Study Tips » 15 Tips to Study Effectively for Students

15 Tips to Study Effectively for Students

While endless hours of studying might be tiring but fruitful, these scientifically proven guidelines will provide you with better ways to fearlessly take your test papers any time. Remember your lessons and all the important portions of your semester with the following, science-backed, tips!

1. Study before bedtime.

Study a few minutes right before hitting the bed. Parents, listen up! Try reading out some important parts of the lesson to the children instead of bedtime stories because when you are asleep the brain is known to strengthen new memories and there’s a good chance that the children will remember what they have reviewed right before dozing off. But just be careful not to take work or studying to the bed, literally. That will just make it harder for you to get a good night’s sleep.

2. Break it down.

A new learning method called ‘spaced repetition’ is being increasingly used by learners. It involves breaking up the study matter into smaller portions and then reviewing and revising them on regular intervals over a long time. It will help you to learn harder topics like the periodic table by learning a few rows every day and revising each part before you start a new portion of it.

3. Move around.

Studying the same portion in a different place every day can make it less likely to forget what you have studied. Every time you move from one place to another (for example, when you move from the library to the coffee shop or from the coffee shop to the park bench), you compel your brain to form a different association with the same material that is being studied. This helps in making it a stronger memory.

4. Quiz yourself.

Quizzing yourselves is one of the best ways to get set for the real deal. If you have to strain yourself to remember some parts from your study material, you needn’t be worried about it. You are more likely to remember information or points that were hard for you in the practice mode.

5. Write it out.

Put your writing skills to good use, because research suggests that information is secured more securely when you have written it down rather than having it typed out. You can begin with copying important points and notes from the class onto a new sheet of paper. Put your Primary school penmanship to good use!

6. How about you make some noise?

The brain can save information faster when you read aloud. Seeing it and hearing it will mentally store information in two ways! So read aloud and while you do, make sure your noisy studying tricks is not intruding the learning space of anybody else. Find a good place where you can read aloud and not create a ruckus for the people around you and don’t get yourself thrown out of libraries and coffee shops! Stay focused on your plan and work on it.

7. Treat yourself!

An ice cream for the first two chapters you just studies, a walk around the park or five minutes of twitter or Facebook break- Whatever to keep car moving. Knowing that a reward awaits you at the end of every milestone that you set, will keep you from stalling and lazing around. Do not in any circumstance try to dodge the break time and keep away from the books for more than five minutes while studying. Master the art of self-restraint so that you make the time spent fruitful.

8. Study groups.

Group work may not be everyone’s piece of cake but if you fall in the category a study group is the way to go for you. Get together every few days with a group of friends who are good at the subject and reap your benefit with the team work. Select a person who will be responsible for delegating tasks such as music selection, location and snacks. Put in a little effort to keep the group on track and accomplish goals.

9. Schedule it.

One of the most important skills a student should possess is taking the time to plan ahead. Do not start your week with a rough goal of preparing for your Grammar test- Break that goal into smaller tasks that can be accomplished. You can note it on a calendar or keep a diary for your plan. For example, allot one or two hours in a day that will be convenient for you to revise 10 classes worth of information.

10. Learn to meditate.

Meditation is known to reduce tensions and anxiety while helping to boost your attention span. It has been found to be useful for people who practice meditation on a regular basis, there is no harm in the four-minute calming time that you can use to bring down your nerves and get you ready to study. Pull yourself together and try meditating before you pick up that book.

11. Get your body moving.

Half an hour of aerobic exercise can promote the speed of our brain-processing. Exercise also improves other cognitive skills as they help stimulate new brain cell growth, increase connections between cells, and improve attention according to research. You do not have to spend a lot of time, but an average of 1 hour will help you get mentally and physically stronger! Jog a few laps, Get stronger and brainier at the same time. Get jogging now and repeat it every day to eventually make it a necessary part of your day.

12. Music anyone?

Music is largely accepted to help in beating stress. Anyone out there who wants to make it through an all-night study session should give those chemistry notes a soundtrack and reduce the anxiety and tension a few notches down. Music can also help as a mood booster. Your music preference may largely vary from each other, but be it classical or rock, get that music playing for a few minutes and recharge your system to get through your study plan. Classical music in the background is also known to do magic for students who are agitated at the study table.

13. Own the omega fats.

The food you eat need to be on check, get in as many Omega-3 fatty acids as you can into your daily meals. These fatty acids are found in nuts, fish and olive oil. They are important because of their brain boosting potential and studies have found that a fusion of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids before you take a test will reduce your anxiety. Eggs, cereals, poultry and whole-grain bread are rich in Omega-6 fatty acids.

14. You need your sleep.

It can be tempting to stay up all night long and finish that textbook full of equations you need to memorize for the test. But trust us when we tell you that all-nighters very rarely lead to an You’re your paper. In fact, you may push yourself to impaired cognitive performance and greater risk of panic attacks. Be careful when you deprive yourself of the six to eight hours of sleep that you require. In the days leading up to the exam don’t let sleep deprivation be the reason to undo all the hard work you have put in to get where you are. Get ample sleep and have a wide-awake, energetic morning on your test day.

15. Learn what works for you.

Do you know what works for you to get the best out of that test? Some of your friends may be early birds, some night owls; some of them prefer to study in complete silence while others would prefer to study in company or with music; still others learn better when they teach a friend when others study better when it is taught to them by a friend.

Experiment and find what works most effectively for you and stick with it, the ultimate goal is to study and to study without stress.