How does one study so well?

evolvedbullet

Senior member
Mar 11, 2006
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I have been trying to study and ya know, I can't really learn enough at one time. I memorize or learn 2 to 4 words per page when it comes to my German repetition practices (a whole notebook page). When I'm done memorizing them, I test myself on the back of the paper after writing, saying it, and hearing it. I forget some of the past words in exchange for the new words I memorized (for example, when I learn how to build a computer, I will forget how to be myself. I traded one thing for another you see.) I need to learn about 6 to 8 words per page and not make many mistakes. I ask you, intelligent ladies and gentlemen, how you do it. I want to do as much as I can, whenever I can. I am willing to do whatever it takes to make enough cracks in my brain to reach that kind of learning level. Thanks.
 

2Xtreme21

Diamond Member
Jun 13, 2004
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Are you talking about memorization or learning? Best way to do both is to use the language in a practical setting... as in, going to Germany. I know it's not really feasible so you'll have to find another way. Get one of those Rosetta Stone softwares, take online tests that have recordings, etc.

If you're talking about memorizing it to pass a test or the like, flash cards are usually the best method. German on front, English on back. Go through them until you know them all.
 

TheNewbie

Senior member
Jul 17, 2007
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From the author of the best selling threads this one and that one comes yet another great thread.
How to be an 'A' student with no effort (I was gonna say brain instead of effort, but I'll cut you some slack...).

Anyway dude, I'm sorry to the one that have to break it you, but to become an 'A' student in most schools, there are minimum requirements first, like having a brain and being able to use it would be a good start. And though it sound like a joke, its not.
Assuming you have at least a little more than average IQ (I say a little more, because the average IQ of people these days, is just a little more than a well educated monkey), you have to work, and work hard, other than extremely smart people - most of which will probably won't study in the same schools as you anyway, any 'A' student achieved it via hard work, for some harder than others. If you don't like studying you have a disadvantage, though it doesn't mean you can't do it, you just have to fight yourself more.
 

SludgeFactory

Platinum Member
Sep 14, 2001
2,969
2
81
Ideally, if it's a test of rote memorization, I find it's best to see the material over multiple days and sleep on it. Multiple sessions of studying, keep expanding on what you've got memorized so far, keep going over the list again and again.

I crammed for almost everything, but cramming doesn't work so well for big-time memorization tests. Sleeping and revisiting the material multiple times is really important.

But I guess this is old fashioned advice. You're supposed to take adderall nowadays, which I hear automagically makes you l33t.
 

Acanthus

Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
19,915
2
76
ostif.org
The way ive always done it is breaking down complicated projects and studying for large tests into parts.

Its extremely important not to cram, and if you catch yourself in a bind, you have to take breaks from studying. Not 5 minutes, but at least an hour or two away from it.

I prepare for a test about 5 days in advance, reviewing material in parts then going over it all the day before.

And this will sound obvious, but youll find that most deans list students dont work jobs more than 10 hours a week. Ive found that many of the struggling students are wasteful with money and have to work 40 hours a week on top of aid and loans just to get by.
 

davestar

Golden Member
Oct 21, 2001
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for example, when I learn how to build a computer, I will forget how to be myself. I traded one thing for another you see.

that is one of the stranger things i've ever read.
 

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
5
81
Originally posted by: davestar
for example, when I learn how to build a computer, I will forget how to be myself. I traded one thing for another you see.

that is one of the stranger things i've ever read.

Yeah...if there isn't enough room in his brain to store his personality, he's pretty dumb.

For the OP:
The "top 5%" people are just straight up smarter than you...despite what the teachers tell you, some people are just better than you at school.
 

Mr Pickles

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2006
4,104
1
0
I have to bust ass for good grades. If I don't start a regimented study process for a difficult test then I bomb it. Its hard for me to keep my concentration and hard for me to stick to my guns once I get started. Its all kind of a buzz kill. I've never really gotten away with cramming a little bit and pulling walking out with an A or high B. I know when I'm going to do ***** and I know when I'm going to do good.

The "top 5%" people are just straight up smarter than you...despite what the teachers tell you, some people are just better than you at school.

They might be better then you at school, but they arent better then you at life, don't confuse that. Some people can really understand what a teacher is looking for in a class or understand the structure of a test and really take advantage of it. That's not the way I work and becuase of that I feel like anyone is capable of making the grade, it just depends on how much you want it.

For suggestions: Repetition. I'm big one studying section a one night, then section a and b the next night, then a,b,c... and so on until the night before the test I have nothing else I need to study I just need to review.
 

JJChicken

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2007
6,168
16
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Originally posted by: Acanthus
The way ive always done it is breaking down complicated projects and studying for large tests into parts.

Great Advice!

Originally posted by: A5
Originally posted by: davestar
for example, when I learn how to build a computer, I will forget how to be myself. I traded one thing for another you see.

that is one of the stranger things i've ever read.

Yeah...if there isn't enough room in his brain to store his personality, he's pretty dumb.

For the OP:
The "top 5%" people are just straight up smarter than you...despite what the teachers tell you, some people are just better than you at school.

Not necessarily. I'm from Australia and when I graduated, I was in the top 0.35% of my state. It's not that I'm really that smart. It's all about being aware of yourself, what you need to do to improve yourself. For example, I realised by written communication isn't that good, so I made a determined effort to improve it. However, if you keep doing things the same way, and don't seek to TANGIBLY improve yourself, you won't get better. So, top 5% aren't necessarily smarter than you, they just are more careful and focused in the way they learn. That said, some people are quite smart, mayb top 0.01%.

To the OP: It's one thing saying you're GOING to work hard, its another DOING it. My best advice is to stop thinking, sit down, read a textbook and do questions. Be a DO-ER!
 

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
5
81
I was just trying to make fun of the OP...if he forgets his personality after building a PC, he's not capable of regimented book learning.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
For general college classes it helped me to write my own summaries of the material. Trying to distill a chapter into a few sentences made me think about the most important ideas and organize them in my mind. The summaries were also helpful as review materials for tests.

For math and stats classes, writing up cheat sheets and working enough problems to get comfortable with the techniques was helpful.
 

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
76
Sometimes people are just smarter than you and have a natural aptitude towards linguistics or math. That aside, try flashcards. Try to memorize 5 at a time then keep going back to the ones you've already memorized as you incorporate new cards.
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,107
4
81
Memorization?

I've taken 5 years of spanish, and this next one will be my 6th, you have to find a way that works for you. I stick with the old method that my parents taught me and it works. You write each word and the translation 10-20 times, and say it out loud each time. You will see the writing a bit more, be writing it yourself, and be saying it and hearing it. After that, flash cards to help narrow it down.

I had an etymology class where I had to memorize the definitions of 150-200 words per night and found that this method worked well. You'll have to spend a few minutes on each word, but it works.

Doing well in something like this isn't easy, but when you can speak to someone in another language, it's very much worth it and you'll be glad you did it.
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: A5
Originally posted by: davestar
for example, when I learn how to build a computer, I will forget how to be myself. I traded one thing for another you see.

that is one of the stranger things i've ever read.

Yeah...if there isn't enough room in his brain to store his personality, he's pretty dumb.

For the OP:
The "top 5%" people are just straight up smarter than you...despite what the teachers tell you, some people are just better than you at school.

This is true. Sometimes you'll never do as well as a particular person in school no matter what you do. I knew a guy in college who would sleep through all of our EE classes, never studied for tests, took a minimal amount of time to do all the homeworks, yet got almost a 4.0. Meanwhile most everyone else had to study pretty hard to do well in those classes.
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,107
4
81
Originally posted by: Allen Iverson
Not necessarily. I'm from Australia and when I graduated, I was in the top 0.35% of my state. It's not that I'm really that smart. It's all about being aware of yourself, what you need to do to improve yourself. For example, I realised by written communication isn't that good, so I made a determined effort to improve it. However, if you keep doing things the same way, and don't seek to TANGIBLY improve yourself, you won't get better. So, top 5% aren't necessarily smarter than you, they just are more careful and focused in the way they learn. That said, some people are quite smart, mayb top 0.01%.

To the OP: It's one thing saying you're GOING to work hard, its another DOING it. My best advice is to stop thinking, sit down, read a textbook and do questions. Be a DO-ER!
It's really like a poker strategy - if you just use the same one over and over, you'll eventually be beat, you have to continually improve on it. If you feel you've "peaked" or mastered it, you haven't.

And for the last part, talking about it is the first step to improving, IMO, because you admit the issue.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,509
29,090
146
Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Are you talking about memorization or learning? Best way to do both is to use the language in a practical setting... as in, going to Germany. I know it's not really feasible so you'll have to find another way. Get one of those Rosetta Stone softwares, take online tests that have recordings, etc.

If you're talking about memorizing it to pass a test or the like, flash cards are usually the best method. German on front, English on back. Go through them until you know them all.


ding ding.

as far as languages go, the only way to truly learn it is to use it. Memorization can only get you so far (passing tests), but you'd still likely appear to be a babbling moron when confronted with a real life conversation if memorization is all you have to go on.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
76
Who cares? Think of the return on investment. Those 5% work 2000% harder than I did and now probably work 2000% harder at their job too. Why set yourself up for a lifetime of 2000% work expectations?

It's all about ROI. Working 2000% harder now just means people will expect more of you in the future. You'll never be able to just have fun and enjoy life. So don't bother. Just settle for the B. You don't want the jobs that require the A anyway. They are too much work and not really that much more rewarding. Unless you are in certain fields where grades are for some reason important.
 

evolvedbullet

Senior member
Mar 11, 2006
543
0
0
Originally posted by: Allen Iverson
Originally posted by: Acanthus
The way ive always done it is breaking down complicated projects and studying for large tests into parts.

Great Advice!

Originally posted by: A5
Originally posted by: davestar
for example, when I learn how to build a computer, I will forget how to be myself. I traded one thing for another you see.

that is one of the stranger things i've ever read.

Yeah...if there isn't enough room in his brain to store his personality, he's pretty dumb.

For the OP:
The "top 5%" people are just straight up smarter than you...despite what the teachers tell you, some people are just better than you at school.

Not necessarily. I'm from Australia and when I graduated, I was in the top 0.35% of my state. It's not that I'm really that smart. It's all about being aware of yourself, what you need to do to improve yourself. For example, I realised by written communication isn't that good, so I made a determined effort to improve it. However, if you keep doing things the same way, and don't seek to TANGIBLY improve yourself, you won't get better. So, top 5% aren't necessarily smarter than you, they just are more careful and focused in the way they learn. That said, some people are quite smart, mayb top 0.01%.

To the OP: It's one thing saying you're GOING to work hard, its another DOING it. My best advice is to stop thinking, sit down, read a textbook and do questions. Be a DO-ER!

This, along with some other posts, tell me about myself already. I am horrible at English so I tried to improve that, I still am to this day :). And I also realized that thinking about things and not doing them happens very often. You are correct people. I am more of a thinker than a doer, but I just started this process of memorization 2 weeks ago. I also have been trying, or should I say 'experimenting, how I learn better. I practiced writing without saying or hearing it and I practiced saying it out loud but didn't write it. I put them all together; thanks to a dean listed person in UW-Madison who happens to be my step cousin. I can work hard and do it for a very long time, I can stand it I suppose. I like studying because it gets me away from this thing, this computer. It's a very distracting piece of equipment, let alone the internet!

Saying that you can't do it will make you believe it, so screw you people who think that I don't got what it takes. If I need to stay up for 72 hours to study, I'll do it but I'll need alot of soda.

The exchanging of knowing one thing for the other was an example, and no I'm not dumb *I think*. I don't know, I just slid 4 ft off my bike today on a wide U turn and now I'm all bandaged up. I feel alittle the need to relax but I know I should study, what should I be doing to keep my mind off the pain? Relax and enjoy a video game or two, or study till my I'm very into it?
 

AznSensation

Senior member
Dec 26, 2004
340
0
76
First of all, I have always prayed before going to school. Listen to your teacher. Attend class everyday. When your professor is going over the material, you want to make sure you undertand AT LEAST 90% of the material he/she is talking about. So, all you gotta do is read over the notes (you should know most of the material clearly) the day before/day of the test. I don't understand how some people study 24/7.

I'm not trying to brag or anything, but following the method above, I've managed to maintain 4.0 in college. I was valedictorian in high school.

Good luck.
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
Originally posted by: TheNewbie
any 'A' student achieved it via hard work,

Spoken like a true 'B' student.:p

I didn't have to work for my grades until, oh, junior year of college. And even so that was only in a few classes.