After tackling piles of homework assignments each week and just scraping through those challenging semester exams, it’s high time for a deep breath. We’ve more than earned it. If you’re anything like me, the stress of semester exams wasn’t part of the original plan. My original intention was to follow the advice each one of my professors and teachers preached — a little studying every day spread out over a few weeks to avoid getting overwhelmed. Unfortunately, my procrastination took hold and most of my exam preparation turned into last-minute, caffeine-fueled all-nighters. But with a new year and a new semester fresh on the horizon, I’ve decided it’s time to shake up those study habits and aim for a less stressful semester.
Here are four common study methods to boost productivity and combat the notorious habit of procrastination that often haunts us:
The Pomodoro Technique
In order to study with this technique you need to choose a topic, set a timer for 25 minutes, work on the topic until that timer ends, and take a short break for 5 minutes before restarting the 25 minute timer. After every fourth 25 minute study — 5 minute break interval, you should take a longer break of 15 - 30 minutes.
The Pomodoro Technique improves study habits by reducing distractions. We set a certain period of time on our timer in order to dedicate ourselves to a certain period of studying and this enables us to resist the temptations of texts, emails, and other forms of social media. The small breaks after each study interval also help improve concentration for the next interval.
The Feynman Technique
To study with this technique, you need to choose a topic, write down what you already know about the topic on a piece of paper, identify anything you don’t know or questions you may have about the concept, do further research about those questions, and simplify the material to explain the concept in ways that anyone would be able to understand.
The Feynman Technique helps save time during the revision process because it helps you understand what you do and do not know about a concept and, by extension, what you need to study. Additionally, the ability to simplify the material and teach it to yourself or someone else is a sign that you’ve understood the material in detail.
The SQ3R Method
This technique can help you retain the information that you’ve read more efficiently from a textbook. In order to use this technique you need to scan the headings and subheadings of the material that you are going to read, identify potential questions based on that material, and try and answer those questions as you carefully read, before finally revising your understanding of the material to reinforce comprehension.
The SQ3R Method is particularly helpful in allowing you to retain information more efficiently because it encourages you to use active recall and critical thinking as you engage with the material.
The Leitner System
In order to study with this technique you need to create flash cards for the material that you want to learn; each flash card should have a question on the front and the answer on the back. Then you create and label boxes to put each flash card into. Label the flash cards by difficulty levels (easy, medium, and hard). As you review each of your flash cards, you can move them into a different box based on whether or not you are getting them correct. You repeat this process until all the flashcards are categorized into the easy box.
The Leitner System is helpful because it utilizes spaced repetition, which improves retention. By looking over these flashcards at different intervals, you are ensuring that you are constantly being exposed to the material over a period of time instead of cramming information last minute in an all-nighter.
Conclusion
As of right now, I have only experimented with the Pomodoro Technique, but it has been incredibly beneficial to my study routine. I find that the timer-based structure and the regular break intervals help improve my focus, allowing me to finish my work in shorter periods of time. There are many students who can attest to this method and you too might find this method helpful.
However, there might be another technique that better resonates with your learning style. The key is to explore various techniques and determine what method works best for you. As we approach the upcoming semester, we should all commit to trying to find this personalized study method that works best for us so that we can spare ourselves from the exhausting all-nighters. Best of luck next semester!
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