FIRST YEAR

Hi guys,

Today I want to tell you about how my study method for biochemistry exam. In my university, biochemistry exam was actually divided in two parts: one was part of the Chemistry exam and it was mostly about proteins and enzyme kinetics, the other one was about metabolism. We will focus on the second part, which is the one more people struggle with.

I divided my study in three main parts:

1- During lessons: in this part I focused on understanding concepts and organizing material

I usually take notes with my PC but it can be difficult to take notes about biochemistry because there are so many formulas to draw. That’s why I decided to print lecture notes written by students from the preovious years (in Italy we call them “sbobine”, they are the transcription of the lecture, which we write taking turns). During the lesson I took notes on that material, checking that everything was actually written

After lesson I read the book and I added postits on my notes, in which I wrote supplementary information that I found on the book.

Done this, I made a pretty detailed scheme, with formulas and drawings. I used different colours for different chapters (for e.g: nucleic acids were pink). This was quite time cosuming but it was very helpful to make order in my mind, and also for reviewing in the last part of my study

2- During exam session: in this part I focused on actually memorizing the material

I made a plan based on my scheme. Basically, every day I studied a chapter.

Studing biochemistry can be frustrating because there is so much mnemonic information to learn and you may feel you will never make everything enter your mind. I think that for biochemistry exam, and for med school exams in general, mnemonic techniques are vital. You basically have to invent a story, or a nursery rhyme, about what you are studying. The more personal and strange it is, the easier you will remember it. Plus, it makes studying seem a game, so it can be kind of funny.

Repeating is fundamental. I know sometimes you may be tired and you feel you don’t need to repeat, but it’s the only way to see if you actually remember what you studied.

3- Week before the exam: in this part I focused on reviewing and adding supplementary materials

I spent the all day repeating. I think I repeated all the material for like 5-6 times.

Also, I studied with a friend. We questioned each other, using previous years examination questions. Comparing with a friend is fundamental because you can learn so much from each other. Your friend explains topics in a different manner and this can help you understand deeper.

Plus, in the very last part of the day, I read supplementary material that was not relevant but could help me have a better comprehension of the subject.

Finally, the day before the exam I did absolutely nothing. I think it is important to take a break so that you arrive at the exam relaxed and calm, even because at that point you won’t be able to learn anything else. You deserve some rest.

And that’s it. I hope you liked this post. Let me know if you agree with my method or if there is something you would have changed 😘

Hi guys,

Here I am going to tell you about how I studied for the genetics exam.

In my university, this is an enormous exam: it was the more demanding exam I had to prepare during the first year of university.

I divided my study into three parts as well as I did for Biochemistry.

1- During lessons:

I took notes with my laptop during classes. Genetics is not a mnemonic subject: first of all, you have to understand it, so it is fundamental to pay attention during the lesson.

Then, I printed lecture notes, and that was the primary source from which I studied.

After that, I read the book and tried to understand deeper. I even added many post-its on my notes to make them more understandable.

I made schemes only when I felt I needed to schematise a topic because it was confused in my notes or my mind. Indeed, for such a big exam, it is too time-consuming making schemes for everything.

2- During exam session:

I made an accurate plan which helped me deal with anxiety. Indeed, the material was a lot: in the beginning, I felt I didn't have an overview of what I had to study. Breaking the material into pieces made it easier to manage them.

Then I started reading all the material again, comparing it with the professor's slides, which he gave to us. Every time I finished a paragraph, I rehearsed it, as if I had to teach the topic to someone. When I had finished the chapter, I rehearsed it all.

Also, my professor had advised many articles about innovative techniques, which are available on "PubMed". Even though they were not necessary to pass the exam, reading them was useful. Indeed, it made me better understand the potentiality of a determinate technique or molecular process.

I studied a lot with one of my university mates. We explained each other the parts that were not clear, and this is fundamental for an exam like this since sometimes you need to hear a topic from a more childish point of view so that you can get the essence of the argument.

3- Two weeks before the exam:

I rehearsed all the material many times, even focusing on details and mnemonic parts which I had previously neglected.

Also, I tested myself using past years examinations. I did this alone but also with my study buddy.

Finally, as for all the exams, I took the day before the exam as a day off. I relaxed, I watched a movie, and I went to bed early.

I hope you enjoyed this post and you found it a source of inspiration. Let me know if there is anything you would have changed 😘

Hi guys,

Today I am going to tell you about how I studied for my biology exam.

It was a written test in which questions were not much difficult, but the material was a lot. Indeed, I had to study an enormous book, and many scientific articles the professor explained during the lesson. Plus, many questions in the test required critical thinking. So we can say it was not a conventional exam: it was not important apprehending every detail but having a general overview of the subject, knowing innovative techniques and associations between different biological processes.

This time, I structured my study into four pieces:

1- During lessons:

I took notes with my laptop during classes. Then I printed my notes, and I highlighted them.

Also, I highlighted the book and added post-its in which I briefly schematized the chapter so that I could have an overview of the main topics which that section discussed.

That's all that I have done during the lessons since Biology was not the main exam I had to prepare, so I focused on other subjects. Indeed, it is vital to prioritize: at the beginning of the semester, you have to understand which exam is going to require more time, so that you can focus mainly on that exam. You have to study also for the other exams, but you will not converge your energies on them in this part of the study.

2- A week before the end of lessons:

I mind mapped all the material so that I had a general overview of the topics I had to study. I included both my notes and the book into my mind maps. Indeed, with such an amount of material, it is impossible to create only one source for studying. You can cope with this difficulty making a mind map so that it will be easier to have a clear mental organization.

Also, I made my study plan, planning to study more or less one chapter and one lesson a day.

3- During exam session:

I studied my notes, comparing them with the professor's slides.

Also, I read the recommended scientific articles. It is fundamental to assimilate a scientific tone and to understand the practical application of biological processes.

Moreover, sometimes my professor suggested the vision of videos on "www.ibiology.org". They were simple, understandable and complete so they helped me review what I had previously studied.

After that, I studied a chapter of the book, reading also the paragraphs that I had before ignored.

Since it was a written test, I didn't feel the need to rehearse a lot in this part of the study, but I sometimes did, to check whether I had truly understood or not.

4- A week before the exam:

I rehearsed all the material using my mind maps, trying to explain the concepts clearly and concisely.

Also, I tested myself with examinations from previous years.

I even questioned myself with my study buddy: we asked questions to each other to check if we had accidentally forgotten to study something, considering that for such a big exam it is easy to skip a part.

As I always do, I didn't study the day before the exam. I will never be tired of repeating that relax is fundamental to arrive accurately prepared for the exam.

And that is it. I hope you will find this post helpful. Let me know what you think about this method 😘

Hi guys,

Today I am going to tell you about how I studied for my chemistry exam👩‍🔬

It was the first big exam I had to prepare during my university career, so I took some times to understand how to study, but I am proud of how I coped with this exam.

It was a written test, with some exercises and some theoretical questions.

My study was a bit different for organic and inorganic chemistry, but I organized it in three parts, for both of them.

1- During lessons:

Inorganic chemistry:

I took notes trying to understand the concept.

Then I printed my notes and read them after the lesson.

I didn't use the book that much: I only used it when I didn't understand something.

I also had some fundamental exercise lessons. I took notes and tried to follow the professor, making many questions. I had to be sure that, ad the end, I had no doubts. Indeed, you are uneasy to understand the following topic if you haven't understood the previous.

When I went home, I tried to do again the exercise that we did during the lessons. Also, I did some extra tests to check if I was able to solve them even if I had never seen them before.

Organic chemistry:

I took notes, and then I printed them. For this part, I used the book a lot to add supplementary material.

I had only a few exercise lessons, which I faced as I did for the inorganic chemistry's ones.

2- During exam session:

I made a study plan, including some "recovery days". Indeed, it was my first exam, so I didn't know how much I would have studied each day. Having some days more helped me deal with my anxiety (which is a lot).

Also, I made some little mind maps to have a general view of the topics that I had to study. Indeed, the material was a lot, and I didn't always have a clear division into paragraphs of my notes.

Then, I started studying.

Inorganic chemistry:

I studied my notes and tried to explain the concept out loud.

Then I tested myself. I did the exercises we made in class, we extra ones that were given by the professor, the ones on the book, the ones from previous years examination and also some more exercises that I found on the internet.

For inorganic chemistry, the practical part is more important than theory, so I didn't focus a lot on knowing notions, but more on being able to solve exercises. Anyways, you have also to be familiar with the theoretical part, to be able to explain how you solved them.

Organic chemistry:

I studied my notes using mnemonic techniques. Indeed, organic chemistry is also mnemonic and having little nursery thymes of acronyms helps fasten your study. Plus, these methods are useful to deal with anxiety too. Indeed, if, during the test, you have a memory lapse, you can recover the information you need thinking about the logic that made you create a mnemonic story or sentence.

I rehearsed everything many times to be sure I had truly learned the material.

3-Some days before the exam:

I rehearsed the theoretical part of inorganic chemistry and the part of organic chemistry many times. I did this alone but also with a friend, to be sure I had understood the concept.

Then, I did some more extra exercises to be sure I could handle every topic.

Finally, I didn't study at all the day before the exam. I was very anxious since it was my first exam, so the temptation of studying was high, but I forced myself to relax and take my deserved day off.

And this is how I dealt with my first university exam. I hope this was helpful. Let me know if you would have changed something 😘