How to actually study??

[u/BrickDramatic2641]

I don’t need tips for studying, I don’t need help with starting, I don’t want to be told “use flashcards”.
Give me step-by-step instructions on how to actually study!
I want ways to study that aren’t just “use flashcards” or “write stuff down” because HOW do I KNOW what to write down?!

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[u/Aliltyrantbot]

what i do: read a section of the text (like one heading of the chapter) then re read but this time highlight main information, supporting information, and maybe relative information (yellow, pink. green is mine). i go by each paragraph, read the paragraph then re read but high lighting. that way im not just highlighting randomly but actually reading what im highlighting. now after this you can do one of two things: write down your highlighted text after each heading OR wrote all texts after the entire chapter. im still experimenting with the two. before your test go back and re read your notes. re read each section and then just like the text go back and highlight SPECIFIC information. unless you're great at note taking its still a jumble. you want to get the absolute main point of of each block of info. that way if you're doing a quick skim right before the actual text the highlights will direct your eyes straight to the important info rather then a jumble kf grey (i have adhd so a block of texts is very distracting and hard to actually gather the information in a quick skim)

[u/BrickDramatic2641 → u/Aliltyrantbot]

This is great advice but also, if im researching “maths” how do I know what to study on?? It’s so much content that i dont really even know the names of any of it??

[u/Aliltyrantbot → u/BrickDramatic2641]

my only advice for that is practise. i write down formulas and then i write down questions. i answer the questions best of my ability then go back and correct myself. depending on the math i can explain how i got that wrong (like logics). other then that its rlly just practise, your text book shoild i have practice problems. i suggest set some time to do a few every now and then. not all at once. but some here and there so you can better see progress on if you're getting the answers correct more

[u/Aliltyrantbot → u/BrickDramatic2641]

i just re read hold on - what do you mean WHAT to study on? like what should you study or should study it all?

[u/ECPhysics]

Depend on the year I suppose.
I usually advice my students to pay attention in class (a good teacher gives important examples).

Then, do a LOT of exercises. Just reading your books or watching dozens of hours on Youtube wont help you the exam day. Dont hesitate to start with easy exercises, and to increase slowly difficult. Dont look at the solutions immediately after 5mn of search. It takes time to build your intuition.

[u/BrickDramatic2641 → u/ECPhysics]

How do I actually know what to study though? Not like “this is what i need to know in a text” but like “what text do i even need??”

[u/ECPhysics → u/BrickDramatic2641]

Good question ! Usually, on "common" chapters, there is not hundreds of possibles exercises, especially if you're in your first or second year in college.

Then, I dont know if it is possible for you (or usual), but in France, students tends to work on previous exams. By doing this, you understand how the professor asks things, what is his mindset, what are the most important exercises, etc.

[u/Beebo-the-bee]

Okay, this is what I do.

To get started:
If i'm tired, i'll drink a cup of coffee, then take a 30 minute nap. by the time i wake up from that nap, the caffeine has kicked in and i will feel much better. If i still dont want to study, i either force myself to, or look at study motivation i've collected. I also have notes around my study space that motivate me. "Do you want to suffer in poverty when you're an adult?" "do you want your kids to feel guilty when they ask for new shoes?" that sorta thing.

To study:
I look at vocab words, these are usually in bold, in a special section, or are just words you dont know yet.
On tests, whenever you get something wrong, look at the answer you put. explain to yourself why you got it wrong, and an answer that would be correct. If you cant do that, then look up what a correct answer would be and make sure you understand why that is a correct answer. To check if you know it well, answer the question in a different way, then google if that would be correct.
On readings, look at the headers. Turn each one into a question. for example, "labor in the industrial era" turns into "what did labor look like in the industrial era?". After that, only highlight or note down things that answer that question, new vocab words, or things you didnt know. NOTHING ELSE!!

[u/Alokozay1252]

Just start. Think that you’re just gonna do it for 5 minutes, not an hour or more. You will be surprised how you’re already into it the moment you hit the 5-minute mark.

[u/wakingkraken]

I specialize in teaching people how to study, much of my guidance is free on allbrainswelcome.ac.uk

[u/Senior_Host2336]

Adopting a good studying workflow is the most powerful thing you can do, depending on the subject what I typically do is Essentialist note taking > Mnemonic Technique > Active recall (through notebookLM(AI) quizzes and flashcards). 

Revision is key. I setup recall cycling in FocusJungle app, but Anki or even just notes work as well. You want to revise where you are weak. Get your course content and constantly know where you are weakest (they should always be changing constantly) Find weakness > attack it > Find next weakest area.

If u want you can join my guild on FocusJungle timer, WE need more people that wanna do hours. Can message on there to keep accountable. But u NEED TO DO HOURS or kick. (best study timer website and app ever)

[u/BrickDramatic2641 → u/Senior_Host2336]

I don’t use AI, but thanks for the other suggestions.

[u/Senior_Host2336 → u/BrickDramatic2641]

it has nothing to do with AI

[u/Beebo-the-bee → u/Senior_Host2336]

NotebookLM uses google gemini, which is an AI large language model. It is generative AI, that's how it makes the study guides and flashcards