Study Skills

Studying helps your brain take in, store, and remember information better. Active learning—when you really focus on and engage with what you're studying—can make it easier to remember things for a longer time. Try out different study methods to see what works best for you!

One of the best ways to learn is to use "distributed practice." This means studying in shorter, more frequent sessions over a longer period, rather than cramming everything in at once. Cramming can make it harder for your brain to hold on to information, making you more likely to forget things and feel less confident about what you know.

Breaks and sleep are also super important in a study routine. When you sleep, your brain works on organizing and storing memories, which helps you remember things better. Take short breaks to stay motivated and focused during study time, but save bigger breaks—like phone or TV time—for when you're completely done.

Ways to engage ACTIVE studying:

• Read through your notes out loud to yourself AND jot down a couple sentences summarizing the most important points.

• Explain the material out loud to another person which will enable you to process the information verbally and realize any gaps in your understanding.

• Re-do or use the internet to find math/science problems. Try the hardest ones! 

• Quiz yourself!

• As you work through flashcards, start piles for “KNOW” and “NEED TO LEARN.” Utilize the game Feature on Quizlet, involve friends and play a game of “Heads Up!” so you can associate their silly actions with the words and make deeper memory connections.

• Write down the information on the board or create a graphic organizer or mindmap

• Pace, throw a ball, or stretch while repeating information over to yourself. 

• The key with active studying is to make sure that you are doing something with the information you review. Completing old worksheets, taking online quizzes, working through problems, playing games to review, making a study guide, watching a video, or flipping through flashcards are all good ways to further improve your knowledge on and memory for a topic.  Even better… do more than one!