Weird study tricks I did that just make sense

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

It’s that time of the semester again, when everyone is cramming studies, finishing up last-minute assignments and living in that weird foggy state of mind where no one knows what day of the week it is anymore.

And in that same foggy week is when students require their brains to function the most. When regular studying doesn’t do the job anymore, it calls for out-of-pocket study methods to make sure that the information you are consuming will actually be remembered.

So here are some methods, ranging from normal to the most weird, that I tried (I promise they work).

Studying two unrelated topics

A stack of books on a desk — *Photo by Debby Hudson via Unsplash.*

Sounds chaotic, but hear me out.

When you study one subject for too long, it can be easy for topics to start flowing into each other. Concepts can feel repetitive and your brain just checks out. A way to avoid that information overload is to study different topics.

This way, the variety can keep your mind alert enough to remember it all.

Think of it like this: would you be able to pick out one blue candy among lots of other blue candies in a bowl, or is it easier to pick it out of a bunch of various coloured candies one by one?

Exactly.

NOT pull an all-nighter

A cat sleeping on a bed under the comforter — *Photo by Kate Stone Matheson via Unsplash.*

I know, I know. This one isn’t “weird,” but apparently it still needs to be said.

No matter what you do. Do. Not. Pull. An. All-nighter.

Trust me, I learned this the hard way. No amount of coffee, tea or energy drinks will keep you energized enough the way a good sleep does.

It’s easy to leave all the studying till the last minute and attempt to cram it all in one go. However, when this cramming comes at the price of sacrificing sleep, it becomes the ultimate recipe for disaster.

Even a short nap can do more for your memory than hours of exhausted studying. A tired brain will forget things you knew five minutes ago. Don’t sabotage yourself.

Hunting for mistakes

Scrabble blocks forming a sentence reading, "Learn from failure" — *Photo by Brett Jordan via Unsplash.*

One trick that I find pretty helpful when studying is actively looking for areas for me to mess up.

Let’s say I’m studying for long division, simple, right? However, when I think deeper and look for where I could actually mess up, multiple problems arise.

What if the question asked to divide a prime number? What if the division continues to decimal points? How do I write a mixed fraction if the answer calls for it? How do I verify if my answer turned out to be right?

This method forces you to think deeper and prepares you for trick questions.

Stop studying 30 minutes before the exam

Two woman talking at a evening rooftop view — *Photo by kevin laminto via Unsplash.*

Studying until the very last second — when the professor has to ask you to close your books — seems to make sense since you’ll “remember it better.”

Wrong.

That last-minute info dump will only overload your brain.

Give yourself a break in that last 30 minutes. Take a walk, grab a snack and chat with a friend. Let your mind reset before the exam.

Change study areas per course

a woman studying in a café — *Photo by sq lim via Unsplash.*

Assign a different study spot for each subject.

Study math at your desk, marketing at a café and maybe psychology in a quiet library corner. Your brain starts associating each location with specific information, making it to recall easier during exams when you think back to being in that spot.

Study in the room where the exam is to be held

An empty classroom with desks and and a blackboard — *Photo by Ivan Aleksic via Unsplash.*

It takes a bit of an effort, but it works.

If you can, go to campus early and study in the same room where your exam is going to be held. Sitting in that exact environment ahead of time makes everything feel more familiar and less intimidating.

This familiarity helps recall the material much more easily.

Ink sabotage

Various colored pens spread on a blue background — *Photo by Welcome via Unsplash.*

This one is more fun. It’s like playing “never let them know your next move” but…with yourself.

Instead of using your usual colour pens, start using glitter pens or a completely different colour. Same thing with Post-it notes. Use a completely different-sized one or a different-coloured one.

This small change will help you retain more information.

Dedicate a specific perfume for exam season

a blurry image of a hand holding up a perfume bottle — *Photo by Laura Chouette via Unsplash.*

Pick a perfume and use it only during exam season.

Memory is strongly linked to smells, so when you smell that same scent during your exam, it can trigger recall.

And let’s be honest, it’s way more practical than chewing gum mid-test.

Blender audio (Yes, really)

A pair of black headset kept on a bright yellow background — *Photo by C D-X via Unsplash.*

Hear me out. This actually works.

It’s loud, consistent and cancels out every other noise. It will not allow you to be distracted in the slightest.

As someone who is distracted by the slightest sneeze, click, step or the bark of the neighbour’s dog that is two blocks down, this genre of audio helps.

They help you stay focused on the task at hand and tune in to the materials that are on your desk.

So before you call it weird, try it out.

Experiment your methods

A close up photo of books kept on a study desk with a pencil nearby — *Photo by ROBIN WORRALL via Unsplash.*

Studying methods are never one-size-fits-all. What’s weird to one person might just be the right fit for someone else.

So if the traditional methods of studying just aren’t doing it for you, experiment with these!

The worst that can happen is you spending an hour listening to blender noise.

But the best case? You aced that final.

Feature photo courtesy of Unseen Studio via Unsplash

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