My friends often ask me how I study, I’ll simply say that there’s no perfect way to study, people are different, what might be a good study technique for me might not be effective for another, what works for me might not work for others, so I had to try out several techniques before I finally arrived at what is suitable for me.
So many students tend to fail or forget easily, not because they didn’t read but because they didn’t apply the right technique while reading. I was once in this category of students, I read my books but tend to forget so easily, this wasn’t good for me at all, as a medical student I ought to study round the clock and retain information but instead I was doing the opposite. After gaining admission to the university, I was completely clueless, I thought the lecturers will teach like my teachers in high school but it wasn’t so, I had a whole lot of work to do.
In my year one first semester in the university, I couldn’t figure out a good study technique, each time my friends want to study I’ll join them but yet I will only get ten percent of what I read, I might spend five to six hours during the day trying to read with my friends, most times we go to night class to read but I will end up sleeping all through, even though I read I will always forget what I read.
After my first semester exams, the result was out and guess what? It was poor and I was so angry with myself, I decided to take responsibility in my second semester, I had the mind-set that nothing will change until I change it, so I had to figure out my effective study technique.
Setting up an effective study technique starts with discovering how your body works, I tried out so many things I finally discovered what worked out. My study techniques are:
Create a study plan: I plan ahead, I put things in place, prepare my mind to study, with my jotter always by my side and some snacks. I have my personal time table of what to study for each day and try as much to set short term goals.
Early hours studying: I discovered that I tend to assimilate better early hours of the morning like from 12:00 to 6:00am, at early hours, my mind and body is at peace and everywhere is quiet, so I tend to read and remember very well. So if I am to read at night, I must sleep well in the afternoon so I won’t feel sleepy when I am about to read.
** Spaced reading:** I can read for six hours but I will do that in bit, I don’t accumulate everything at once, I give myself some short breaks after each hour. I either take a walk for some time, chat up friends or watch some comics to make me laugh for some time and thereafter I’ll get back to studies.
Have a study partner or join a study group: there are some things you get to learn when you study in group, people bring up ideas or ask questions that might be helpful and this is also another way of learning.
Brainstorm / test yourself: one of the technique that helped me remember effectively was the ability to test myself at regular intervals, it helps me to retain whatever I read.
Teach others: this is another helpful technique to retain what you have read, after studying, I teach people who don’t understand and by teaching I also get to learn and remember more.
Use mnemonics: mnemonics is also a technique that helps me to remember easily.
Like I stated earlier, people understand differently, these are the few techniques that helps me read effectively and recall easily as a medical student, you might also try these out it may work for you.
This is my entry for the Aprilinleo initiative.
Thank you for reading.