Study Tips
Studying for exams! The best part of college, right?! Wrong.
For as long as I can remember, studying has been one of my greatest weaknesses. I do not focus after sitting at a desk for a long period of time, and I also am not a strong test taker. So, I really just dislike studying overall.
However, I can say that I have self-taught myself how to properly study without totally hating it and without draining my brainpower.
Generally, professors heavily weigh exams and quizzes in our overall grades. They are important! That means we have to, at least, adapt to study habits and create the best methods to be the most successful.
How? Well, coming from a poor test-taker and weak studier, here are some top tips that have made a significant impact on my study skills.
1. Begin by organizing your study space.
This is a huge deal-breaker for me. If my study space isn’t organized, all I can think about is how messy my surroundings are. Clear off your workspace, make your bed, clean your room, get yourself a glass of water, and begin! On the flip side, I have a bad habit of taking my sweet time cleaning my surroundings. However, I have taught myself to set a timer (roughly 10-15 minutes), so I avoid distracting myself. The timer holds me accountable to quickly and efficiently organize my study space.
2. Lay out your notes
I have an easier time focusing on what I’m studying if I can see all of my notes. Grab your notes and flip to the textbook chapters that your exam is testing you on. When you begin to read over your notes, ONLY focus on one or two chapters at a time. I have found that if I look at the bigger picture, I have a more challenging time retaining the course material. With this, it is crucial to stretch this over a time frame. For example, if your exam is on Friday, start reviewing it on Monday. Each day solely focus on a couple of chapters at a time. This has significantly helped me prepare for exams and quizzes.
3. Take study breaks!
You guys, study breaks are more important than you think. I am SO guilty of sitting down for hours and just staring at my notes. Then to realize, I had been just staring and not actually reviewing course material. This is a tip that varies for all people. Find what works best for you! Study breaks could include going for a walk, going to get lunch, or even sitting on your phone. The important part is, don’t forget you are on a BREAK. Meaning, it takes a lot of self-discipline to get yourself back to the books. For me, I like to scroll through Tok Tok, do laundry, get a snack, or just relax. This is where I utilize my timer method. Typically, I set a 15-20 minute timer to plug into my phone or complete other tasks I could do around my house. Make sure to give your brain an adequate break!
4. Remember, you are doing the best you can.
Studying is exhausting. It really can drain your brainpower. My advice here is, don’t forget you are trying your hardest. Students always feel the need to perfect their knowledge before taking the exam. However, if there are concepts that don’t quite connect, don’t get down on yourself. At the end of the day, it’s just an exam score. There are more assignments and quizzes that will boost your grade if your results don’t reflect positively.
Now, lets get to studying!
15 Comments
Karissa
I love this post! I also struggle with exams so these tips and tricks will really help me in the future! Thank you for sharing!
Brianna Olstad
Thank you! I hope these tips helped. Let me know what worked & what didn’t!
Erin Lewis
Awesome advice. Thenku! My biggest struggle is just sitting in the same spot all day because of COVID
britney
I like that these tips are simple, yet very effective. I always have such a hard time studying because I can never concentrate, and I get so bored. Taking breaks and reminding myslef that I am doing my best can definitely help!
Caitlin Hunter
I LOVE this! One of my favorite things to do is believe it or not but to take notes! I really enjoy making them pretty. Something I for sure need to work on is keeping my space organized!
Also side note, your website is gorgeous!!
Brianna Olstad
Thank you so much! I also love taking notes, but my handwriting can definitely use improvements. I appreciate your feedback!
Lindsey Buchanan
Hi Brianna,
I love this advice! During covid it can be extremely hard to focus all day in one spot. Keeping my surroundings organized helps so much. I also hate studying but keeping proper notes etc also helps! I also love your last tip, to remember that you are doing the best you can. I think this is the best advice because when someone is putting in the effort and time! All you can do is know that you prepared the best you could for that exam! Awesome tips and advice, especially during covid.
Lauren Foster
I also struggle to stay focused when studying. I will have to try some of these when it comes time to study for my next exam. Thank you.
Brianna Olstad
I hope these tips help! Let me know what worked and what didn’t!
Sawyer Novara
The tip about study breaks is extremely important. It takes me even longer to get my studying or my homework done if I sit there for 2 hours or so without a break. I like to take breaks by practicing my guitar and my singing because sometimes I have too much studying to do that I otherwise wouldn’t get to practice every day.
Brianna Olstad
I agree! It takes me a lot longer to study without breaks too. It is so cool you play guitar, it’s a talent I wish I had! It sounds like a great way to take a study break. Thanks for your feedback!
Nichole Learman
Hi!
These tips are really informational and useful and I will definitley be trying them out the next time I have to study for an exam! Thanks for the help!
Brianna Olstad
Thanks Nichole! I hope they help!
Anna Lichtie
This post was a good reminder that although studying may seem difficult, with a few tips you can go from worried to confident in no time. I look forward to trying out some of these tips – especially organizing my study space!
Nadia Foltz
HI Brianna!
Thank you for the amazing tips! I do like a clean work space and whenever I start to do my homework I will make sure I have a clean space. I love this post because with everything going on today it is hard to find a good study place in your own home! Loved this post