1. Study during your peak mental hours
Every student has various creative peaks. Some of them are more productive in the early hours of the day, while others are drowsy and ineffective in the morning, but can crank out assignments and perform better at night. So find your peak mental hours and schedule most of your studying during this period. It will save your time and increase your efficiency.
2. Change your study location
Perhaps you’ve got used to some habitual solitary place in the library or your dorm room, but keep in mind that material can be memorized much better when you change the space where you study. It happens because your brain associates information with your study location. Try this method and you will notice a quick effect!
3. Block distracting websites
Avoid distractions by using a Self Control app, which can help you block any website for a set period of time. Find other useful apps for students in our blog 10 Helpful Apps for Students in 2021 to make your college life easier.
4. Learn things at once
Guess you know some students who can learn information from the first try, while you read your notes thrice and aren’t able to keep it in mind. Why does it happen? Probably because you like daydreaming and your head is in the clouds pretty often. Try to improve your concentration and learn things at once not postponing them to the next time. This philosophy induces you to learn your material instead of skipping through it.
5. Use mental associations
Imagine a place you know very well and visualize the main objects that you remember there. After that, tie specific information you are learning to each object in that spot. You can also link the material to your fingers, thumbs, or other parts of your body. Choose what is more suitable for your imagination. Another method is to create associations and express your ideas by using colorful mind maps that can improve understanding, memory and unlock your creativity.
6. Hang sticky notes all over your room
Place different posts all over your apartment and mix them up every few days. If you consider yourself tech-savvy then download some apps on your smartphone and use widgets right on your home screen. Try to lump both techniques together and it will bring great results!
7. Create flashcards to aid your memory
Check your knowledge of a subject matter by using flashcards. Create your first flashcard using a StudyBlue app. Find out more about this application in our blog 10 Helpful Apps for Students in 2021 to discover how quickly bigger chunks of information can be memorized.
8. Teach what you’ve learned
The best way to check if you learned the material well is to teach it to someone else. If you can’t find anyone who can listen to you, explain it to your cat or plush toy. Nothing forces you to learn better than the presentation of your subject. You can also try to explain the material to a seven years old child. Try to simplify information such that even Newton’s third law would be clearly understood by a younger sibling.
9. Pick the correct type of music
It’s necessary to have a quiet atmosphere without distractions when you study, but listening to the right type of music can lead to productivity by escalating your mood. Pick peaceful, instrumental music or sounds of nature that can play in the background. Have you heard about the “Mozart effect”? There is an opinion that Mozart’s music improves mental efficiency. Create a playlist that lasts no longer than an hour that to take a short break after that.
Top 5 Playlists for Studying & Concentration
10. Balance study and relaxation
Meditate, do exercises, socialize, whatever helps you to relax and refresh. If you’re anxious or depressed, it won’t bring progress to your study, right? So have a rest, find some balance between study and relaxation. It will help to reduce pre-exam stress and stay positive!