This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Stonehill chapter.
Have you been studying the same way since high school and find yourself struggling to retain information and find what works best for you? If so, try these studying techniques to improve your studying habits and hopefully your testing scores!
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- Make a schedule: having a plan on when you are going to study will help you to get things done on time. It will also allow you to map out your week so that you are fully aware of what work must be done and when you have time for each assignment so that you aren’t doing it all at once
- Find a study group: Not everyone enjoys studying with others, however, having even just one other person to talk through the information with can really help. You never really can tell if you know the information until you try and explain it to someone else
- Do a little at a time: Cramming your work is never a good idea if you want to make sure information stays in your mind for not only the exam but after as well. Taking the time to study for a few hours a day will improve your studying ability
- Sleep: Have you ever stayed up until 3 am the night before an exam cramming in your last-minute studying? If you’re in college, then I’m sure you have. However, sleep is just as important as studying and making sure you get a good night sleep before the exam is sometimes more valuable than that extra hour of studying. Not only are you exhausted and barely retaining any more information at 3 am, but you are also exhausted on exam day. Having a good night sleep is important when trying to recall information for an exam. Don’t let exhaustion be the reason you can’t recall what you have been studying hard for
- Use many different studying techniques: Everyone always has their favorite and most effective way of studying however, some classes require different forms of studying. Flashcards, and typed out study guides that you read through quickly isn’t always the best way. Try new studying techniques such as writing out your study guide, organizing information into a chart, or even making up possible questions and scenarios for yourself to test your knowledge. By using different techniques, you can active your brain in different ways and improve your ability to retain different types of information