Studying is something we all have to do at some point in our lives; for whatever purpose or reason. However, I do find that it does get a lot of slack. I understand why people do not like it, because it is synonymous with stress and exhaustion — and potentially a feeling of failure. Some people enjoy exams in particular — presumably because in the set time, the exam is done, and we can move on. Though you can get this with assignments as well. I don't enjoy written exams myself, because of the time pressure, and the feeling that everything I apparently know and have studied for builds up to a certain amount of time, in which I have to cram everything in. I prefer to work through coursework or assignments because it can be done in segments, broken down — and I can develop my ideas over time. Also, it is more realistic according to how humans work day-to-day. Despite all of this, I admit I enjoy the studying part of the learning process — and I'm going to tell you why, in the hope that you come away with a sense of direction and hope.
There are different ways that we can be assessed, and each one requires a slightly different approach as to how we prepare and study for them. Here are some examples I can think of, off the top of my head:
Written exams
Practicals
Assignments
Coursework
As I mentioned in the introduction, I don't particularly like exams because of the time pressure, and the balancing between knowing what I know, and keeping my anxiety at bay. I find that during exams that my anxiety dampens my ability to show my true understanding; innately annoying because I feel that no matter how hard I study, or in which way I study, I am already at a disadvantage (we love self-doubt). This is enhanced by the fact that I am chronically-ill, living with a physical disability. Meaning that how I feel on any given day can be very different. How I feel can vary from the hour, in fact.
Assignments — however — feel much more accessible in terms of how I am able to better manage my anxiety, and that I can work in a way that suits me best. The main anxiety that I have during exams is not having enough time to articulate what I need to say. On top of that, having the time to physically write it down. So, in that sense, the act of physically completing my exam becomes more of a priority than indicating how much I know.
Assignments get rid of this. I know exactly what I've got to do, and the steps I need to take to get there. It does not matter how I complete the assignment — as long as I do so ethically, and meet the brief and deadline. I am referencing the use of voice-to-text, here. Writing through the use of voice instead of my fingers, gives me no unethical advantage; it is getting around the fact that typing can be more tiring due to my chronic illness. Aside from the main brief, usually there are some pointers to break things down, or at least start us off in the right direction. If there are not, I like to do this sort of thing for myself; and then expand further on these points as structure for my plan — and later on my assignment.
Knowing what we are doing, and where we are going, can certainly speed up the process of completing an assignment. From there, it can feel very satisfying, in the fact that you can really hone in on getting the work completed. In completing the assignment we are that much closer to completing the overall task or course.
I am also someone who prefers to get their ideas out of their head first (before they are forgotten), and then go back to edit, order, and refine later. The nature of completing an assignment allows me to do this. Whereas, with an essay, I'm more focused on getting the words down in the time — which in turn sacrifices quality.
I do not have much experience with practical examinations, though I have done a few. I like the idea that knowledge is being tested and applied in a more realistic setting. That said, we can't cross out or change something so it conveys exactly what we mean, as we would be able to in a written exam. Further to that, it could be a more realistic way of examining someone’s knowledge or practice, because we are having to go with exactly what has been planned, and adapt as we go. We can't edit, as such, or restructure. Learned skills and behaviours shine.
Anyway, that's the end of my random diatribe on some different methods of assessment. Just keep in mind the fact that how you'll be assessed will change your approach to studying.
There is no getting away from it; you need to study for an upcoming assessment. What do you do?
I want you to go into the process with an open mind. There is no way of getting out of studying, so you may as well make the most of it. Just because we are told to do something on a specific topic, by a specific time, does not mean that we can't in some way have fun with it too.
Let me lay it out…
First of all, I want you to make it as accessible for yourself as possible. To do this, you need to work out what works for you, in terms of studying. For example (back in the day), when I was studying maths, I knew that in order to retain information I needed to do a lot of past papers and past questions — to rehearse methods and engage my muscle memory. However, with English, it is best for me to compile information on the various texts in my own words. Then apply that information in longer, written, form — such as essays or sample paragraphs. Alongside this, I would then look at exemplar paragraphs to give myself an idea of what is to be included within a paragraph, and how to get the higher grades. That was the starting point for me: working out where I am in terms of my knowledge, and where I need to go.
How my studying has developed over time
I knew that once I had completed one of these past papers or an essay, that a good chunk of my revision was being done. It was broken down; I could reward myself. If there was a subject in which I need to remember a lot of key facts, then I would most often use flash cards, in order to use spaced repetition, and get the key facts into my head. Without the key facts, in the case of sociology, there is no hope in the exam. If I were to study sociology again, I would compile the notes in my own words, and apply them through paragraphs or essays — as I do in English.
Top tip: a new method of study
This is a more recent technique that I've started using with my studying, but by dictating and explaining to myself what is going on in my own words, as I'm writing my notes — that reiterates the key facts and the key knowledge. I'm essentially learning what I need to learn twice, because I'm writing it down and explaining to myself. I find that using these two different forms allows my mind to connect the dots between different pieces of knowledge, and how to apply them.
Ultimately, like I've said, it is up to you to decide what works for you. Writing an essay might seem arduous to you, and of not much enjoyment, so don't do that. If you're not going to learn anything from it, it is pointless wasting your time. The same with flash cards: if you know that you're not going to use them, there is no point spending hours, let alone days, writing them out.
Planning and time management
When I know that I am going to spend a few hours studying, I like to plan exactly what I'm going to do in that time, so I can make the best of it. Sometimes, this may look like writing down some brief bullet points on a scrap piece of paper. Other times, this could be writing a full-on plan of when and how I am going to do things, in order to get them done as quickly and efficiently as possible.
To coincide with this, I like to set timers of twenty-five minutes to section my time, and push myself, knowing that I'm going to get a break at the end. It is amazing what you can do when you are faced with a time limit. The technique I'm describing is called the Pomodoro technique, if you would like to research more into it. Aside from pushing ourselves to get more done, I feel like the Pomodoro technique adds this element of competition. Which then makes it more fun for me, because I'm gamifying the experience.
Gamifying the experience is very important because it makes studying fun, aside from the actual need to study, and the physical act of study. Therefore, your brain is more likely to retain information because it associates your studying time with enjoyment. This association of enjoyment will come in handy later on, when you get into a routine of studying, because your brain will associate studying with excitement — and not tedium or boredom.
The second part of making studying more accessible for yourself is looking at the physical accessibility
Have you got enough space to do what you need to do?
Have you got the resources in front of you, so that you can easily get to them?
In my case, I like to use voice to text dictation instead of writing or typing physically, because it is less physically and mentally draining to do so — and more conducive to my time. The general idea is that we spend the time we set aside to study, actually studying. Not spending the time suddenly getting yourself a drink, or getting the resources you have forgotten. The idea is to get this out of your mind, so that you can literally focus on what needs to be done.
Allow yourself a private space, or space you can go to every time you need to study
Similar to the association of enjoyment with studying is the idea that if you study in the same place every time you need to study, then your brain will associate that place with being focused. For example, I do a lot of my studying at my desk. When I am sitting at my desk, my brain automatically gears into focusing on getting what needs to be done, done.
This is going to be contrary to what I've just said, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a private space — it depends what kind of person you are. Some people prefer the noise of a cafe, for example, to kind of cut themselves off from the rest of the world. It all depends on you, and how you find it best to focus.
Don't get tunnel vision and study for the sake of passing the exam
This is a slightly controversial opinion because, particularly in school, it is all about passing the exam to supposedly make us — and the teachers — look good. If we don't do well in our exams, we are perceived as a failure. If we do well, we are perceived as ‘God-like’. Nonetheless, hear me out.
You are doing the exam to pass the exam, and do as well as you can. However, there is more to learning than simply passing an exam.Those who have done exams before will relate to me saying that after you have completed the exam, a lot of the information you forget, and you don't necessarily remember the specifics of what you've learned. However, I find if you — obviously focus on the content of the exam — read around the subject, it allows your mind to connect the dots. You will remember a lot more. It will be about learning for life, rather than learning for a two-hour exam.
If you are able to research and enhance your own understanding with extra knowledge, then the course content will become par for the course, and won't feel as insurmountable. For example, as part of my English degree, I am studying the classics to a level. During that I learned that Cleopatra wasn't originally Egyptian. I was absolutely mind blown. The fact itself is not important to my understanding of English literature — however, it is an important piece of context for any questions that need answering, or any texts that need analysing. Learning that very small but significant fact has enhanced my enjoyment of the overall subject, because it leads me to wonder what else I don't know. That doesn't mean to say that I thought I knew everything. It's just that I've gone through life assuming something, according to my previous knowledge, and it has taken me to study English at degree level to discover this. So again, we're going back to the idea that if you read around the subject, you realise there is a lot more to a subject than if we took it at face-value.
Pulling it all together
The bottom line is, if you have chosen the right subject, you will enjoy studying. I understand this is not as applicable for those that are not in higher education (and therefore have less choice), but it is always something to consider. If you're doing your GCSEs, for example, you can start to consider what your favourite subjects are, and what makes them interesting. If you can pinpoint that, you can pinpoint how best you can study the subject.
Studying is part of the process, and not a chore. As I've said, I am studying English Literature at university, and we are briefly studying the classics. At first, I wasn't even sure what the Classics were — or their relevance to the subject. However, I know that all this knowledge will come together to improve my understanding of English literature, overall. I love the subject of English literature, so I don't mind the effort, or the extent of knowledge that I need to learn in order to succeed.
Essentially, it's all about having the right mindset, and approaching studying any subject with an open mind; thinking about how you can apply many areas of different aspects of knowledge, and where they intersect. So — if you are not enjoying studying, are you enjoying your subject?
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