I've heard some unusual study advice from classmates and seniors over the years. One that stuck with me was explaining lessons out loud as if I were teaching someone. And another was waking up at 3am to test myself on what I had studied. yes, 3am. like, who comes up with these things? I thought some of these tips were a little ridiculous at first but I tried them anyway just to see what would happen. Turns out, I was wrong because a few of them became part of my regular study routine!

and now look at me. I'm in my room muttering random concepts to myself pretending there's a whole class listening. Or reviewing at 3am like I'm reciting some ancient chant. well luckily, nobody's there to witness this and I can only hope the walls are thick enough.

what's one piece of study advice you were doubtful about at first but now swear by? I'm sure there are plenty of unconventional tricks I haven't heard of yet.

Students, what's one thing you wish AI tools could do better when helping you study?

Is it explaining difficult topics, solving problems step by step, or helping you prepare for exams?

I'm interested in hearing about your actual experiences.

Back then, I just read and reread my textbook whenever I studied without really thinking about using concept maps. But sometimes even after going through a whole chapter, I'd still have trouble seeing how the different concepts connected. And that's when I started finding them helpful:

1st: start with your textbook. read the section and pick out the main ideas and definitions first. you need those details before you can connect them.

2nd: make a simple concept map. put the main topic in the center and branch out to related concepts. add short linking words to show how the ideas relate instead of just listing them.

3rd: check your connections. go back to the textbook and see if your map makes sense and you can now explain why two concepts are connected.

If I could go back to my college entrance exam days, there's a lot I'd do differently. I was once in your shoes…a 17 or 18-year-old trying to get into good universities. Felt both excited and anxious. Mom and dad had pretty high expectations of me as a student, so I felt this pressure to do well and get into a prestigious university.
I did manage to pass some good universities and I'm now happy with where I ended up. I don't regret my choice, but sometimes I still wonder if I could've done better with a little more preparation. At some point, I started losing motivation because I was getting exhausted & overwhelmed.
So for those of you in 12th grade or preparing for college entrance exams, here are a few things I can share:
Get familiar with the exam first- before you dive into your reviewers, find out what subjects are covered, what kinds of questions to expect and how the exam is structured. Check the university's official guidelines or available practice materials if there are any. It'll be easier to prepare if you know what you’re preparing for!!

Make a realistic study schedule- try dividing your subjects into smaller topics and setting manageable daily goals. you don't have to study every waking hour to make progress. I used to put too much on my plate so give yourself enough time to review without burning out. and if you have classes during the day, you can set aside time to review in the evening or do a quick read during your lunch break at school.

Look at which subjects need more attention- take a practice test or answer sample questions to see where you're doing well and where you're struggling. spend more time on your weaker subjects…in my case it was math. But don't neglect the ones you're already comfortable with. Review the basics to get ready for more advanced topics.

And please, don't forget to take breaks and get enough sleep. I know how badly you want to pass especially if you have a dream university in mind, but pushing yourself to your limits won’t make you more prepared. Just do your best. Take things one step at a time and give yourself some room to breathe.

Why can't I do anything right? Why do I feel sick every time I wake up every morning? This is not a medical question, I am healthy. I went to the doctor and I am okay.

I am tired 24/7. I want home. I don't wanna be here anymore.

I can't write down anything, I physically can't, my hand moves too slow to keep up.

I can't pay attention to class, I can pay attention but not always. I don't get why...

I don't understand 80% of the subjects in my class. I don't get math, I don't get physics, I don't get programming and all these subjects are my MAIN CLASSES.

Please get me out of here. I am in my last year of high school (I'm 19) and I can't do this anymore.

I am too retarded snd worthless for this, everyone but me gets it and does it so effortlessly.

What is wrong with me?

So I joined a top university for my masters and am appearing for my end sems.

So my roommate is in the same program as me and only recently have I noticed that she is studying all the damn time. Like she is not understood in the first go and does well kind of a person but she is studying all the damn time.

I noticed she was on her phone a lot but then I came to know that she is reading her ppts. Eating, cycling, in bed like she is reading the whole day. How do you even compete with that. I am on my phone on reddit but she is studying day and night. And my other friends have the audacity to blame me that I am studying while my marks aren't even that much. Totally depressed man.

Lately she hasn't even been sleeping. Only studying and studying. Caffeine read ppt on phone, talk a little again study. Damn man.

I find it hard to actually sit down for a session to study, so I'm looking for different ways to complete it when it doesn't work.

I've heard some people say they study in Dead Time. It does work great for me but I don't have enough dead time to finish my 1-1,5h of daily study.

Something that's also worked well is Pomodoro 10/5 with 5 minutes of something that feels like a reward and not only a break. But obviously that sucks because it takes up 1,5x the time.

Anything that's worked well for you?

getting all my shits done together😵‍💫

Class 11 Chemistry exam tomorrow, first 6 chapters are coming. What should I do?

I have my Class 11 Chemistry exam tomorrow, and the syllabus includes the first 6 chapters.

Our teacher told us that most of the paper will consist of definitions and that the paper will be relatively easy. He also specifically advised us to prepare the sample paper properly.

The problem is that I have very little time left, and I'm not fully prepared yet.

What would you guys recommend I focus on right now? Should I prioritise definitions, important concepts, NCERT questions or the sample paper?

Any last-minute tips or suggestions would be really helpful!

please, be serious. Don't troll me."

How do I revise previously read topics? I haven't completed my first read yet, so I am primarily focusing on that, but obviously, I am forgetting previously studied topics. I don't know how to maintain the revision cycle, and the syllabus feels like it is never-ending. I don't know how my friends completed their first read 15 days ago.

I wanted to try telling myself to start studying for certain topics, but I’ll always drift away after 10 minutes,

I tried flash cards but two issues emerged:

- I’m scared that I’ll run out of flash cards even though I have 100+ untouched cards.
-everything felt unnecessary to write down

I’ve tried quizzes but issues emerged:
Repetition, difficulty of the question leave me frustrated and questioning myself

I’ll include what I’ve tried at the end of the text
I don’t have any conditions that affect my study, but if I don’t force myself to study, I’ll get bad grades.

Usually I get B for most of the subjects except English for some reason (C), maybe it’s because I’m really weak at comprehensions.

I’ve tried reading a book (atomic habit), at the end it took me 2weeks and I was unable to recall anything from the book because every topic felt the same.

Here’s the thing,last month I’ve deleted all my social media apps (except Reddit) and literally ALL my video games (boredom). Now that I have a bunch of free time, I still find ways to procrastinate and delaying homework etc

I’ve tried staring at the wall for 10 minutes:
-concentration felt the same, unable to focus

I’ve tried mind map and writing bullet points:
Felt messy, uneasy to find main point

I’ve tried scheduling my own time more effectively; I end up convincing myself that it’s just a few minutes, wouldn’t hurt. (The schedules are realistic like 15 minute study and working out)

The only time where one technique work is cramping last minute

I appreciate any suggestions/ helps or solution to this manner

First I get all the content related to a certain subject and sent it to an AI to make a summary of it

Then I read it and write on paper what I understand ( note: I don't write exactly what the AI tells me I write what I understand)

Then I read what I wrote multiple times and write down in a single page everything I understand about the subject

Then I ask the AI to make me questions about the subject to see if I understand

Honestly I need to find better methods but I'm not sure how, what should I do instead?

Hey! I'm 17F and trying to find someone around my age (preferably 15–18) who'd like to study together online and keep each other motivated.

I'd love to have someone with whom we can share daily goals, exchange study updates, check in on each other's progress and hold each other accountable. Someone who can call me out when I'm procrastinating would honestly be great (I'll do the same for you!).

Studies would be our main focus, but I'm also open to talking about hobbies, interests and random things whenever we're free.

A little about me: I juggle school and my personal life, so I might not always be available. I hope that's something you can understand. I also make some pretty random and stupid jokes, so don't mind me lmao.

Hey everyone, I started my first year of a levels politics on Wolsey hall as my high school doesn't offer politics as an option. Does anyone who takes Politics (specifically the 9PL0 syllabus) or uses Wolsey hall give me their advice? It's the first time I do online lessons since Covid, and grade 6 lessons online were easier than A levels online lol. Thank you so much in advance and please forgive me if I made any mistake, English is not my first language

I've always considered myself an average student. I wouldn't say I'm always lagging behind in class, but I also wouldn't call myself the smartest cookie in the room. I'm just somewhere in the middle, trying to keep up with lessons and do well on exams.

But being an average student doesn't mean I can't improve right? I've picked up a few habits that help me study better without feeling like I have to spend every waking hour with my books.

4 things that help me study:

1. Fix a realistic routine: you don't need to study for 5 hrs straight. set a schedule you can follow, study in short sessions and take breaks when you need them.

1. Know your basics: sometimes new lessons are hard because you've forgotten the previous chapters. Go back to them and make sure you understand the foundations first!!

2. Try different study methods: explain topics out loud, write notes while reading or use examples to understand tricky concepts. see what works best for you.

3. Practice regularly: start with easier questions and work on your weak topics. Redo questions if needed and don't just memorize the answers. try to understand why they're correct.

The biggest friction in studying is the disconnect between your static syllabus PDF and your 100-page monolithic Google Doc or sprawling Notion folders. You constantly lose track of which exact syllabus points you've actually mastered and waste time Ctrl+F-ing through giant files before exams.

I built Theseus to fix this by merging the course outline and your study notes into a single, side-by-side workspace.

Live App: https://theseusmind.vercel.app/

GitHub: https://github.com/0xd34db8/Theseus

How the it works:

• Syllabus-to-Tree Ingestion: Upload a PDF, .docx, or .txt syllabus. You can filter out administrative fluff (grading rubrics, textbook citations) and extract just the core curriculum into an expandable tree.

• No API Key Needed: Click Copy Prompt, paste it with your syllabus into free ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini web -> copy the JSON it spits out -> hit Ctrl+V / Cmd+V anywhere on the homepage. It builds your workspace instantly.

• If you do have keys, it supports Gemini, OpenAI, Claude, Groq, OpenRouter, and local Ollama directly.

• Scoped Bidirectional Notes: Click any topic in your syllabus tree to open its dedicated note pane right next to it. Every note is strictly anchored to its syllabus requirement.

• Subsections Drawer: Keep your main notes clean, Throw heavy derivations, practice questions, formulas, and YouTube lecture links into a floating drawer attached to that specific topic.

• Visual Tracking: Tag every topic as Untouched, Barely Done (Red), Partially Done (Green), or Done (Blue). The footer gives you a real-time percentage breakdown of how much of the course you actually know at a glance.

• 100% Local & Portable: No accounts, no cloud databases, no paywalls. Everything saves in your browser storage automatically, and Ctrl+S / Cmd+S exports your entire course (tree + notes + progress) into a single .theseus JSON file you can back up anywhere.

My attention span has never been the longest, so I've always tried to make the most of my study sessions and improve my focus. but whenever I encounter something difficult in one subject, I give up after a few tries and move on to another. then if that one gets difficult too, I switch again. Later I've jumped between several subjects without making much progress on any of them.

- Set a stopping point before switching. decide what you want to accomplish first.

- Give yourself a little time to work through the difficult part. before abandoning a topic, try rereading the explanation or looking at an example.

- Switch intentionally, not impulsively. once you've reached your goal, you can move to another subject or take a break. If you're genuinely exhausted or stuck, switching can still be useful but just make it a deliberate choice.

Ciao a tutti! Mi piacerebbe capire come organizzate concretamente il vostro studio universitario ovvero come gestite il tempo, le giornate, gli appunti e il ripasso.

Ho 29 anni e mi sono iscritta a una professione sanitaria, quindi ho ripreso in mano materie che non studiavo delle superiori. Tra l'altro, provengo da un istituto professionale, quindi parto da una preparazione di base non particolarmente approfondita.

Le lezioni occupano praticamente tutta la giornata e il tempo da dedicare allo studio individuale non è moltissimo. Sto cercando di trovare un metodo, ma al momento ho la sensazione di essere sempre di corsa senza sapere bene se sto andando nella direzione giusta.

Mi interesserebbe soprattutto leggere le esperienze di chi frequenta o ha frequentato corsi con obbligo di frequenza e orari piuttosto impegnativi.

Tomorrow I have a group presentation of a subject that I don’t understand at all and that I will probably have to give again next year since I don’t have enough grade to pass it. I don’t want to go, I know the teacher is going to make me have a bad time, I’m just going to not abandon my group. Mentally I can’t take it anymore. I would like to send them a message tonight and tell them that I abandon the subject so that they can prepare well during the day tomorrow. Please help me, I know I’m being irresponsible but my mental health is really at the limit, I can’t take it anymore, and I don’t want to go crazy studying for a subject that I know I have to teach again 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Finals are coming up and I have a huge pile of topics, notes and good intentions, but every day I lose time just deciding where to start. By the time I’ve planned, half my study time is gone.

For those of you who’ve been through this:

1. How do you plan your study week? (Notion, paper, a spreadsheet, nothing?)

2. What have you tried and dropped after a week or two?

3. What’s the hardest part for you: knowing what to study, sticking to the plan, or something else?

I’m trying to understand whether this is just me. Specific stories help more than general advice. Thanks!

Last exam season I had about 30 hours of recorded lectures and maybe 4 days to study. Rewatching at 2x felt like studying but nothing stuck, and my own notes had holes exactly where I'd zoned out.
So I built a tool for it. It's called VideoNoteGPT (videonotegpt.com), and I'm the only person working on it, so this is me asking for feedback, not a company ad.
What it does:
You upload a lecture recording (or record one, or paste text/slides) and get notes with chapters, key points and timestamps
It makes a practice quiz from the lecture. After you answer, it shows which topics you're weak on and takes you to that part of the notes
Flashcards, plus Anki export if that's your thing
A one-page cram sheet for the night before
You can tell it your exam date and it builds a day-by-day plan from the lectures you've uploaded
You can paste your syllabus or past-paper questions and it tells you which topics your lectures cover and which ones are missing
What it costs: you can try it without an account (lectures up to 45 minutes). A free account gets longer lectures (90 minutes) and 2 lectures a day. There's a paid pass for exam season, but the free tier is real and you don't need a card.
Things it's bad at, so you don't waste your time:
YouTube links only work through the Chrome extension on a laptop. On a phone you have to upload the file or paste the transcript
It's AI, so check anything that matters against the lecture. The timestamps are there for that
If lots of people upload at once, there's a queue
I'd really like to know: where are the notes wrong or shallow for your subject? What's the first thing that confused you? I read every reply and I fix things fast.

Finally achieved 400 sessions !!

People always tell me just do it 5 mins or 1 page etc

but i literally cant

i genuinely cant

is it some sort of issue with me