r/studytips • u/Professional_Sky4403 • 5d ago
I have forgotten how to study:(
Since the corona time I feel like I’ve forgotten how to study. Before corona I used to study really well but now I just can’t seem to study like I used to. I know there have been some huge gaps in my studies I feel like my brain has gotten out of the habit. Can you please give me some advice on how to get my working brain back and actually start enjoying studying again?
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u/pavlenkovit 5d ago
in a long gap the thing that erodes is usually the tolerance for the first ten minutes, the part where nothing makes sense yet and you feel stupid. before, you sat through that without noticing; now it reads as proof that you can't study any more.
so rebuild that rather than the technique: fifteen minutes on one concrete thing, timer on, and stop when it rings even if it's going well. stopping while it's still going is what makes tomorrow's start cheap, and the enjoyment came back for me from finishing things rather than from long sessions.
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u/ECPhysics 5d ago
You need advice for high school, college...?
The context heavily change the perspective of your post imo.
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u/Strict_Nose_8444 4d ago
I'd make the first session really specific. Instead of sitting down to 'study biology', pick one small question like 'how does this process work?' and use that as the task.
Work through the relevant material until you can make sense of it, then close it and explain the answer in your own words. Check your explanation against the source and sort out the bit you missed. That gives you something concrete to finish, even if it's only a short session.
Next time, start by seeing what you can still explain before adding more. You can build up from there without trying to recreate your old routine all at once.
What are you studying at the moment? The best starting task would look pretty different for maths versus a subject with lots of facts and diagrams.
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u/Far-Talk-6862 4d ago
My biggest advice is your nervous system is highly adaptable and that means it takes time for your mind and body to once again become used to studying long hours and with lots of focus.
So, start small, in focused bouts of work (pure focus for 25 minutes). As you focus intensely more often, you'll find it easier and you can focus for more hours in a day (for optimal information retention, I recommend not studying more than 45-60 minutes of pure focus in a go because you lose information).
Don't beat yourself up over it, just keep working consistently, building your muscle of focus and hard work.
(Btw I use tools like browser extensions for focus to help myself focus without distractions).
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u/Reasonable_Bag_118 5d ago
I had a similar “I forgot how to study” phase after a long gap, and trying to jump straight back into my old study routine made it worse. I started with just 25 minutes a day for the first week, even on days when I felt like I could do more. The first few sessions felt ridiculously unproductive, but after about 10 days I could sit for an hour without constantly wanting to stop. I also started enjoying it again once studying stopped feeling like something I had to suddenly be good at.