Studying

In celebration of school starting up again, I thought I would post some study tips.

1. Always study in the same place. Find a quiet place, with no distractions. Try not to have a computer nearby, if you are anything like me you will be tempting to procrastinate!
   
2. Make sure your study place is available to you whenever you will need it.
   
3. Study at the same time. When you have a set time to study everyday you will find it easier to concentrate.
   
4. Get rid of all distractions! Turn off that phone, or at least put it in another room. Don't listen to music, even if you think it helps, you are really just kidding yourself. And definitely do not watch TV! Again, if you don't need the computer, the put it in another room.
   
5.  Do the more difficult tasks first, while you are still fresh.
   
6. Take responsibility for yourself! It's important to realise that no one is responsible for a bad or good grade but yourself. Stop blaming others for distracting you! If it was that bad you should have left and gone to the library!
   
7. Put it in your own words. If you are taking notes from a textbook it is important to write down what you learn from the textbook in your own words. You will remember it better that way.
   
8. Take breaks. If you have a long night of studying in front of you, set aside some time for breaks. Just short ones 5-15 minutes. On your break do something different then you have been doing. My suggestion; go for a walk and get some fresh air.
   
9. Get the blood pumping. I've found that before I start studying if I do 50 jumping jacks first I focus a lot better. You can do anything, just get the heart rate up for a minute or so to get the blood pumping through your body and your brain. You will be able to focus longer, and take in more information.
   
10. Review your notes after class. I've found that I remember things a lot better if I go straight home (or to the library) and rewrite all of my notes from the lecture. Everything is still fresh in your brain, so if you wrote something illegibly then you will most likely be able to figure out what you were trying to write the sooner you get to it.
    
11. Use colours! It take longer, but it really works.
    
12. Attend all of your classes. You may be able to get all of the information you need for the exams from your textbook, but you professor will go over it in clearer English (sometimes I have a hard time uderstanding the textbooks), and you will be able to figure out what is going to be on the exam if they discuss certain things more thoroughly then others.
    
13. Once you've read a chapter, or just attended a lecture, go tell someone about what you just learned. That way you will realise what exactly you understand as well as the areas that you need to brush up on.
    
14. Use flash cards when studying for an exam.
    
15. Form a study group. Assign each person a section of the textbook, and get them to write up questions, anywhere from 10-20 per person. Next, have a game of jeopardy! Each person gets to be Alex Trebek while they ask everyone the questions that they created. Have some kind of reward for the winner, maybe take them to a movie? 

I hope that these study tips help! Personally, my favourite is to play jeopardy! You have fun and learn!