No Tricks, Trick! by Abeer

No Tricks, Trick! by Abeer - January 2014 Scholarship Essay

I learned the hard way that it never really matters what clever trick you use, if you can’t control your own mind, all the fancy schmancy study tools will fail. “Want to finish reading chapters of your textbook? Place gummy bears as rewards for every couple paragraphs you read!” Well, that’s cute. But if I’m committed enough to the gummy bears, I will probably just eat them from the bag anyway and then later feel guilty for inhaling a pound of gelatinous sugar. “Write down your notes, and then re-write them! Science has shown this will improve your memory!” Ah, yes, but science didn’t take into account that my laptop is right next to my notes and I will therefore write down three terms and scroll Pinterest for hours as reward. See!? Every clever study hack is worthless if you can’t even bring your brain to do it. That’s why I know that my most effective study method is to know my brain and use it properly.

Start out by really getting into the study zone. Remind yourself of your goal and then prioritize. Remove your laptop and cellphone, play some classical music, maybe even go all Zen and light some candles, then sit down in a proper chair. Write down exactly what you’re going to accomplish in the next hour, four hours, day, week, whatever. Your brain will be forced to hold itself accountable and be zoned in.

The first study step is to give your mind clear goals. Studying for something without goal points, or clarity in exactly what to study, is a dead end. Create thorough study guides that take care of all topics and subtopics you need to worry about. This is super effective when professors don’t tell you exactly what you need to know because that unfortunate happening makes students prone to studying blindly. Now, you can tell yourself what you need to cover! It helps the brain divide up information, feel more satisfied with what has been learned, and retain more!

The next step is to have more than one of your senses and motor functions involved in your studying. After hours of reading your textbook, try walking around with flash cards instead. Get some audio books and listen to them while on a jog. While taking notes, also draw pictures everywhere. Color-code your terms. Doodle as you listen to things. Study in different rooms and environments. Change which parts of your brain are active in your learning.

The final step is to stop studying and reward yourself. Being zoned in also can mean forgetting to take a mental breather. I can recall many instances where my brain felt physically clouded and exhausted, but I was so in study mode, I didn’t take a break, which resulted in burning out. Get up and away from where you are, eat something, drink a nice cup of tea, go for a walk, watch some TV, talk to a friend, and most importantly, SLEEP. You will waste all that studying if you don’t allow your brain to process it and recharge.

It’s way too easy for your brain to think it’s studied enough, to over-study, to find excuses not to study, to forget what it studied, or basically everything that is not helpful in you retaining this great knowledge you seek to retain. Knowing how your brain functions, and then hacking it, is the perfect method.