Today starts the Smartkit site’s Study Tips contest. What worked for you while in college? Or if you’re still in school, we’d like to know your favorite method for getting your best studying done. We are giving away 2 prizes:
- Grand Prize: Choice of either an Apple 30 GB iPod video Black OR an emWave machine ($199) by the HearthMath Company. The highly acclaimed emWave and HeartMath system, which utilizes heart coherence biofeedback, are currently being used by Duke Medical Center, Stanford, Kaiser, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UNC, Sutter Health, and many other top medical centers to reduce stress and fatigue. Additionally, the system is also being used in school systems worldwide to help students develop their ability to focus and concentrate, as well as improve memory function.
- Runner-Up Prize: a collection of 5 mechanical puzzles.
The goal of the contest is to create a compilation of study tips and techniques from our readers. The tips will be available for all to see and use.
How to Participate:
- Create a blog post or web page on your site that describes what favorite study technique or tip worked best for you while in college. If you could link back to this post for reference that’d be great. It’s not required though.
- If you don’t have a website or blog to post to, no worries- simply submit your answer via the ‘Comment Section’ below this post
- Head over to the ‘Contact Form‘ and send us your name and the URL (if applicable) for your blog post or webpage.
- On March 12th, we’ll post a link to all the submissions and winners will be chosen at random.
- The deadline for final submission has been extended to March 9th.
UPDATE: Grand Prize Winner: ‘Yen’. Runner-up Prize: ‘Frank’
It wasn’t too...
My favorite study tip was to create a song or hum a tune to what I was trying to remember. The only downside was I tended to hum through my tests.
Today as an adult I do the same thing, however I try to visualize solving the problem and hum to myself as I work through the solution.
My favorite study tip, particularly useful for pharmacology during med school, was to make easy to remember mnemonics using portions of drug names. For example, when I needed to remember a particular class of drugs (Augmentin, Timentin, Unasyn, and Zosyn), I would use the first two letters of each drug to make a strange, but memorable, word (AuTiUnZo). I still remember it today!
To study for an exam, I would look and read through all my class notes late the night before the exam. I would always go to bed knowing that I should have studied more, but before falling asleep I would try to review in my head. The next morning, I felt good as if I had dreamt about the topic and was confident about taking the exam.
I still think that this works for me in everyday life. I just fall asleep thinking about something and the next morning answers just come to me.
Preventing, Managing and Reversing the Effects of Stress in One’s life is the key to breakthroughs in Studying and excellent test results. This article is right on about using the emWave to increase your …”ability to focus and concentrate, as well as improve memory function.”
For over 30 years I experienced several life threatening chronic illnesses. Through the Grace of God I was lead to several people and organizations that aided me in understanding, positively dealing with and transforming these illnesses. For the past few years I have devoted my life to sharing what I have learned with others. The two most impactful organizations I was lead to are The Institute of HeartMath (www.emotionalmastery.com) and Landmark Education (www.landmarkeducation.com).
The American Institute of Stress and The Centers for Disease Control have both reported that up to 90% of all illnesses are due to stress. I was lead to The Institute of HeartMath in 1997 and discovered that all of my illnesses were due to stress I had been experiencing in my life. Through learning and practicing HeartMath’s tools and technologies, I am able to prevent, manage and reverse the effects of stress, in-the-moment, achieve better health, more energy, improved mental and emotional clarity, and improved performance and relationships. HeartMath’s tools and technologies are scientifically substantiated; they literally saved my life.
Landmark Education provided me with the knowledge and tools to identify and put in my past, barriers that were stopping me from living a powerful life and a life I love. Through this Education, I have reached an unshakeable Faith.
My best tip back in the old days was memorizing concepts, names, ecc through images.
The basic idea was to associate a concept with a weird/funny images, the first one that struck my mind the first time I read that concept from a book. This way, that piece of info would stuck directly into my brain, and I didn’t need to recall this particular image anymore to recall the associated concept. The image was only the way to make my brain assimilate it, once I memorized it, I didn’t need it anymore.
Remember! In order for this system to work, you must associate weird/funny images with that concept/name. For example, if you need to remember a particular year (discovering of the americas – 1492), you could imagine cristoforo colombo that was digging this number in the sand, using a oar (so you will also remember that he was a sailor)
i study on new york’s buses and trains, the MTA. i carry around a stack of index cards held in place by book rings and flip through them till i reach my stop. its compact, convenient and makes good use of time. i love studying like this because i always get in at least 2 hrs a day =)
Currently, one of my favorite methods of studying is to kind of find a way to connect what I’m studying to something I already know. For example if I was trying to remember a math equation I’d just think of an equation I already know and see how it relates or if I’m reading a book, I’ll find a way to relate it to a favorite book or movie. Then if I ever forget it, I can look back and think about the thing I already know. Then I can go on and remember what I forgot since I now know how it relates and what it is I forgot. Sort of like creating a point of reference for all my thoughts and other whatnot.
My experiences with learning might be considered counter-intuitive. One example — I took a course on NLP several years ago. While in the lecture room, I pretended to be taking copious notes. However, my scribbling was actually the plotting of a novel I was writing at the time. I found that I learned the NLP material better and quicker than if I had forced myself to concentrate solely on the lecture, and I was also very creative compared to times I would only write. I’ve used similar approaches in more technical classes (I’m an engineer by training) with similar success.
So my tips are 1) to multi-task while studying and 2) to take less time than you think you need. Turn the tv on, play the stereo, listen to a taped lecture of one class while studying the notes of another. And if you think you need an hour to learn the material, try to learn it in fifteen minutes. Then test yourself. You might be surprised at how quickly and easily you can learn when you allow yourself to be smart and fast.
When I was in college I usually had long breaks between classes (not intentionally it just worked out that way) so I would end up reviewing what I had just learned at the library, have a snack, walk around campus for a bit, and then study briefly for my upcoming class. At the time I didn’t realize it but this ended up helping my grades quite a bit and I never felt I had to ‘cram’ for tests.
I have found in the past that I am a primarily auditory learner. To help myself remember my notes, I record them in MP3 format and load them on my iPod. I usually record my note in question form, allow a breif pause in the recording so that I can answer, and then the CD recites the full answer. This way it’s very similar to having a friend quiz you. Also, the process of recording all the questions and answers help you to learn with multiple senses. Once the CD is recorded, I usually take it to the gym and do light-impact aerobics while listening to it. The aerobic exercise helps boost epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine, three of the brain’s most effective memory boosters. By having only two three-hour workout/study sessions a week, I have brought my grades up from C’s to A’s, and achieved better physique, to boot!
Im glad i found this post, I put all my best study tips on a dedicated blog, the best thing I did was not really a study tip, it was learning to touch type, the time that saves is unbelievable, and that time can be spent doing more research / revision etc….
Hi Smartkit,
I just joined your wonderful website and I want to share with you a
an effective and simple strategic study tip that transformed my GPA. But I
want to know if your are still giving that nice Emwave device. Thank you!
One of the things that really boosted my academic performance during my premed years was a combination of brain-boosting nutrients, aerobic excercise, 8 hours of sleep, and an early morning study session everyday.
The nutrients I took (and still take) that gave me a tremendous brain power were fish oil, gingko biloba, and DMAE. These increased my production of acetylcholine, which, in turn, sharpened my ability to recall inforamtion during my exams. They also helped me lower my “stress” hormones that inhibit your ability to learn. Also, instead of going to bed at 10:00 PM, I went to bed at 8:00 in woke up at 5:00 because that is the time when your fully-rested brain can learn better. Most importantly, trust in God through prayer (or meditation) and His omnipotent power will be manifested in your grades and overall future goals. Good luck!