How Should I Study?

I've been asked this question far too many times.

Every person adopts a different way of studying. Some people like to study in a group while others prefer to study alone. Some may go to the library while others stay in the comfort of their home. Some may like to sit in an armchair while others may want to lie on the bed. Some may choose to study in the daytime while others burn the midnight oil.

So how SHOULD you study?

1) Get offline! If you are reading this, you are not studying! Okay... maybe you could spare a few minutes reading what I have to offer.

2) Find YOUR purpose. Do you study because you have to? Or do you study because you want to? If the driving force for you to study is to stop people breathing down your neck and to end all those lengthy sessions of nagging, you are unlikely to achieve much. Study because your future depends on it. Study because it is YOUR choice.

3) Study only when you are energised. Pretty obvious? It seems that many students prefer to slog it out at night when they are likely to be exhausted after a day of lectures, tutorials, CCA training or practices, social gatherings and other miscellaneous appointments. For goodness sake, have a decent nap before you study. You concentrate better after your body rejuvenates.

4) Do it consistently. Make it a part of your daily life. Easy to say, but hard to do? Often times, students pack their schedules with too many activities, leaving little time for rest and revision. That is probably due to poor time management (if there's any in the first place).

(i) Recognise that you are PROCRASTINATING. You know better than anyone else.
(ii) Start PRIORITISING. Rank each task in order of importance (READ: deadlines!).
(iii) Take PROMPT action. Actions speak louder than words.

5) Find a comfortable place. Be at ease. Cafes and fastfood restaurants aren't exactly conducive environment for studying.

6) Have a FLEXIBLE schedule, especially if you are a person who does not like to be restricted. Planning ahead gives you some idea of how much you have to study and how much time you have at hand.

7) Practice makes PERMANENT. That's what my secondary school English teacher told me. Some things have to learnt by rote, e.g. cycling. No amount of theory is going to teach you how to ride a bicycle without falling. You have to keep practising.

8) Condition your body. Let your mind and body get used to the exam stress. Do your revision papers under time constraints. Make sure you know your work before you try the questions. Don't refer to the answers halfway through the practice. Otherwise, it's just another wasted attempt.

9) Ask if you are in doubt. Don't pretend that the answers will appear in your dreams and you will miraculously be able to understand all the concepts when you wake up. If that's what you are thinking right now, dream on! No, WAKE UP!

10) Give yourself and others some encouragement. Write notes to encourage your friends and get them to motivate you in return. Reward yourself with a break after every hour or two.

Now, share what you have read. It might just help some of your friends. No harm sharing (I don't mean MP3 files!).