Have you ever spent an hour reading a book, looking over your notes or quizzing yourself with flashcards, only to realize a few hours later that you don’t remember any of it?

I often find myself forgetting a conversation I had with someone that I really should remember. What’s up with this short-term memory loss? Well, maybe it’s not that we forget, but that we don’t ever really commit these things to memory.

I attended a lecture about memorization and the steps that you need to go through in order to really commit something to your long-term memory. These steps are called “The Three R’s of Memory.” We’ll analyze them as if you were studying information you would need to know for a test.

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Sometimes, it is just not fun to have to study, especially when you see other people out and about, doing fun things. But when you study with a friend, you know that you are not suffering alone, and that makes it somewhat more tolerable. Also, you have someone to help explain concepts or problems you don’t understand, and vice versa.

My main problem when I try to study with my friends is that we end up talking more about Desperate Housewives than the class we are supposed to be studying. I have a feeling I’m not alone in this habit.

So is there any way you can get the benefits of studying with a friend without getting sidetracked? I attended a seminar about the benefits of group learning and how to make it the most efficient use of your study time.

Here are some study tips that can help you and your study partner out.

1. Set an agenda. If you know what you have to study during your study session, you can make a list and check off each thing as you learn it. Put something rewarding at the end of your list, like a trip to the ice-cream shop, to motivate both you and your partner to stay on task.

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I try to be a self-regulated learner. Self-regulated learners often do better on tests and assignments. They learn better and retain what they have learned longer. But what is a self-regulated learner?

A self-regulated learner is someone who takes charge of their own learning. A good example of a self-regulated learner is when a baby learns to sit up on his own. Nobody is sitting there, encouraging the baby and quizzing him on how to sit; he just does it himself. He is self-motivated and teaches himself how to do it. Another example is making a mock-exam before a test and quizzing yourself. Nobody told you to do that, but if you do, you will probably learn more from it and remember the material better than if you just went to a review session. Read the rest of this entry »

Whether a college freshman or returning for what feels like your umpteenth semester, it’s important to start the year off with a plan to manage your schedule. The first few weeks might seem easy, a paper here, a book to read there, a few math problems here; but before long you’ll have 15 hours worth of papers, exams, required reading, class projects and more to keep track of, and that’s when problems begin.

There are probably as many ways to organize your schedule as there are college majors, so it’s important to find a method that suits your style and let it works for you. Whether it’s old school paper and pen, an iPhone app, a Google calendar or fancy leather-bound planner, make sure you have a scheduling method in place, and use it! Read the rest of this entry »

This time of year is one that induces stress in both high school and college students alike. Exams are around the corner, with that comes the late nights and loss of social life. I am here to give you some advice from my college experience. Recharge your batteries. 

Something can be said about the benefits of studying 72 hours in five days, but when does it become too much? Studying is an important part of getting good grades, but what use is working your brain to the nub when you are too tired to recall the information you have learned. Read the rest of this entry »

I am a huge fan of flashcards. I have index card boxes filled with Spanish/English words, the periodic table, Algebra formulas, states and their capitals…The list goes on and on. I think that flashcards are a very effective way to learn new material and to quiz myself over the material. But, let’s face it, they tend to get bulky. Imagine carrying around 300 vocabulary words, each on its own flashcard. It becomes a bit of a burden.

Cobocards is a new webapp that allows you to create flashcards online. Cobocards “is an abbreviation for Collaboration Cards and helps you to easily create flashcards (alone or in a team) to study for whatever you want.” Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of International Baccalaureate (IB) students wonder what the easiest way to study for IB tests is. I’ve heard a lot of juniors, who begin their testing this year, asking a few seniors how they studied for their first round of IB tests. Thinking about and hearing the students asking about studying for the tests really made me question the easiest way to study for the upcoming IB tests.

The more I think about it, the more I realize there is really only one way to study for the IB exams. There is no study guide or deck of flashcards you can use, but rather all your notes and materials teachers have given you over the past one or two years. Reviewing all major topics discussed in your classes and also little details your teacher more than likely pointed out as an important part of the topic is going to be the easiest way to prepare properly for the IB exams. Read the rest of this entry »

There is only one way to feel prepared for a test. I’m sure you all know that the best way to prepare yourself for a test is to study. Of course, studying can often be a very daunting or boring task, but I have thought of 5 tips in hopes to make studying a little less daunting/boring.

1. Know what will be on the test- One of the best things for you to do is to talk to your teacher about what will be on the test. Most of my teachers take a day (normally the day before) to go over a test and everything the test will cover. If your teacher does not do this, or if you want it before the actual review you will get in class, then go in and talk to your teacher before or after class or during a convenient time for both of you to get all the materials you need.

2. Have all materials- Make sure when you finally sit down to study to have all your materials with you. Any books or notes you will need be sure to have them so you won’t have to stop in the middle of your study session to search for a book or a random page of notes you have seem to misplaced.

3. Don’t Cram- This is probably the most important tip I have. For some that have an amazing short term memory, cramming either right before the test or the night before the test works. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work for us all. Starting a few days before the test and going over a little bit each night (while covering what you did the night before) will allow you to better learn the materials and with a better understanding of the materials you are more likely to do better on the test. Also, not cramming allows for the information to be stored better in the long term memory and will allow for you to later access the information rather than sticking it in your short term and forgetting it as soon as you are done with the test.

4. Go somewhere comfortable- Being comfortable is key when studying. Go somewhere that you will be comfortable but also that will place you in conditions much like the conditions you will be in on the test day. Placing yourself in such conditions (that are similar to test day) will better allow for recall of information you studied while taking the test.

5. Get a group together- If you find it difficult to study alone, or just hate studying alone, then get a group together! Studying in a group has its benefits. If there are questions you have, then there will be other students available for you to discuss and answer your questions. While the problem with groups is that being with friends can lead to distractions and even not studying. So be sure you choose your group wisely, picking those you know will study and not cause distractions.

I hope these tips allow for more successful study time that will make you a better test taker!