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Are you able to learn? Are you studying the way you study? This is an interesting question to ask you every month or two. How are you studying and is that the best way?
After every quarter (we have four blocks of studying here, with a test in the middle of the block and at the end) I try to evaluate the way I’ve studied. So when I look back at the last couple of weeks, I’ve been procrastinating, but I was aware of that. I knew I had to work hard in the last week before the test. So I knew all the time that the last week before the test was going to be really, really busy. And I was aware of that and didn’t plan too many things in that week. Worked out pretty good, I passed my test probably and it was just a solid, good mark. But on the long term, I won’t be able to remember everything I’ve learned and when I need this material next year, it is going to be hard. I am aware of that also.
After evaluating, you need to come up with a plan for the next semester. So I want to study in smaller chunks, more often. On Cal Newport‘s Study Hacks he stated an interesting point on the 48 hour rule. He says you need to study and understand the material within 48 hours after you learned about it in college. If I am going to implement this rule, I think I have to be less stressed out in the last week and be able to keep remembering the material. And I know already that the week before the next test, I won’t have much time, so I need to plan my studying better!
If you do this after every semester, after every period of tests. You will eventually get your perfect way of studying. Experiment! This may require a little bit of failing sometimes, but that isn’t a bad thing. Getting a C isn’t bad, because you can learn from it. If you studied in a certain way for a long time and you get a C on a test, there is probably something wrong with your studying. Don’t cry, don’t feel bad, you’ve just learned something. Evaluate what you did and make a plan of how you are going to change next semester.
If you want to become a successful student, you need to keep improving. You need to understand that the way you study right now isn’t the perfect way, you can always improve. So keep evaluating, keep planning, keep improving. And in the end, we are going to be successful students, living the successful college life.
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Cal brings up an interesting point concerning the 48-hours rule. I presume he means revising the class material within 48 hours, instead of after exactly 48 hours? It’s basically a rather simple method of planning, in fact you don’t have to plan at all. As long as you follow each class on your agenda your studytime is determined as well, namely somewhere in the following 48 hours. I’m going to try this next semester, we’ll see how it turns out!
Sjoerdja! Yeah, that is what he meant, I wrote it wrong. Adjusted it right now. Let’s do this man, we will see how it turns out!
Well done, Stefan.
This blog post reminds me of the tips on college life from Steve Pavlina: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/05/10-tips-for-college-students/, tip number 8 explains this perfectly. Whenever we experience new information, make sure you understand it FIRST TIME. If you miss it first time, you’ll be slacking and eventually cramming information in, leaving the important insights out (Cal Newport talks passionately about these as well). Not only is it important to plan ahead it’s also important to plan ahead what kind of studying you are working with. If it’s math you might want to use a different algorithm for studying that if you’re studying literature. I like the point you are making in regards to getting grades. Grades are nothing else than evaluation aids; they let you figure out what you’ve done right or wrong.
Thanks for reminding us fellow students and keeping this blog running,
Regards,
Anders
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