While everyone’s been buzzing recently about the rising college student debt, unfortunately, this isn’t the only problem that many students have to face.
Ever since the invention of college, there’s been one issue that every single student has had to overcome, regardless of the economy and financial struggles, and irrespective of any outside influence.
The issue is how to study better!
Perhaps you have straight A’s all the time. Perhaps you’re barely making it through the finals. Whatever your situation is, at one point or another, you must have wondered whether there’s a better way to learn.
Of course, there are several hacks that can help you study easier. You could experiment with virtual classroom software, do an online assessment, create a learning schedule, etc.
Keep in mind, though, that you’ll still have to do the work. You’ll still have to invest time and energy into your study but following any of these hacks will make your life much easier and your study more effective.
Let’s take a look.
1. Create a Learning Schedule and Stick to It
If you’re an expert procrastinator (like many of us are), you’ve probably heard time and again about how incredibly important it is to get organized. And you’re probably aware of this.
Having said that, getting organized and creating a learning schedule is always easier said than done.
The biggest mistake that most people make when creating their study schedules is that they focus solely on the study. “Okay, when I’m done with the class, I’m going home and spending the whole evening studying.”
It’s simply the wrong way of going about it because there are so many more interesting things you could do.
That’s why you should create a schedule that incorporates all of your activities. Having coffee with friends, watching an episode of your favorite show on Netflix, making dinner, studying, sleeping, etc.
You might find life easier if you find a good time management app that you could use. Whatever you do, be sure to mix and match.
Allow yourself some free time as well as some study time, and include it all into your schedule.
2. Test Your Knowledge Through Online Assessment
Everyone’s going to tell you today to “just Google it” if you don’t know or can’t understand something. Of course, this can be helpful as you can find tons of useful information online. But it’s not always enough.
When you’re learning new information, the easiest and most efficient way to digest it is to test your knowledge through online assessment tools after you’re done with your reading.
Testing yourself will let you know exactly how well you’ve mastered a certain topic, not to mention that you’ll be mentally prepared for any exams that you’ll have to take.
You can choose different types of online assessment tools. You can find easier tests that allow you to receive hints and feedback, or you can assess your knowledge in the traditional sense of taking a test.
3. Take Advantage of Virtual Classroom Software
Another very useful hack for improving the way you study is by making use of virtual classroom software. This piece of software enables you to join almost any online class and learn from experts.
Virtual classroom software mirrors the traditional classroom setting – there’s a teacher or a mentor – but learners can take the class online and have access to all the necessary materials and tools.
The best part about virtual classroom software is that it enables you to customize the way you learn. You can take a class while you’re sitting in a waiting room, while you’re taking your lunch, whenever you want.
You can divide the learning material into small chunks of information that are easy to digest. Virtual classroom software allows you to study when and how you want.
Go over the course material as many times as necessary, and receive immediate feedback on your progress.
4. Social Learning Is the Way to Go
The best way to master a certain topic is to teach someone else about it. When you have to explain difficult concepts to someone, your brain works hard to simplify the information and process it.
This is also an area where virtual classroom software can help you, as you’ll often be able to join discussions and participate in conversations related to the topic.
You can go the old-fashioned way and form a study group as well. Test each other’s knowledge, create presentations, and explain the more challenging topics to each other.
5. Take Care of Your Health
This last hack is pretty obvious, but worth mentioning. There’s no denying the correlation between your physical and mental wellbeing. You need to take care of both to improve the quality of your life and your learning.
Focus on physical activity, as it’s suggested that exercise can help boost your performance. You’ll find it easier to concentrate and focus on your studies after exercising.
Ensure that you’re eating well and that you drink enough water. And ensure that you’re feeling good mentally as well. Some meditation or even mindfulness practice can go a long way. You may also consult a professional therapist, such as the mental health counselors from BetterHelp, to help you deal with any mental issues you might be experiencing.
The Bottom Line
As mentioned, there are no shortcuts when it comes to study. While you’re in college, you’ll have to master a variety of different topics, each more difficult than the next.
You’ll need to dedicate a lot of time to learning, and while there’s no going around it, the hacks we’ve talked about can help you greatly.
To sum up, if you want to study smarter, you’ll need to:
- Get organized and create a learning schedule
- Use online assessment tools to test your knowledge
- Take advantage of everything that virtual classroom software offers
- Focus on social learning
- Take care of your health
So, give any (or all) of these a try, and see for yourself how beneficial these hacks can be.