Even though I want to pick up the textbooks and get an early headstart I can’t beig myself to do it. I think I’ll be in half-full swing tomorrow, but I figured it would be worth asking people’s advice about this anyway because it’s something I’ve struggled with a lot for the last 6 years.

I study engineering.

  • discoplasm@quokk.auEnglish
    12·
    19 days ago

    for me 2 things that helped a lot were:

    1. hand-writing my study & lecture notes - i got made fun of for this but writing things out with pen & paper helps cement them in my brain and retain them better. maybe it won’t work the same way for everyone but i found it way better than typing things into a file that i will probably forget exists. i also find it easier to review the material this way because i can organise it my own way and recall where things are in my notes.
    2. not doing too much - sounds a bit counterintuitive! but making sure i wasn’t cramming, wasn’t spending every free hour wallowing in information, letting my brain have healthy breaks and getting somewhat sensible sleep. it can be hard because you may feel like “ohnooo i should be studying” but for me, my brain needs that time to process what i have been putting into it.

    ymmv but these things helped me a lot through both a BSc and MSc, and i even practice these same things now with learning how to draw!

    • CobraChicken3000@lemmy.caEnglish
      9·
      19 days ago

      I believe research has confirmed this that by slowing down it allows your brain to engage with the material better and memorize it better.

    • bizarroland@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      19 days ago

      If reading the entire textbook seems like a daunting task, what I would do is pre-read the chapter you’re about to go over.

      That will “pregame” your brain to knowing the information that is about to be taught it. So if you combine that with writing down your lecture notes by hand, which is also another mind-body connection learning reinforcement tool, then that will vastly increase your ability to not only understand what is being told to you, but to also cement it into your brain for when you’re studying it back over for tests and whatnot.

      And also, don’t overlook your math. If your teacher assigns math homework even if that doesn’t give you grade points, do the math homework.

      You’ve got to build up that nugget of knowledge that you can tap into when you’re being tested, and these are tried and proven methods of doing just that.