School tips/hacks for studying

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Study hacks 101!!!

1: Play some tunes.

As anyone who’s ever relied on Little Mix to make it through an all-night study session knows, music can help beat stress. Specifically, research has shown that playing music while you're studying helps your memory. Obviously, it won't work for all types of music like heavy metal, but types like classical, piano, or normal pop at a low volume work. If listening to pop, try a song that you don't know the lyrics to as the lyrics will get stuck in your head and, possibly, end up writing them down {cos that happened to me once or twice! ;) }

2: Caffeine is your friend!

That's right... Caffeine has been shown to improve our concentration & focus, so try to have some coffee while you're studying. If you're one of those people that can't handle coffee, you can try & take chocolate, tea and/or energy drinks as they contain small amounts of caffeine.If this works for you, your welcome!!!

3: Get a break or two!

When you're studying, it's vital to take study breaks. Yes, I do mean VITAL! Research has actually shown it's best to study in 30-minute blocks, then take 5-minute breaks between each block. Treat yourself by doing anything you like; whether it's watching a Youtube video, playing an instrument {if you have one}having a snack, chatting with friends or playing a game.

Just make sure it fits within the 5-minute time frame

4: Give those teeth a workout!

So you know how teachers never let you chew gum in class? Apparently, chewing gum may actually help improve your memory & help you focus when studying. I have no idea how, but research has shown that chewing gum increases the oxygen flow to your brain, which will improve concentration & alertness. Although you won't be allowed to during school, try chewing a certain favourite gum next time you're studying

5: Create a mnemonic.

Turn the details that need to be remembered into a mnemonic helps to make the information more meaningful. For example, to remember the food additives, we use CAPFENS = Clara's Aunt Paints Flowers Ending Nadia's Song

C = colourings

A = antioxidants

P = preservatives

F = flavourings

E = emulsifiers

N = nutrients

S = sweeteners

You won't have a mnemonic for everything that must be revised but when it's available, make the best of it and be as creative as you want!

6: Space it out.

A new learning technique called spaced repetition involves breaking up information into small chunks and reviewing them consistently over a long period of time. So don’t try to memorize the entire periodic table in one sitting - instead learn a few rows every day and review each lesson before starting anything new.

For me, the strategy for reviewing I'm meant to follow is:

1 hour = at the end of every class, review notes for 2-3 minutes {if you have time remaining before the end of class}

1 day = to start your study sessions every evening, shouldn't take more than 5-10 minutes if you know almost everything learnt in class

1 week = at the weekend, spend 1 hour reviewing your work on both days

1 month = this is one of the most important reviews you can do. Spend roughly 30-90 minutes per subject {plan a Saturday/Sunday at the end of each month for this}

3 months/term breaks {mid-term, Christmas, Easter, etc.} = it is very important that you sit down & review all you have learned. Some exams, like Christmas, will coincide with such periods. Even if they don't you must still do a review of at least half of your subjects.

7: Make me wanna shout.

If you're reading passively {in other words, quietly/in your head}, you're most likely to forget what was on the previous page{s} when it comes to answering questions. Try reading actively{aloud} and see if you're able to remember what you have learnt in class.

This was recommended to me as it always works for me when I have to learn Irish poems/stories.

8: Try online lessons.

For those people who get bored reading their textbooks {like me}, try watching some courses online. Youtube has a range of topics to look at; like CrashCourses, which have various subjects. To make it easier browsing the topic, they're actually put into playlists.

Although I haven't done it myself, I, personally, agree with this cos even though I'm able to sit still, I find it boring reading a textbook for a long time so I do recommend this to people that are lazy. It's my pleasure guys!!!

9: Record your lessons.

On your phone has a recording device, which people might find not that useful; you lot out there are so wrong! Use the recording device o record your lessons. Using this method will allow you to review the lesson anytime you need to refresh your memory. The best time to review your lesson is on the day as studies have shown that this improves your memory by 60%!

10: Use diagrams.

Trying to read a large text can get really boring &, it harder to concentrate and memorise what you're reading. All you need to do is just add some colours and diagrams to your notes. Doing this helps your brain to organise the information better and stops it from going a little off-track... When doing this, you don't need to make the diagrams like the real thing, just make it clear enough for you to know what it's connected to.

11: Get that beauty sleep!

Sleeping as a study hack? Count me in! Seriously though, in order to remember what you've been studying, you need to get at least 8 hours of sleep {depending on your age group: the older you are, the less amount of sleep you'll need to take}. Doing this makes your brain organise the information you've been revising whilst you're asleep, so if you don't get enough sleep, you'll forget more of what you learnt the previous day. Trust me, you don't have to tell me twice!

12: Smell your scents! {Get it? <3 }

Again, I don't know how it works cos it sounds strange but try and spray some perfume. Right before your test begins, spray the exact same perfume. The reason for this is because the sense of smell is, apparently, a strong memory trigger for your brain so this method will help you record your stuff in your head. If you're a bit sensitive to perfume, try some aromatherapy before you come into school and get a whiff of smells that calm you down and help you feel relaxed, like lavender/eucalyptus.

13: Put those pen licences & flashcards/refill pads/notebooks/post-its to good use!

Yes, research shows we store information more securely when we write it out by hand than when we type it. Start by recopying the most important notes from the book or your notes copy onto a new sheet of paper. To have the "vision" of your notes, sort out the main key-points by getting out highlighters {and trust me, it works for a few subjects} and select a different colour for each key point of an event. This will then shorten your notes, which you can then add to mind-maps/ flowcharts/spider diagrams: it should be able to help you what key-point was connected to what. For myself, I do:

Yellow = dates

Blue = names

Pink = places

Green = articles/speeches/codenames

Orange = numbers

Purple = unable to categorise

14: Write your notes.

While you're studying, it's ten times, I repeat ten times more effective to write out notes, rather than just reading your textbook. Even though you may not look at the notes again, the act of doing this helps to memorise the information. Underlining may not be as effective, probably not highlighting either.

N.B. When writing out the notes, summarise them as some parts of your textbook may not even be that relevant.

15: Teach a friend {or a group of friends!}

Wanna hang out with a friend or two but need time to study? Why not do both at once! Apparently, one of the best ways to remember what you're studying is to actually, teach it to some of your friends. Doing this forces you to understand the topic much better, and therefore, remember more when it comes to your exams.

I recommend you teach it to people in your specific class {if it's an optional subject/ a higher/ordinary level subject. Basically what I'm saying is to teach it to somebody who's in the exact same class as you} as you're both more likely to remember what you've learnt by teaching each other!

16: Algebraic disasters.

Look, I understand that algebra is the main block when it comes to maths, but you have to know them somehow... That's why I'm here to tell you that you don't have to stress any longer: apparently, there are some websites & apps that can be used to solve almost anything involved with algebra. For the apps, which can be on your phone, there's one called PhotoMath where it's simple: you take a picture of what the problem is. Not only it'll show you the solution to it but it'll also show you how it was done. This way, you can learn the steps when solving a similar problem. For the websites, I use one called Step-by-Step Math Problem Solver where you type in the problem and, again, it'll solve the question & show the working out process.

So there you have it, no more excuses for not doing your maths homework, cos this happened almost every day in my class!

17: Change locations.

Studying in the same room, at the same desk isn't always the best solution when it comes to upcoming exams {unfortunately for me, I end up doing it all the time unless I'm actually allowed :( }. Research suggests studying the same stuff in a different place every day makes us less likely to forget that information. If we move around, studying in different places (from the library to the coffee shop, the coffee shop to your best friends' houses, your best friends' houses to the park or even when you have free classes) makes us force the brain to form new associations with the same material so it becomes a stronger memory.

18: Put yourself to the test.

Quizzing ourselves may be one of the best ways to prepare for the real deal. And don’t worry about breaking a sweat while trying to remember what is tau {for those who don't know it, it's a surprising 6.283185307179586476925286766595003578394338750211... Can't remember how I knew that! ;)} The harder it is to remember a piece of information in practice mode, the more likely we are to remember it in the future.

One particular website I use called Quizlet, which allows users to make their own study quizzes. Before you even quiz yourself, you can look at your created flashcards. There are a few ways to quiz yourself with Quizlet: there's a matching up game, a game called "gravity" {what you do is you have to try and remember what "term" was connected to what "definition" in order to prevent asteroids falling onto the planets... Maybe that's why they call it gravity ;0)}, a listening & reading test & a proper test {for this, you can choose the number of questions you want and in what form (multiple choice, true/false, type-in &/or matching) you want to answer them}. To try and make sure you know what connects to what, you can add diagrams {voice recordings too but you need to upgrade}.

19: Eat the right food.

Research has discovered there are certain foods that help improve your memory so definitely try this tip. Increase the intake of the following foods to help study better:

Avocados

Beans

Blueberries

Broccoli

Celery

Dark chocolate

Peanuts/peanut butter

Spinach

Sunflower seeds

Walnuts

There are probably more but these are the ones I've known by far!

20: Don't stay stuck on one topic.

Don’t just stick to one topic as you are more likely to forget it afterwards; instead, study a bunch of different materials in one sitting {recommend different chapters for the same subject}. This technique helps prepare us to use the right strategy for finding the solution to a problem.

For example, doing a bunch of division problems in a row means every time we approach a problem, we know it’ll require some division. But doing a series of problems that require multiplication, division, or addition means it'll require some lateral thinking about which strategy is best.

21: Get some fresh air.

Have nothing to do with your study breaks? Try going outside for a walk. Once again, studies have shown that getting some fresh air improves your brain function & memory. So, don't lock yourself indoors all day {especially all the time}, go out and stretch those legs from time to time!

23: This isn't a competition.

Finally, don't compare yourself to other people. You often see students who are naturally gifted and get high marks for doing not much work at all. Don't let that have an impact on your studying but do take studying seriously if you want to get a job that doesn't require much work but get high pay.

I guarantee you, hard work beats natural talent 9 times out of 10!

22: Flashcards on your phone.

I do agree that flashcards are one of the best ways to help you study but what if you accidentally lose or misplace them? That's why this hack is here to solve this issue... You can download TONS of apps that let you make your own flashcards, which you can use to test yourself anywhere, anytime, whether it's on the bus/train, going on a long road trip, at home, your study partner/friend's house or, anywhere really! This makes them super convenient rather than carrying about 10 loads of flashcards!

Again, I would recommend Quizlet unless you have no internet connection.

24: Punctuality is vital!

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