How to Study Smarter, Not Harder

April 7, 2012 by

Study Smarter Not HarderThroughout your life you will always have time where you need to study to pass a course to progress forward to your goals.

Whether it is high school, university, an apprenticeship, or a training course required for your career, you will need to show that you can learn the material and demonstrate your knowledge.

Studying can be hard work, and you might be saying to yourself “I’m terrible at taking tests; I’m not going to do well in this course.”

However, don’t give up just yet.

No matter how academic you might be; here are some clever studying hacks which will help you make the most of your study time and nail that exam:

Find Your Ideal Learning Style

The most important tip is to find out how you learn the best so that you can make the most of your studying time.

Some people find that locking themselves in a room with the textbook and poring over the material helps them to memorize for an exam.

Other people find that they remember and understand the material better when they are actively discussing it within a group or using flashcards to quiz themselves.

Find your learning style and stick with it, and don’t waste your time studying in ways that don’t work for you.

Figure Out the Criteria You Are Being Graded On

Remember that your grade in the course will not reflect how well you know the material, but how well you perform on the test and complete the course requirements.

Usually, on the first day of the class the teacher will give you a syllabus which will tell you exactly what you will be graded on.

Knowing what type of exam you will be facing is important.

If you will be writing an essay, you should be studying by memorizing the big ideas of the course and how they link together.

If the test will be multiple choice style, you will probably need to remember more small details.

There’s nothing wrong with chatting to the professor about the exam, and they might even give you hints about what topics it will cover.

Get to Know Your Teacher

When you are taking a university course or any other program where the course materials and tests are designed by the instructor, it pays to get to know who they are as a person.

Why? Because most professors will design their courses based on what they are interested in.

Of course, they will need to stick to a particular curriculum, but usually they will give more weight to topics and ideas that they think are the most important, so pay attention!

If you know what those topics are, you can almost predict what your professor will include on the exam and you will know what to study.

These are just a few ways that you can make the most of your studying, and excel on the next course you need to pass in your life!

Filed Under: Personal Development Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Learning a New Language

November 21, 2011 by

Whether you want to go traveling, move abroad, or just impress your sexy foreign neighbor, learning a new language can be a very advantageous skill to have. Learning to speak another language is not only a great way to open up many more opportunities for yourself, it can also be a fun challenge.

However, learning to speak a new language can also be very intimidating and difficult. You will have to start right back at square one when it comes to communication, and it can be very humbling and frustrating to only have the conversation skills of a three year old. Memorizing vocabulary and learning grammar in a new language is not necessarily easy.

If your goal is to learn a new language, here are some helpful tips that will improve your learning experience and make it easier for you to reach your goal:

  • Study the language in small bursts each day. It is better to study for 30 minutes each day than for 3.5 hours in one day. This will make it easier to find time in your schedule to stick to your goal. Also, a 3.5 hour session is not as effective, as you will remember and retain more if you study in shorter and more frequent sessions.
  • Find a learning method that works for you. Everyone has a different learning style, so try many different classes, software, CDs, or other learning tools until you find the one that “clicks” for you.
  • Don’t be shy when speaking. A lot of the time we are hesitant to test out our foreign language because we are afraid we will sound stupid if we use incorrect grammar or forget a word. Don’t let this get in the way of practicing your language! You wouldn’t judge a non-native speaker if they made a mistake, would you? Anyone listening to you will give you the same patience and understanding, so give it a try!
  • Make learning a language fun! The learning process doesn’t have to be all study and no play, as there are many ways you can make language learning entertaining. You can watch foreign films, learn some jokes and songs, or read comics and cartoons in your target language.

Last but not least, don’t give up! The benefits of being able to communicate in another language are so rewarding that they are worth your hard work, so good luck!

Filed Under: Personal Development Tagged With: , , , ,