Now that the first semester is over and grades are officially locked in, you might look back on a couple classes and wish your final grade was better. If that’s the situation you find yourself in right now, that’s perfectly fine; now is the time to change your habits for the better. One solution that might fix the problem is finding a new way to study. A lot of the time, it’s not about how much you study but how you study with the time you are given. Different study strategies fit different people, so you just have to find out what works best for you.
The first study method that I will talk about is a reward system. Junior Owen Beaumont said that he uses this study method for all sorts of classes. The method consists of doing problems or making flashcards, and then when you get all of the problems right or finish whatever you are doing, you reward yourself with a treat. The treat could be anything: you might eat a food you like, watch a couple episodes of your favorite show or do any other thing that you like. It is a good method because it keeps you entertained and keeps you involved with your studying.
The second method of studying was recommended by junior Kieran Lussier. Lussier said that the best way to study is to “Go into a coffee shop like Starbucks with a friend that has the same class and study with them.” Alternatively, he said, “You could go with a freshman, so you can teach them the information to cement it in your brain.” Either option is fine, but the main goal is that when you are talking to someone else about the information, it helps stick in your head.
The final way to study comes from sophomore Cash Reposa. Reposa suggests the method of studying “right before class.” That doesn’t always work for most people, but Cash said that it’s “the most clutch time” to get work done. The idea here is that if there isn’t much time, you have to force yourself to gain the information quicker.
Now those are all good study methods, but the important idea is to realize that not all study methods work for everyone. If the first method you try doesn’t work, try another. Keep testing methods until you find what’s right for you and remember: when it comes to studying, quality beats quantity.
