What if there was a way to combine the most efficient study techniques to memorize much faster, learn the subjects better, and have fun at the same time? Well, there is. We all know how to study, right?
When we get to university, we all know how to study. Better or worse, we have made it here by studying, but are we being as efficient as we could be? There are certain study techniques that allow us to learn more material in less study time, and we will definitely want to know about them. The habit of trying to play it safe and being conservative often prevents us from changing our study habits and techniques out of fear of taking risks, and that is a mistake. We may be missing out on great opportunities to improve our way of studying and our grades. By implementing certain efficient study techniques, we can finish our degree and obtain our
eTítulo with half the effort, achieving the same results, or even better, by applying the same effort we put into getting a good grade, we can have an outstanding academic record.
First things first
There is no study technique that works without depending on our organization in studying. Therefore, before anything else, we need to organize ourselves well, have all the study material at our disposal, know its length and difficulty. We should also have a good calendar on the wall so that we never lose sight of exam dates and know how much real time we have to prepare for them. Good organization will help us be realistic and use the appropriate study techniques to make the most of each subject, so we should never overlook this essential preliminary step in studying.
Comprehensive reading + highlighting + outlining
Perhaps the most boring part of preparing for an exam is reading the study material. To do it more efficiently and less monotonously, it will help us to carry out not a general reading, but directly a
comprehensive reading in which we work from the beginning paragraph by paragraph. It's simple: instead of reading the entire study material once, then reading it a second time while highlighting, and then a third time to make a summary and create outlines (we've already grown ten gray hairs in this process), we're going to do it in a more dynamic way without general readings or repetitions. We read the first paragraph
aloud while
highlighting the main ideas in one color and the secondary ideas in another color, and we write down both to create our
outline. Then we move on to the next paragraph and repeat. Doing multiple tasks at once helps us concentrate better and prevents boredom, while saving us precious time. Contrary to what it may seem, combining these study techniques will help us learn more in less time and make studying less monotonous.
From outline to flashcards, and from flashcards to questions
Once we have created outlines for the entire study material, it's time to make small
study flashcards. These are cards with isolated concepts (the main ideas, as the secondary ones are already in the outlines) that we should know and that serve as triggers. In other words, by reading these flashcards with the main ideas, if we have done the reading aloud, highlighting, and outlining well, the flashcards will serve as a reminder that will help us start explaining the rest. Obviously, if something goes wrong in this process, if we see that there is certain information that we don't have complete, we will have to reread that point, but at least we won't have to reread everything. As we complete these flashcards, ideas of
possible questions that may appear on the exam will come to mind, and we should write them on other cards. Ideally, we should have one or two questions per card and cover all possibilities so that nothing catches us off guard in the exam.
Ready to play?
The rest of the time we invest in studying consists of playing question games. Whether alone or even better,
in groups, the idea is to mix the questions and answer them as completely as possible. If we answer correctly, we put the questions in one pile. If we make a mistake, the answer is incomplete, or we have many doubts, the card goes to another pile that we will review later. This way, we will quickly know what needs to be reviewed and what doesn't, and we will rapidly expand the pile of questions that we know. These study techniques are not only very efficient and save us countless hours of studying, but they are also dynamic and effective. Studying will become a much more enjoyable activity, and it will be effortless for us to start and concentrate.
