Picture this: a determined student ready to ace the exams. Hours dedicated to memorizing slides and notes, social life forgotten, all entertainment sacrificed so that more time can be put into studying. But, in the end, the results just don't justify the effort devoted.
Sound familiar? This is a common phenomenon called "hard work wasted".
Fret not, for there is a cure: Smart studying. Here are some life-changing hacks to help you study!
1. Practice and practice
Integrate theory with practice by doing practice quizzes and papers. Consider using case studies in your study regime to exercise your understanding of everything you've learned. As some say, practice makes perfect. And who knows? Those practice questions may actually end up in the actual exam.
2. Figure out time management with the Pomodoro Technique
We can safely say that most of us lack proper time management, what with all our co-curricular activities and commitments. Instead of lamenting over how much time we don't have, let's take a look at what we do have.
The Pomodoro Technique is a tried-and-tested time management method that gives you time to rest your brain while simultaneously keeping you focused. Break up your time into 25-minute study chunks, separated by 5-minute breaks. With this method, you can fight procrastination and improve your study endurance.
3. Be consistent and pace yourself
To avoid the classic scenario of having to go through a whole semester's worth of notes in 3 days, be consistent in your revision. Do weekly revisions to increase information retention, and make sure that you keep up with schoolwork in the process!
4. Find external resources to help you study
Sometimes, we get confused about certain concepts. It's alright, and it's normal. To help, we've consolidated some resources that we've found helpful when it comes to studying!
Check out @nur12help on Instagram! They've curated a set of wonderfully helpful tips to help us memorize information, and that's on top of the cute pictorial memory aids!
Find help on various topics on YouTube with the following links.
For pharmacology, physical assessments, A&P and pathology:
For general biology and A&P:
And lastly, if you ever need some encouragement, find motivational quotes and support on @nur12listen!
5. Keep your environment distraction-free
Have you ever spent more time looking at your phone than you originally wanted to during your revision? If so, maybe it's a good time to throw your phone out the window. Alternatively, less extreme solutions include leaving it in a separate room and stowing it with a friend. There are also apps available to help keep your phone locked for set periods of time, so do whatever works well for you.
6. Form your own support system when studying
A fulfilling student life is all about sharing knowledge with your peers. Forming study groups allows you to share what you know and clarify doubts together. However, studying by yourself it fine as well.
Ultimately, it's more important to surround yourself with people who can support you through stressful periods (which will be many) throughout your undergraduate life.
That's all folks! We hope we've been helpful. Do keep going, and we're sure you'll do great. All the best for your exams! :)
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