study
You’ve gone through exams. You done the all night beat, you’ve done the cram and memorise, and you’re left in a state of dehydration.
You may have passed, but have you learned anything? If I gave you that same test you took yesterday next week as a ‘surprise’ would you get the same grade?
This is because people do not know how to study. They memorise and forget, they cram and then toss out.
To study, really study so as to know your work and be almost as relaxed in the exam room as on the beach, is not difficult. But it takes effort.
Take your notes in class, then go to the library and do whatever research/homework is necessary. You read your text and transcribe whatever else you encounter.
When you go home take a nice hard covered book, a ‘beat book’ in which you carefully hand transcribe your class notes, add your research and information in your chapters, and your homework answers.
Do this every day.
On the weekend, re-read your Beat Book so that what you wrote is also in your head.
As you re-write every day, that is a kind of review. As you re-read every week that is a preliminary study.
As exams come closer you should not have to do anything more than read your Beat Book.
In some cases you can visualise; if it is history, you can have a mental film clip of the events so that you ‘see’ them. If it Math you can see the equation not as simple numbers but as the acceleration of a space ship or the pyramids in Egypt.
These images are very useful in memory prompting.
You’ve gotten the class notes, the research you’ve done reading the chapters and the homework answers. You can sit on the beach and re-read your Beat Book as study.
The day before the exam you relax. You watch a movie, go to bed early.
When you reach the exam and see the questions, your mind will automatically go to the information in your beat book. You’ll remember more because you wrote it. You’ll remember how you wrote the letters of the words, if you underline or crossed out, if you used a different colour ink.
The image of the words in your Beat Book are imprinted on your brain. This is due to familiarity. You’ve looked at that book every week since the term began. You’ve read it, re-read it, maybe even added some points.
You are answering an Exam question while you are mentally reading your Beat Book.
You have actually learned the work.
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Writing down seems to be the secret of getting anything retained in one's brain. I never did it when I was studying. May be I should pass this on to students who I may come across.
Writing it by hand, this means you have to read it, you have to write clearly, and this process gets it into your brain. You can try it now, just read something, type it, then read something, and write it by hand.
You'll see the difference.
At this point in my life I do not study per se. But may just try to see if it works. Actually I believe you and so I will confidently pass on this knowledge to others.
That is how I did it. When everyone was beating the books, I was on the beach. (UWI).
I actually do this kind of stuff. I read my notes every night then when the exam day comes, I usually remember the part of my notebook where I wrote it and I am somewhat amazed with myself in that manner :-D
YOu remember your own handwriting... it's like a photograph
I always used to tell myself in school, that being attentive in class is a plus for everyone. When the teacher is teaching always take notes and listen. The best thing you can do for yourself is be a good listener that way everything gets in and you don't forget what you have been taught easily.then when you go home go over what you ha e been taught that day. It may also help to read ahead of the teacher so that when they come to class all you need to add the knowledge that you will get from the teacher.
Yes, taking notes, but really paying attention in class is the key.