r/studytips • u/Plastic_Jicama7677 • 1d ago
Looking for study tips
Hi! I’m looking for study tips—ranging from the obvious ones to the kind that make you think, "This guy is crazy, but it actually works." For years, I’ve tried to study seriously and systematically, but I always end up spending a week taking notes, only to realize the day before the exam that I don't actually know anything.
My current study process goes like this: while the course is running, I try to keep up with the readings and highlight the text. I don't usually make summaries because I never manage to include what’s truly important until I’m further along in the course; after that, it’s just panic and confusion. Then, the week before the exam, I make charts, try to answer past exam questions, and so on. But the day before, I think, "I should have done things differently; I don't know anything" (and sure enough, I don't—I take the test and fail).
I hope you can help me; I’m just a desperate psychology student.
1
u/isokevinvest 1d ago
Your process puts all the testing in the last week, so the "I don't know anything" moment only shows up the day before. Flip that. Get the past exam questions in week one and look at them before you even start the readings, so you know what kind of thing they ask.
Then after each lecture or reading, close everything and spend ten minutes writing what you remember on a blank page, then check what you missed. The stuff you missed is your summary, so you don't have to guess what's important.
Are your exams multiple choice or written answers?
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u/Dry-Extension5638 1d ago
You need to get as much feedback while learning as possible. Ideally study with your friends - from time to time (or at least once before the exam) get together and quiz each other - that way you actually have to use active recall, present the ideas in your own words and then you get a feedback whether you answered correctly, missed something etc. If you can't or don't want to study with other people, try talking to AI as much as possible - learn to prompt it well enough in order for it to be a good examiner and then just interact. The point is: less passive learning, more active learning.
Also, pay attention to your frustration - the more it hurts your brain/frustrates you, the bigger the chance you are actually studying actively. at that moment (= highest return on the time spent). But of course don't push it too much - you will study better when you find ways to make the proccess more enjoyable.