How do I study?

This short post will explain how you can start learning more effectively and not waste your time.

The first thing I want to write about is that you should always do something with the knowledge after learning something new. If you don’t use it, you’re just tricking your brain into thinking you learned something new.

Think

1. Think about why you want or need to learn this topic.
2. Set goals. Don’t think of one huge goal think of multiple smaller ones
3. Think about what you want to learn. For example if I wanted to learn multiplication I would have to learn addition first. For quadratic equations it would look like this: Arithmetic → Order of Operations → Variables → Linear Equations → Exponents → Factoring → Quadratic Equations
4. Make a plan. When do I want to study? How long do I want to study? What can i prepare in advance?
5. Pick the best studying method for the topic you want to learn or the method you like the most

Check

1. Check your knowledge.
2. Compare results before and after if you’re not improving, try to figure out why or go ask someone.
3. Analyze - Why did I get this wrong? What did I misunderstand? How can I improve?
4. Spend more time on the things you struggle with the most.

Studying methods

My favorite methods are:

• Teaching someone - I think it’s the best study method because not only do you learn something, but someone else benefits too. When you teach someone, you force yourself to think carefully so you don’t explain something incorrectly.
• Solving practice problems.
• Active recall - try to remember information without looking at your notes first. Example: close your notes, answer questions, or write down everything you remember, then check what you missed.
• Spaced repetition - You study the same material in multiple sittings not just one. For example: day 1 -> day 3 -> day 7 -> day 30.
• Interleaving - study multiple topics for example: 30 min math, 30 min informatics.
• Visualizing - visualize the thing you want to learn.
• Feynman method - explain the topic as if you were explaining it to a 5 year old.

Other important things

1. Sleep - helps with almost everything
2. Remove distractions
3. Take breaks
4. Study consistently

If you want to add something to this list or send me feedback please email me: me[at]wiktrek.xyz