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How do you study?

matilda

New member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
78
Music is essential.

Physics/chemistry/biology: I must read the textbook, understand, what it's all about.

Fast forward to test day, 'The universe consists of 200 billion stars.. TRUE or FALSE' :shock:

I fail.

How do you study?
 

metaphours

cast shadows
Joined
Jun 16, 2009
Messages
1,194
MBTI Type
INFP
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4w5
I agree, music helps me study a lot more efficiently, although, it isn't always neccessary.
Chewing gum also helps, lolsies. :jew:
 

Ambrosia

New member
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
26
MBTI Type
INFP
Clairvoyance - I press the textbook against my forehead and I acquire the information instantaneously.
 

Wiley45

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Joined
Mar 3, 2009
Messages
669
MBTI Type
INFP
I tried coffee shops, but all I end up doing is chatting with interesting people. So I stay home now.

No music. No background noise. No food. No water. No texting. No company. No stopping, even when my muscles get sore. I just pause for a quick stretch when I get tired.

It's straight up ingestion of the textbook for hours, shut away in my office with highlighters and notebooks. Sometimes I hand copy pieces of the text to get it in my brain.

And the sad part is, I'm not even kidding.
 

Zoom

Self sustaining supernova
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
1,045
Enneagram
9w8
I have to have something to ignore - multiple types of stimulation at once, so I can focus on one. When I get into "the zone", I can and will work for hours without a break and accomplish more than one would think occurs in the time allotted.

I can not study at home, ever. I have tried many ways of doing so, and simply am not in the right mindset when I am home to do it. So I study in coffeeshops, computer labs, and the library. 'Tis most effective and efficient on my part if I am in front of a computer, due to the multiple points of stimulation bit.

So: music, background noise (even if it's just the hum of a computer lab or buzz in a coffeeshop), and me diddling around for fifteen minutes and then getting into the groove and zooming through what I need to do.

Language and straight memorization, however, are best done with a partner, because having to remember something on the fly works best for me in terms of learning either. Flash cards are great, improvisational conversing is even better. For those two, I hate watching the online videos we are required to view as a part of studying. It's like watching paint dry, but without the chemical high from inhaling the fumes. :dry:
 

metaphours

cast shadows
Joined
Jun 16, 2009
Messages
1,194
MBTI Type
INFP
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4w5
Clairvoyance - I press the textbook against my forehead and I acquire the information instantaneously.

OH SHIT. Another witty INFP in the house. I challenge you to a battle of wits (quite literally), sometime in the quite-not-so-near-yet-closer-than-the-distant future. ;)
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
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May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
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6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
If the weather's nice, sitting outside on campus under a tree or on a bench is good. When it's cold, I have to sit myself down at my desk and focus on what needs to be done. When I write a paper (and I write LOTS) that tends to be the only time I listen to music while I'm doing school work.

Sometimes I lay in bed and read a text book like it's a novel. That works especially well with things like history or psychology.
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I need music and gum does help.

With key facts I find some way to link said key fact to something really stupid. Then I'll remember it because it's so stupid.
 

Qre:us

New member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
4,890
Clairvoyance - I press the textbook against my forehead and I acquire the information instantaneously.

:laugh:

***

For me, it's all about for whom the bell tolls at the 11th hour. :horor:
I.e. not studying things out of interest but need for school. Then, its:
Study or death. The only way to get my ass motivated. High risk.

I also do not like any noise, music, etc. Focus zone. SILENCE!
Sometimes, I will go to study at a close friend's place, who 'know of my ways' to prod me to 'stay on task'. An external outlet to account to. Baby.
 

silverlining

New member
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
25
MBTI Type
INTJ
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8w7
F minus minus.

Not well.

I never taught myself to study and I feel I half-ass it when I do. I think that my textbooks should be rewritten into Wikipedia articles or told to me fireside as if they are ancient tales, and I'd likely retain more than I do now when I sit down to learn.

I can't read mass amounts of information of things I don't care about and retain it (if I love the topic, it's a different story) so I try to read over everything, break it down into sections, make outlines, and then make lists. It's the only way I get anything done.

Oh, and music on in the background.
 

heart

heart on fire
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
8,456
Use Baroque music, hand copy text, force myself to read it and then explain it in my own terms, use handmade flash cards to memorize important facts (won't last long, usually do this night before test), eat fish.
 

chasingAJ

New member
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Messages
161
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
FIVE
When I study I'm more neurotic than usual...

No music
No people in the room (their energy throws me off)
The lighting has to be just so
Snacks and water close by
Comfortable clothes

I get everything that I need and sort of nest at my desk (a massive thing covered in important junk)

I read the textbook line by line and use colored pencils to underline important parts. Highlighters are too bright and too smudgy. Yes, I color code everything. For exams I get the study guide and make flashcards and/or explain the concept in my own words on blank paper without "peeking" until I have it down. For papers, I write the paper as an argument for my opinion on whatever matter. Then I go back and "cut" each paragraph and "paste" it into a new document to reword it so that it stands on its own and fits the assignment. Then I use "search" to find words I tend to over use and put something from the thesaurus in their place.

I also tend to argue with my professors but we have smaller classes so that's possible (some universities have massive freshman classes). Nothing will tell you more about a topic than a pissed off professor. For me, arguing with them is motivation to read the text and/or google stuff. I think this is why I had a tougher time in math... you can't argue with numbers.
 
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silverlining

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Aug 4, 2009
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25
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With key facts I find some way to link said key fact to something really stupid. Then I'll remember it because it's so stupid.

I learned the Periodic table for physical science that way! I can remember very little of it now, but I know my way to remember Silicon (16) was thinking that 8 women were walking around with fake breasts. Logical? Not so much. Did it work? I still remember it six years later.
 

chasingAJ

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Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Messages
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FIVE
:laugh:

***

For me, it's all about for whom the bell tolls at the 11th hour. :horor:
I.e. not studying things out of interest but need for school. Then, its:
Study or death. The only way to get my ass motivated. High risk.

I also do not like any noise, music, etc. Focus zone. SILENCE!
Sometimes, I will go to study at a close friend's place, who 'know of my ways' to prod me to 'stay on task'. An external outlet to account to. Baby.

YES!

I probably should have mentioned that I pretty much argue with professors during the semester and then right before something is due I got neurotic on it. :blush:
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
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9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I learned the Periodic table for physical science that way! I can remember very little of it now, but I know my way to remember Silicon (16) was thinking that 8 women were walking around with fake breasts. Logical? Not so much. Did it work? I still remember it six years later.

Precisely. :D

Illogical AND logical ways of remembering things are both awesome. That is an awesome way to remember silicon!
 

Blank

.
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
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MBTI Type
INTP
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5w6
I feel a bit out of place here.

I'll read something once or twice usually (depends on the subject,) then I'm pretty much good to go.

If it's an important subject, I'll make sure to look over the study guide and fill that out the night before a test or an exam, and then I'll review it for ten to twenty minutes before I take the test.
 

chasingAJ

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Jul 20, 2009
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FIVE
To Blank: I remember those days... before I found illicit drugs and long before children...
 

Blank

.
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
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MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
To Blank: I remember those days... before I found illicit drugs and long before children...

Yeah. I'm smart enough to stay away from drugs, and smart enough to not have a child until I'm financially stable.
 
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