Tips For Studying Efficiently!

written by Chloe Guttmann

Here is a guide containing a variety of studying methods and tips to help YOU study efficiently!

It is a universal fact that tests can be overwhelming and stressful. If you are taking time to study in advance before your exam, the process of studying may seem tedious and redundant -- you may find it hard to stay engaged. However, if you are a crammer, studying for tests may seem stressful and overwhelming. Don’t fret -- I will provide a variety of study methods and tips to help construct a strategy that works for YOU!!

Starting with different study methods, I often use:

• Active recall: Use past assignments and notes and recite/recall the information that is on it. I typically read over these sources of information and attempt to recall them without looking them over while I do so. You can do this in a variety of ways: reciting the information to yourself, reciting them to a friend (if you think talking to yourself is weird), and more. If you can accurately recall the information without being near your notes and work, it is ENSURED that you will earn an amazing grade on your test! Believe me -- I used it for my unit 1 AP Biology exam and earned myself a 100.

• Notes: This is a very broad study method, but I will cover the different ways I utilize it to study. I typically look on a website, specifically Fiveable (for my fellow AP students, but I will cover it later), that contains all of the information I need in different modules. If the information I need is not there, I will turn to my previous notes and worksheets. I will then look through the information and summarize them in notes. To take it another step further, you can use notes as another form of active recall, but just without speaking or talking out loud. Specifically, I will write or type all of the information I know about the topic I am studying for down and in a different color, I will record what information I missed in my notes so I know what to study.

• Kahoot, Quizziz: To test yourself on the topic you are studying for, play a few games on Kahoot or Quizziz. Again, you can either play with your friends or start a single-player game. I found that for certain units for AP classes, there might be actual AP questions that you can test yourself on on Quizziz (but you did not hear it from me).

• Combine studying with an interest: This studying method is a very interesting one and it may seem very limited, but it can also make studying very engaging. Simply take a hobby that interests you and brainstorm a way that it can help you study. For example, I really enjoy scrapbooking, so I am in the process of making a small scrapbook containing all of the artworks from my AP Art History class.

• FOR AP CLASSES

• Practice books: This resource is an amazing source to review the content you need to know for AP exams. I have not used them as frequently as I anticipated, but it is a really good resource for content review and practice -- they also contain practice exams in which you can prepare for the actual AP exams. Annotating the articles and sections are also very useful. However, be sure to check the reviews on the book you want to purchase, and be sure to make sure the year is very recent.

• Take advantage of practice tests based on the class you are taking: Although a lot of students are required by their teachers to take notes or simply watch videos on AP Classroom, those who are not should take some time to watch the AP Classroom videos. The provider of the AP exams literally GIVES YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW for the AP exam, so USE IT! If you have not watched AP Classroom videos, they include important information, examples, and practice problems that you can answer. However, if you are the type to get easily overwhelmed, the videos also provide short takeaways so it is easier for you to grasp and comprehend the material explained.

Here are some more study tips:

• Create a study plan: If you are the type who gets overwhelmed at all of the content you have to study, this is a great option for you. Whether you plan what you are going to study for the following days or plan for what you are going to study in a night, knowing what content you are going to review is going to help you take one less thing off of your plate and will make you feel far more organized.

• Study in advance even when you do not feel like it: Crammers, this one's for you. Procrastination is REAL, no matter who you are. This tip is important because you will not obtain anything if you cram the night before. However, the best thing you can do is to NOT procrastinate. Although this is easier said than done, you can provide yourself with incentives to keep you motivated; for example, taking study breaks and treating yourself with anything you want: social media time (very risky, but perfect for those with great self-control), eating a snack, spending some time doing a hobby you enjoy, and more. 

• The Pomodoro method: This is an AMAZING study tool to avoid drain and to stay on-task. Essentially, the Pomodoro method is a method of studying in which you study for certain blocks of time, as well as take breaks. For example, if you study for a total of two hours with four 25-minute study sessions, there are 5-minute breaks built in between each session. You can find these timers online, especially YouTube, and they come in different formats -- I personally love the YouTube timers in which people study with you, with relaxing LoFi hip-hop music in the background.

• Take study breaks: No matter how you study, study breaks ARE essential! No matter how much content you need to study, you need to incorporate at least one study break to avoid burn-out and drain. Although receiving good grades on your assessments is crucial, your mental health is far more important, and something you need to constantly prioritize.

Despite the variety of study methods and tips, it is important to note that different methods work for different people. Whether or not you utilize the tips I have described above, I hope you are able to gain some guidance and insight on how to study effectively. All in all, best of luck in your academic endeavors, and get those good grades!