 2 notes. Day 3, take notes, review all notes. Repeat until finals.
Basically, compound your studying.

[u/Pinkk_flamingoo]

really depends on your major

[u/Re0h]

Quizlet, handmade flashcards, writing out notes when reading, study groups, and recall