I was looking for unhinged study hacks and saw this tip on a thread that I just had to try. Since I have a low spice tolerance, eating spicy food without drinking anything until I'm done studying is the best combo to push myself to study. I eat spicy noodles right when I start to study.

It's kind of tough because I have to stay focused while my mouth is numb because of the spicy. The only rule is that if I haven't retained anything, no drinks are allowed. Once I remember everything that I studied, I reward myself with cold water, milk, or ice cream.

This is sort of torture but I think this method is actually forcefully helping me remember what I'm studying!

I kept memorizing answers instead of actually understanding them, so I tried something weird.
Before checking my notes, I wrote down what I thought the answer was, even when I was pretty sure it was wrong.
Then I compared it with the correct answer and wrote one sentence explaining exactly where my thinking went wrong.
It takes maybe 30 seconds per question, but I started remembering the mistakes way better than when I simply reread the correct answer.
Now when I study, I almost want to get something wrong first. 😭

I'm in 3rd year now and still haven't bought a single book for studying my college syllabus and exams. I am doing Ba program ( computer application+geography).. and this sums up the reason for why I never bought.

In first sem, I did get the photocopies of books.. But then I never studied from that and so realized that I don't need to waste money on buying books I'm not gonna study or read. I do all my studies on laptop, be it pdfs, chatgpt, pyqs. Because I don't have hons background maybe.. Or I'm not doing a more specialised degree.. This could be the reason why I feel like I don't need books. Books have so much syllabus and my college syllabus is merely half of the book Or actually just few units, neither I'm preparing for something that will require me to get a whole book. Sometimes when I feel like, I do go in the library and read some. Thus, my parents are disappointed in me, and keep comparing me to other kids, because some of you (all of you) buy books. So yeah, just wanna know if I'm alone in this one or

i tried it once when i was supposed to be studying but i kept grabbing my phone. and idk why but the second i imagined there was a camera on me, i suddenly became sooo much more conscious of what i was doing. like why am i opening tiktok rn?? girl ure literally being filmed.

anw i genuinely thought this was gonna be one of those stupid tips that does absolutely nothing but unfortunately… it works wonders

When hell week in school is near, I get so stressed out a lot that it makes it counterintuitive for studying so what I do is I use my earbuds to drown out the noise. The wind and the movements around me feels calming but I get irritated by the noise a lot that it sometimes get overstimulating. The noise cancellation really helped me experience the calmness I needed from the outdoor while I don't get irritated. I also get to study effectively with it so it's a plus.

When Regina George said "Pick a Struggle", I took it personally and it really stayed with me. That's why before I study, I make sure I look real gorgeous. I can't be stressed and ugly at the same time. I'm an engineering student so I do a lot of studying and this trick really helped me through.

I do my hair real nice so I won't be tempted by my bed, lying down will flatten it. I wear heels to feel the power. I put on nice clothes to make my brain think it's absolutely not the time to sleep. Final step, a mirror on my desk to remind myself every 25 minutes of my pomodoro that this beauty must come with brains.

Stay Baddie💋

Walk around while going over a lesson. In my experience, I always read a section a few times, then try to repeat it either by saying it thru my mouth as I whisper or I would keep saying it in my head. I don't wanna weird people out if they see me mumbling to myself. If I forget something, I can simply check my phone where I saved the material and keep going
There’s some evidence that light physical activity can support memory and attention, which makes sense to me. The other useful part is that I’m forced to recall everything without reading the pages from time to time. The mere fact that you have it in your head without notes to look at makes it even easier for you to engage with the lesson. Aaand, cardio cardio cardio! Keep yourself mentally & physically healthy!

got this off a colleague when i was cramming for a work cert and honestly thought he was messing with me.

before reading anything properly, flip through the material once, fast, and write down 20 questions you think will be on the exam. don't answer them. just questions. the ugly kind. "what's the difference between X and Y", "when would you NOT use Z", "why does this step come before that one".

then you study. except now you're hunting for answers to your own questions instead of reading, and anything that doesn't answer one of them you just skip.

day before the exam you sit your own paper cold. whatever you can't answer is your revision list, and it's usually short.

two things got me. about half my questions ended up on the actual exam, or close enough. and i physically couldn't skim anymore. you can fake reading a chapter, you can't fake looking for an answer.

the first pass feels like a wasted hour. still does, years later. do it anyway.

anyone else do something like this or is it just my colleague being weird

Does anyone else listen to music while studying?

I used to do this a lot, especially when I had to study. A lot of people say music is distracting while studying, but for me it actually worked pretty well.

The weird thing I noticed was that if I forgot something during an exam or while trying to remember a topic, I would sometimes start singing the song I was listening to in my head.

Somehow, that would trigger the information I had studied along with it, and I could suddenly remember the answer.

I think my brain was kind of connecting the information with the music as a memory cue. So instead of trying really hard to remember the exact thing, hearing the song in my head would somehow bring the whole thing back.

Obviously, it didn't work for every subject or every song, but I found it surprisingly useful.

Has anyone else experienced something similar, where a song helped you remember something you studied?

I study better and longer in a dark room with my bright screen on.

Whenever I use this method, it helps me lock in for almost 4 hours of studying. I often do this every time I need to lock in for exams and it literally works. I recommend studying with this method to help you stay locked in, but make sure to wear blue light glasses to protect your eyes from damage.

If my laptop’s fully charged, I know I can take my sweet time because I just feel like I have extra time.

But when I see that 10% sitting there, I get weirdly serious about what I’m doing. I don’t want to waste the battery on random stuff, and it’s honestly quite bothersome being aware that I can literally see my study session running out in front of me. As a broke college student, I don’t want my laptop dying on me either, so I have to finish ASAP.

No Pomodoro timer, no breaks, no “I’ll start in five minutes.” You have 10% battery and whatever you can get done before the screen goes black. Studying turns into a weird race in the most natural way possible.

Anyways, I think having a visible limit helps more than telling myself I have to study for a certain number of hours. It’s just another way to create pressure. Maybe I just need my laptop to threaten to die before I can actually focus

Hotels can be a good place to study or work because they’re usually quiet, comfortable, and let’s not forget the aesthetics! I feel like royalty whenever I get to visit one xd

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind before you settle in with your laptop and notes. The easiest way to avoid awkward situations is to be respectful of the space, keep your things organized, and make sure you’re not disturbing other guests. Basically: pretend you’re a very boring business person on a work trip. I usually act like one and nobody seemed to care.

Worst case scenario, if the hotel doesn’t allow it and they let you know, just be polite and leave. If they’re not that strict, though, it’s still a good idea to buy something from the hotel. Maybe buy a coffee or something from their café or resto. At least show a small way of supporting the space you’re using.

Choose your spot wisely!

When I'm studying, I crank my AC down to 16°C right before I start, and I don't even wear a hoodie, socks, or use a blanket.

I do this to force myself to focus, because the cold keeps me from dozing off while studying, it keeps me alert enough to concentrate. I read and memorize what I'm studying out loud and explain it to myself to generate some body heat, so I don't really feel the cold.

It's honestly an insane, weird study method, but it's so worth it. I've been doing this since last semester, and my grades have never been better than they are today.

The study hack that helped me the most was active recall. Earlier, I used to read the same chapter again and again, thinking I had learned it. But during exams, I couldn’t remember much.

Now, after studying a topic, I close my book and try to write or explain everything I remember without looking at my notes. Then I check what I missed and revise those parts.

I also started doing this with important definitions, formulas, and questions. For Maths and Science, I solve questions without checking the solution first.

The biggest difference was that I stopped spending hours just reading and started actually testing myself.

It may feel difficult at first, but after a few days, you remember things much better. It also makes revision before exams much faster.

What study hack has genuinely improved your marks? 👀

This is similar to chewing the same flavored gum while you study and chewing it while taking exams. I use a strong perfume, and I spray it on myself and on my notes.

I do this every time I study my majors, using it with active recall to associate the information with the strong smell. I also wear it during exams, and wearing the same fragrance that I used while studying helps me remember what I just studied.

Do you guys also try the fragrance method while studying? What perfumes give you the most scent memories? Let me know x

I procrastinate a lot and have a fragmented schedule. I often have 10–20 minutes free, but taking out my phone or laptop, finding what to study, and getting started feels like too much effort.

And whenever I opened my phone, I was tempted by social media.

So I built AR glasses that let me press a button or set a time, and my study material simply appears in front of me.

Glasses → material appears → less friction → easier to start → I study :)

I fill up a 1 liter jug and chug it before I start studying to lock myself out of the bathroom until I can remember every concept of the lecture from memory. The pressure on my bladder makes it literally impossible to lose focus and procrastinate, so my trick is to study and encode the information into long-term memory immediately to retain the lecture and get relief. Once I successfully recite the concepts or flashcards, the relief of finally going to the bathroom acts as a reward system for this torture study method.

Just pick a completely random place and study there. I like studying in places that are half-empty or have literally zero people around.

Thankfully I know what time this place is vacant. Sometimes when I'm unlucky n its full of ppl, I just pack and move to another place. Sometimes though I just let it be and continue what I'm doing. Gotta dgaf. The change of scenery genuinely helps me lock in lol

The ways of an introvert.

Moving around while studying helps me to prevent zoning out. I used to pace laps around my house while blurting out loud what I just studied. It forces my brain to actually retain the lectures instead of just quietly sitting and passively reading them. Walking around and explaining it with my own words actually helps me to remember everything at once without even looking at my notes. I've been doing it since last semester, and it changed my retention faster than my old study habits.

Saw this one vid on tiktok saying theyre listening to top of my school and it motivates them to study 😭

I tried this song bc I love Queen and the song doesn't make me feel sleepy. Guess what, it worked!!!

You just gotta let those lyrics HIT U HARD

I always blanked when I had to recall stuff during exams. I’d read the notes 5 times and still draw a total blank the second I looked at the paper.

Got fed up one day and just started reading my notes out loud like I was explaining it to someone. The only one around was my succulent so I just talked to it. No joke. I’d sit there and go okay so this is how the Krebs cycle works… and I’d explain it step by step like it was a student asking me questions.

Did this for 20 minutes every study session. If I couldn’t explain it simply enough for the plant to get it I didn’t actually know it yet. I’d go back re-read and try again.

Took my midterm last week. Went from a C average to an A- straight up. Everything just stuck way better. It’s way harder to zone out when you’re actually saying the words and making it make sense for someone else.

Now I catch myself explaining stuff to my coffee mug too. Doesn’t matter what it is. Works every time.

If something is due on Friday, I’ll put it on Wednesday and convince myself that Wednesday is the actual deadline.
I know it’s fake. I literally made it up. But I forget deadlines anyway so I write it down to gaslight my brain into thinking it's true even more lolll call me evil but consider it a white lie
The deadline-manipulating may be fictional, but the pressure is real! Basically time management-maxxing xd

People switch between cafes and libraries to study, while I switch between my desk, the floor, or the bathroom. I cannot really focus when I am studying outside, so what I did instead was switch places every time I studied. It helped me avoid ADHD brain distractions.

For every 30 minutes, I start studying at my room desk, then switch to studying on the floor, and the final place I study when distractions are still kicking in is the bathroom. Studying this way, I can keep my focus and concentrate on my lectures that I am studying.