since my last masterpost on mind maps was successful i thought i’d make a masterpost about general studying! this way i get to share with you guys what i’ve found out over the years with my personal experience!
your study space
- the space you choose to study is really important! it can be in your bedroom, another place in ur house, library, cafe, a park, etc
- it should be somewhere u can focus + concentrate without distractions
- have more than one place to pick from in case u ever need to change a little or can’t use one
- lighting is really important. good natural lighting is always best; try to find a place where the light comes from your left if you’re a righty or from the right if you’re a lefty – you’ll thank me when ur writing and u can see everything perfectly
- if ur in ur room, figure out whether having motivational quotes/pics on your walls help u or distract u – for me, i like to have a couple but not many, and mostly motivational quotes + sticky notes with the stuff i need to get done
- keep it organised! u can use drawers to keep ur suplies so that they aren’t all laying around when ur studying if u don’t need them
- lay out everything u need when ur about to start studying so that u don’t have to get up to get this or that all the time
study methods
- it’s great to try out many different ones!
- you’ll always have a couple u prefer but don’t be afraid to experiment
- masterpost by @heystudy
- masterpost by @etudiance
- flashcards are awesome for memorizing + testing yourself! here are some tips for making them by @tbhstudying
- here’s a great alternative for flashcards by @studyign!
- mind maps are great for linking information + understanding + condensing. here’s a link to my masterpost!
- rewriting notes is an awesome way to revise!
- when u rewrite ur notes, u can color code them + add lil drawings + diagrams, make them more visual overall
- great masterpost on visual/aesthetically pleasing notes by @areistotle
- if they’re available, always try to find old exams and take them to practice! u can take them under exam conditions or not, whatever helps u the most
background music
- first of all, u need to figure out whether u work better with or without background music, because it may end up distacting u
- if u don’t want music but still need background noise, u can listen to white noise or ambient noise!
- classical music is awesome; studies have shown that it benefits the brain, sleep patterns + stress levels
- u can listen from playlists on 8tracks, spotify or youtube vids [i prefer 8tracks]
- check out my #music tag for great playlists + masterposts!!
pomodoro method
- you’ve probably heard of it all over the studyblr community and that’s because it’s awesome
- here’s a link to the official site!
- it’s great for helping u focus; i work better like this because i couldn’t study for an hour straight if my life depended on it, + i still get everything done!
- however, don’t adapt yourself to the times it sets for u but the other way around – if you’re working and the 25 minutes are done but u still feel like u can continue, you’re motivated and focused, go on!
- don’t know what to do in those breaks? here’s the list for u!
- i use forest to time myself! it’s great cause it also keeps u from checking ur phone. focusnow is a free alternative for ios
general tips
- start revising early, even if u know u can cram and get good results. i used to do the last thing and even though i got really good grades i was always super stressed the day before and it made studying suck even more
- avoid checking social media while studying, even tumblr for “motivation”, because you’ll inevitably get sucked into it
- form a study group or find a study buddy because they’ll help u focus, u can explain to each other when u don’t understand something, etc
- know everything u need to get done and prioritize
- make ur notes pretty only if u have the time + it helps u
- if u don’t have the time to make ur notes pretty but are a visual learner, grab a highlighter and colour code them – e.g. green for terms, yellow for definitions, pink for dates/people
- figure out whether u work best in the morning, afternoon or evening. try not to study at night unless necessary + get good rest bc it helps ur brain work better
+ masterposts
i hope you found this masterpost helpful!! if u have any questions or request for a masterpost, send me a message!
sofi xx
