With summer rapidly reaching the end, it’s time to think about heading back to college – and therefore, classes. And with classes comes the activity we hate more than anything in the world – studying. While studying can be a boring pain 99% of the time, it’s pretty much necessary if you want to pass your classes (which you definitely should!)

Here are my TOP 10 Studying Techniques:

1. Set a goal

Tell yourself how long you will be studying every day/week and set this time away to actually do it.

2. Think about your environment

Are you the type of person who needs absolute quiet? Or can you handle loud spaces by using headphones? Ask yourself these questions, and then choose an environment that reflects these personal preferences. Make sure it is a space with plenty of room for all of your supplies and comfortable seating since you will be there for a while.

3. Turn off distractions

Turn off your phone, hide it away in your backpack, and put away any other distractions that could ruin your studying concentration.

4. Read through material once

To begin with, read through all of the material, including any notes you’ve taken during lecture. If you really can’t commit to reading the textbook chapters again (which I highly recommend), at least skim through the pages so you can trigger initial memories of the content.

5. Make note cards

Identify key material you need to know (such as important words or phrases) and make note cards to help you study. Keep them legible and put as few words as possible on the cards (avoid clutter – more words means less of a chance you will actually read them!)

6. Speak out loud

Instead of reading the material in your mind, it’s often better to actually read it out loud. Well this may feel slightly weird if you are around other people, this technique is known to make information stick better in your memory.

7. Watch related videos online/play games

The internet has a smorgasbord of helpful tutorials, videos, and games for studying different types of material. Try googling a topic you are confused about and see if you can’t find something that will help explain it.

8. Stay hydrated/fed

When you’re studying, it can be easy to forget about the outside world and neglect important things like eating or staying hydrated. However, it is important your body gets the things it needs so that your brain can work properly.

9. Take Breaks

After about 40 minutes of studying, take a 5-10 minute break so that you can relax, stretch, get some food, and let your mind rest. The human attention span is only around 30% after 45 minutes, so it is key that you take a break every once in a while to refresh and reboot before getting back to studying.

10. Reward Yourself

After a long study session, there is nothing better than getting an amazing dinner/dessert or laying in your bed to watch your favorite show. You just did a lot of work, and you deserve to be rewarded for it! Enjoy 🙂

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⤥ SEE ALSO: 6 Simple but (Proven) Study Tips ⤦