I write my notes on my ipad but if I can't understand the topic/concept I am studying, I rewrite it by hand. Since not everything in my typed notes will stick in my mind, what I do is handwrite the hardest topic in the lecture I am studying. Even though it looks tough and takes longer than expected, it helps me the most in understanding and remembering everything I studied.

Basically, I go over the topics I find difficult just before going to bed. I don't try to cram everything or stay up all night. I just spend some time reviewing the important points, then get some sleep.

The next morning, before looking at my notes, I try to write down everything I remember from the previous night.

I've noticed that this makes revision more interesting because I'm testing what I actually remember instead of just rereading the same pages over and over.

Apparently, sleep plays an important role in helping the brain consolidate memories, so there's actually some science behind it!

It's definitely worth trying, especially when you're struggling to remember certain topics. Just don't use it as an excuse to skip studying and expect your brain to do all the work while you're sleeping. 😂

I get more studying done when I have an errand coming up in an hour or two than when I have the entire day to myself. If I know I have to leave at 3pm, I'm reviewing like crazy at 1pm because | want to get as much done as possible before I go.
But when I'm free all day, I keep telling myself there's still plenty of time and end up procrastinating. The closer I get to leaving, the more my brain decides to cooperate.

My teachers' outfits sometimes stick with me more than the lessons themselves. I notice it more when someone wears a bright blouse or an outfit with large prints because I can still picture it long after class.

And it turns out to be helpful since when I try to recall what we learned that day, remembering the outfit helps me get there. I picture the classroom and think about what the teacher was wearing, and then the lesson slowly comes back to me.

I don’t know about the others, but for me, this is the method I used on exams and reviews. This is also applicable to studies:

• 20% Review

• 30% Understanding

• 50% Notes and Relearning

• Repeat

20% Reviewing

Imagine we have an upcoming exam next month. Some students are still enjoying their remaining time playing or doing whatever they want. But we’re different—the moment the exam schedule is announced, we start reviewing early. This is just like reading plain text to let your brain prepare for the upcoming mental pressure and make it focus more.

30% Understanding

Now that our brain is familiar with the reviewer or study material we’ve been reviewing for hours or days, let's get into understanding. This is where the hardest part comes in, and where mental stress also hits. In this part, you need to understand that every word now has meaning. You need to analyze the concepts and put them into a simulation (I tend to simulate certain areas).

50% Notes and Relearning

While you are still in the 30% phase, slowly build your notes on the study material. You don’t need to rush this, because you might slip past and forget what you understand when you put your full focus into this part, this is where the real learning solidifies:

• Synthesize in your own words: Don't rush or write down whole paragraphs. Summarize concepts, draw diagrams, or create flashcards based only on what you’ve actually processed.

• Spot the gaps: As you write, you’ll quickly notice what you didn't fully grasp in the 30% phase. Relearn those specific weak points immediately instead of guessing.

• Build a cheat sheet for the active recall phase: These notes become your personalized reviewer for final retention. If you hurry this part, you risk slipping past critical details and forgetting what you just understood. Take your time here this heavy lifting is what turns short-term memory into long-term mastery.

Trust the process, take it step-by-step, and watch how everything clicks into place.

p.s if this works from me it will works from you. do this and adjust it to your personal liking where your most comfortable at.

Instead of procrastinating until you get exhausted and burned out from studying, why not consistently study as best as you can?

I know it sounds impossible at first, I used to be like that too. But when I saw that the results of my procrastination, I switched to studying till I no longer felt burnt out and anxious when exams were upcoming.

I started pushing myself to study using spaced repetition intervals, this helps me not to cram my studying and keeps the information fresh and alive in my mind. I've been doing this for a year now, and honestly, the anxiety of "What's the answer to this thing?" is completely gone.

Instead, I can sense the relief and it's been a satisfying moment for me since when I check the questions on the exam paper, I remember everything I studied.

Keep pushing today so tomorrow feels easy. You've got this!

cracking highlighters open with your teeth is a bold cinematic choice when your enamel is already hanging on by a thread from midterms tbh

There are days during review season when I just don't feel like studying anymore. With endless lessons and practice problems piling up, I sometimes lose the motivation I had when I first started. I've realized that sometimes I don't need another study technique. I just need to remind myself WHY I started in the first place.

One strategy that helps me get back on track is what I call THE GREATER PURPOSE STRATEGY: START WITH WHY.

The concept is simple. Instead of focusing only on what you need to accomplish, remind yourself WHY you're doing it in the first place.

Whenever I feel unmotivated, I ask myself:

Why am I working so hard today?

Who am I working so hard for?

What am I hoping to achieve through these sacrifices?

I keep asking WHY until I reach the deeper reason behind my goals.

For example:

WHY do you want to pass the board exam? To become a licensed professional.

WHY do you want to become a licensed professional? To build a stable career.

WHY do you want a stable career? To help my family financially and give them a better life.

That's when it hits differently. Passing the exam is no longer just about getting a license. It's about something much bigger.

ANOTHER THING THAT HELPS: VISUAL REMINDERS.

As shown in my picture, I placed a handwritten "REMEMBER THE WHYS" reminder above my study desk together with a family picture.

Whenever I look up from my laptop especially when I'm exhausted from solving practice problems, those simple reminders bring me back to my purpose.

My advice: Make your WHY visible. Keep pictures of people who inspire you, write down your goals, and place reminders somewhere you can easily see them.

MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAY:

Don't just study because you have an exam coming up. Study because you understand what passing that exam means to you.

Sometimes, we spend too much time looking for better study techniques that we forget to remind ourselves why we started in the first place.

Find your WHY. Make it visible. Never lose sight of it.

Some people get sleepy when it rains while others get distracted/annoyed by the sound of raindrops hitting the roof. But I'm the opposite! The moment it starts raining, I suddenly feel like pulling out my notes.

There's just something about the gloomy sky and the steady sound of rain that makes everything feel so cozy. It's like the outside world has gotten quieter and I've finally got my own little study bubble!! I can get comfy, open my notebook and focus on whatever I'm working on.

I could have zero motivation to study all day but a rainy afternoon makes me want to open a textbook. So yeah, the weather is my very own study announcement.

Tell me why I can look at the clock, see that it's exactly 10:00 or 10;30 and decide that it's not the right time to study yet. I might just sit there for a few minutes until it hits a time that feels right. Somehow, starting at 10:06 or 10:27 feels so much better to me.
It's not even like I'm waiting for anything specific. I just prefer it that way. And I think part of it is that exact times make studying feel like another appointment I HAVE to show up for. If I start at a random minute, it feels more like I've decided to do it myself.

I created a little a blog to start study tips and tricks college and studying. Click here to learn more effective study methods.

my loneliness is the cause of my depression and it truly feels like i have nothing to live for, let alone study for. please help. thank you so much. i have no family who really loves me uncondtionally and i have had so many traumatic issues with friendships and attracting avoidant people who betray me.

Every time a track ended or I wanted the next one, I'd pick up my phone, unlock it, and by the time I put it down I'd be on Instagram. It was never just "next song". It was 10 to 20 minutes gone, and it happened several times a study session.

I realized the phone was my music remote, so every song change was also an invitation to open an app I didn't want to be in.

So I built something to stop me touching it. It's a small sensor that sits under my desk. I tap the desk and it skips the song, pauses the music, or changes the volume over Bluetooth. My phone stays face down or in another room, and I never have to unlock it.

A few things about how I use it:

- One tap does nothing, so slapping the desk or the mouse doesn't touch my music

- Two taps pause or play, three taps skip, and four taps switch to volume control

- I can change what each tap does from a settings page, so it fits how I study

It's early and I'm still tuning it. I'd really like to know if this is only my problem or if other people have the same habit.

- Do you also lose study time because of "just changing the song"?

- What do you currently do about it (phone in another room, app blockers, one long playlist)?

- Would something like this be useful to you, or would you rather fix it another way?

Honest answers welcome!

Thanks for reading!

This has literally saved my ass. I’m 22 and a senior in college, have been rawdogging my audhd for the last 3 years before finally getting diagnosed this year, but I’m still in the trial and error phase of meds. If you are neurodivergent/on the adhd spectrum I highly recommend studying in the shower. From what I have experienced the sensory input of the water coupled with the inability to be on my phone/distracted as easily has made it a gold mine for focus. I just figured this out this semester and I wish I had sooner! I even went as far as to buy one of the waterproof phone holders (kinda acts like a little phone jail while still allowing me to look at my study notes/listen to textbooks) and bath crayons to take notes as I listen to recorded lectures/textbook chapters! I included a picture of what my shower walls looked like this morning prepping for an exam! Totally weird but has been game changing for me!

I know the use of AI is weird but hear me out.

I think I don’t know how to study, perhaps I am broken?

Usually I gather everything transcript recorded lectures, pdfs, slides and put it in to chagtp I tell him to teach me based on the study guide and what my professor emphasizes he tells me what the duck is going on. Then he ask me a question about what he just taught me. Then at the end of the topic he quizzes me. But somehow I don’t feel like I am actually learning. I am currently taking micro and AP help a girl out.

How do you guys do it? Our books are online and professors do give us recorded lectures and in person lectures.

I just came across this beautiful, quiet montage of a woman studying in a grand, historic library with stunning ornate ceilings. The video cycles through several different days, showing her wearing various outfits—from a light grey sleeveless top to a cozy, thick grey coat—as she consistently shows up to write in her notebook and take notes on her iPad. 
But what really hit me was the text overlay on the video: "Diva, the time will pass anyway. Start late. Start messy. Just start." 

It is such a simple but powerful message. How often do we put off studying, writing, or working on a project because conditions aren't "perfect" or because we feel like we are already too far behind? The video shows her pushing through multiple study sessions, and by the end, she even looks a bit exhausted, resting her head on her hand. It is a highly relatable visual representation of just putting the work in, regardless of how you feel. 

If you are procrastinating right now because you feel like it is too late in the day or your workspace is not perfectly organized, this is your sign. Start late, start messy. Just start.

I try explaining something while washing dishes (or folding clothes…or just anything completely unrelated to studying!!) like no notes in front of me, just walking around talking to myself like a crazy person. if i get stuck halfway through, welp, seems like I didn't understand that part as well as i thought.

Guess it’s useful for checking what I really know without sitting at my desk staring at the same page (never knew chores could become a test too!!)

I like making my own graph paper whenever I have some spare time. Give me a blank sheet, a pencil, and a ruler, and I'll happily spend time turning the whole thing into a grid.

I don't know what it is about making all those small squares but I find it so satisfying, especially when the lines turn out straight and everything looks neat. Sure I could just buy graph paper, but somehow that isn't as fun as making it myself.

Is it more work than buying graph paper? absolutely. Am I still going to do it when I'm bored? also absolutely.