We Always Keep Learning, but How Can I Study Better?

The basics for studying any subject that you can think of are all about the same. From High School through College and into information that you need to learn for a career, they are all learned using the same techniques. The reason for that is that people remember and learn information in generally the same way; using the four senses - hearing, seeing, smelling, touching. The more of these that you use in studying, the easier it will be for you to remember. If you only use sight as a way to learn, you cut your chances way down. The secret is to use two or three different senses, like seeing, writing, and hearing; this is a good combination. By using more of your senses, you take in the information into your brain in different codes, almost like secret codes. Each sense has a separate code that the brain identifies to your brainwaves and the more ways you introduce material to your brain, the chance of you remembering is greatly increased, because you've applied different manners.

Cramming is not the answer either. I remember when I was in college my classes were 16 weeks long or one semester. In the beginning I thought I could just show up in class and listen really well and then cramming the night before to study for the exam. This meant staying up all night reading through all the highlights in my book trying to remember what the professor had said, with really no direction at all. The result was that I was exhausted come time for the exam the next morning, so I wasn't at my best at all, and I didn't even know if I had much information to get me through.

Most people, unless you were blessed with photographic memory, have to go over the same material again and again to get it to 'stick.' Therefore, the trick is to study along the way, and keep your mind getting the data over and over again, a little everyday instead of expecting to get it all in one night. By reading and writing a little bit everyday, the info doesn't have time to get forgotten. When I discovered these facts, I turned my entire study methods around and consequently my retention improved and my GPS went up.

When I learned this key, I quickly had to begin to apply the study techniques that I had learned, but had not applied. The way to study is the same for whatever subject you want to retain information, like English, Spanish, Psychology - it's all the same method. If you take your time, set aside a time everyday to review and don't wait until the night before the exam and cram, these methods of study really will work for you! They have been proven by many who are now at the top of their classes.

First of all, find your strengths are and work with them. If you are a good note taker, make sure you get those, and then read at home and look at other books like for maps or extra information. Get a video on the subject, but make sure to read through your notes every day. If you're not so good with dates and numbers; spend more time with them and write them all down, in sequential order. Then define what they stand for so that you can review them more often. Make a timeline so that you can visually see the dates and what they represent. It will make more sense to you and if it all begins to make sense you will have a much better chance at getting it in your head. Understanding is the best thing!

If this is a high school, college or another structured class, study time will be much easier to define and regulate. Set aside the same time everyday so that it becomes routine, not "Oh....I have to do this." When you are in class, take your book or other written literature and read and underline everything that the instructor says is important and take notes too. Do the same thing as you are reading at home, underlining anything that you think is important. Do this before it is discussed in class so when you will have heard it twice you will recognize it and it will make an impression. If something is brought up that you don't know, that's OK, just take notes and remember to ask a question if you don't get it. When you get home either that night or the next, read back over your notes so you are refreshed on what the professor said and thought was important. (That is good to know for a test!)

If you think the writing is helping, and it does for most people, comprise list or paragraphs with the common material together. This is extremely helpful when it comes to remembering the info or being tested because you only need to remember one item and because you put it in groups, the rest of the group will follow. Most are visual people so you can picture the list, and then simply read it of when you get asked. This is a good technique for studying.

Some students of the universe like to use tape recorders too. These can be helpful because they reinforce the 'hearing' sense, but if you do decide to use a recorder, don't quit on the double reading of the material and the note taking. They will all reinforce each other and lend to better learning of the material.

Behavior scientists have concluded that it takes 21 days to break an old habit or to learn a new one. Therefore I suggest that you give yourself at least 21 days practicing this method of studying and then see what you've remembered. Give yourself a quiz; this is a good way to test yourself to see if you really know what you've studied. Keep in mind that all people are different and one might not learn as fast as the other. Hang in there and you'll see that this happens more times than you can imagine; the one who was the farthest behind in the beginning, will turn up with an A if they just keep on and don't give up!

Good Luck! We are all students of the universe so that means we're never going to graduate life. Keep asking questions!