How do you Study?

[Honoop]

Hey Guys,

Just wondering really, how the students among us here plan & execute studying for their exams etc?

Ive currently got 2 1/2 weeks until the current round of my ACCA exams and for the past 2 weekends Ive come into work so I can get out of the house into peace and quiet where there are no distractions.
I find it almost impossible to study at home for numerous reasons and it got me wondering how everyone else does/did it?

[Hans Voralberg]

Close door - Play Tchaikovsky Four Season on Piano - Open book - Read - Draw mindmap - Fall asleep

[monkeyville]

I get up and go to the library. Once i'm there i can still attempt to procrastinate but it usually lasts only 10% of the time i would have spent surfing the net (like now) or playing CS. To be brutally honest though i'm rubbish at revision. I get bored and give up.

[Byatt]

For Mathematics, this works for me:

Move away from any potential source of internet. Summarise key elements of course notes, then go through the summary, proving any results that look examinable and/or interesting. Attempt past exam questions and set problems, referring to solutions if necessary, but if you need the solution, do the problem again later on...

Half the trick is to realise when you're in a work mood and just keep going (I am quite lucky in being able to manage 4-5 hour stints like this), and the other half is getting anything at all done when you aren't - isolation is about the only thing I've found that can do this.

[tigerboyce]

basically just go as far away from my computer as possible and use a textbook

[Steve]

During the week I get into uni for 9/9.30 and sit in a lab with about 60 computers, but because it's exam season and there are no lectures, there's usually only about 10 people in.

From there I can crack on with some work without too many distractions. It's helped me set myself up for my first four exams (coming this week).

The fifth one I've started revising too, but I need to start thinking about revising for the last four too.

Having a bit of a break today as I was getting pretty exhausted.

[finlay666]

I find a bit of music (like jose gonzalez, jack johnson, frank turner, jeff buckley) so its not too agressive like I normally listen to

SHOULD turn my pc off but a lot of my notes are as PDF files and I read/annotate them then print them out

Although quite a few I will just read through notes from lectures, make my own notes then condense them further

looking at past exams/sample answers help for knowing what they are looking for

[McClane]

I get all my course notes, past exam papers, coursework, course text books and find an empty room somewhere at uni and revise in there for about 8-10 hours (sometimes more if I think I need to). I then normally go through the past exam papers identifying the main topics that come up and how frequently they appear. Once I have a list I know which topics I should spend the most time on. I then work my way through the course notes and course text book trying to pick out the key points making reasonably condensed bullet points (usually 1-2 lines but sometimes 4 or 5 if needs be). I rewrite anything that is excessively long to cut out the crap. I then go through highlighting the key words in each bullet point. I usually run out of time as it's a lengthy process so for the remainder of the time I cut my loses and just read solidly.

The day before the exam I try and answer as many past questions as possible to identify any weak areas. I then go through my condensed notes paying particular attention to weak areas and the common themes from past papers. If it is a morning exam I usually head up with a couple of hours to spare just to go over everything again.

I find it helps to revise with someone so you can randomly ask each other questions to see if you can remember things. It also helps to discuss anything you find hard to understand.

Good luck with your exams!

[johnny02004976]

i used to get myself completely out of the way of any distractions. As mentioned above the library was always a good place to go.

for my degree i drove up to the brecon beacons and revised in my car, no distractions at all, it was bliss

[yamangman]

I don't recall doing any revision ever, even at Uni. I learned everything i needed reading in and around any subjects I had taken throughout the year. That was how I studied.

[Tumble]

Close door - Play Tchaikovsky Four Season on Piano - Open book - Read - Draw mindmap - Fall asleep

Vivaldi, surely?

[Guy]

I cannot study If im anywhere near my desk, or am within an arms reach of my macbook, I really have no self discipline, so I try and stay away from a computer, and find a quiet room in the house, or will go to the library.

[chicken]

If you find you get into that frame of mind where you just can't settle down, go for a walk for a couple of miles or so. Exercise helps a lot to remove stress, and you generally do more harm than good trying to cram constantly rather than taking breaks.

Also, even though you know you're doing it, it can help you stay focused if you reward yourself after good periods of study, and have the self discipline to not do things like pop out with your mates until you have completed a set task/section.

[Hans Voralberg]

Vivaldi, surely?

Yeah, mixed up. In exam atm

[pr0p4g4nd4]

I tend to revise at night so it's usually heavier stuff like Hatebreed (I used to detest that sort of music but I like all sorts now :S) with just a lamp for lighting and earphones in, but on low volume.

Seems to do the trick but I always end up procrastinating unfortunately! I'm glad I'm not getting an office job.

[Thoku]

Listen to music really quietly and read through lecture slides whilst making notes. I tend to cross check with books if I get stuck on something.