Cramming Study Techniques–What you need to know to Cram Info in Your Noggin in One Night

Freshmen year was the first year I really defined what worked and didn’t work for me studying. My roommate had techniques that worked for her, and were not effective (in the slightest) for me. In fact, her way of studying led to many of my unfinished assignments. MOST of my unfinished assignments. So, the other night (in my first cram session of the semester) I came up with this idea (probably because I was super tired)

The Frequent Cat Napper–

The frequent cat nap study session is structured like this. Study for 30 minutes. Sleep for 15 minutes. Study for an hour.Sleep for 15 minutes….This is repeated until time for the test.

In theory, the frequent cat nap technique should work because, you get the two things you want before an important test. Sleep and study. But for me, the cat nap has NEVER EVER succesfully worked. The reason it doesn’t work is because, I get so stressed out before a test, I can NOT fall asleep for 15 minutes. When the alarm clock rings for me to wake up, sometimes I can’t wake up, and just stay asleep. Really all that results is me getting a goodnights sleep, and wishing I had stayed up all night when I am staring at the test without any of the knowledge I need.

The All Night Spazz

“Hello local coffee shop. I don’t believe in decaf.”

The all-night-spazz is staying awake (no cat naps) with coffee. Just you and the text book and tons of caffeine. I think this works for people who do not completely SPAZZ out at the smallest amounts of caffeine. The last time I tried the all-night-spazz technique I nearly had a nervous-break-down, couldn’t breathe, and almost ended up in the emergency room. Of course no studying was done. This is the post I wrote the day after my spazzing

So both study techniques have their pros and mostly there cons. Honestly, trying to cram last minute study information is a con within itself. You can not learn 6 weeks of material into one all-night session, no matter how many stupid movies you’ve seen where this is succesful. My study techniques for all night cram sessions.
In order to maximize your study time:
Take a Nap Before the Study Session–By By Sleeping Schedule
If you know you’ve got a long study session coming take an early nap. (Like around 2:00 or 3:00 PM). The nap needs to last for 1 1/2 to 3 hours. The purpose of the early nap is to throw your sleeping schedule off. Once your schedule is thrown it will make the onset of sleepiness happen later into the nighttime. Thereby making you study more effectively in the night (for a longer period of time).

Do Your Study Preparation Beforehand

Ok…So, if you’re not a procrastinator make your index cards before 1 AM…But chances are if you’re studying late at night then you haven’t bothered to make those yet. At 1 AM the time for making study tools is a bit late. Unless you are a visual learner, and retain mass amounts of information by re-writing information g on to an index cards, Abandon hope of index cards. Just try to really understand the information

Know Where the Test Material Is Coming From

Does your professor test mainly out of the books???

Usually, you can tell by whether or not your professor references the book ALOT during class. If the professor wrote the book, then most of your test is coming from the book. If he/she talks about the book ALOT during the class then a good deal of your test material is probably coming from that. If your professor often criticizes the book, and doesn’t assign you much to read from the book then most of your test is coming from lecture.

In book studying–>Effectively

–Make sure you understand the terms

–Do the practice problems (Especially in math or Science)

–Answer the in-book questions

–Read the first and last paragraphs (at least) of every chapter.

–Some textbooks are a bit slanted in their ideas. I had one sociology book that only used Marxist rationalization for its articles. If you’re book is slanted towards a particular theory (most of the time you questions will also maintain that slant) And it helps in the fine art of bsing essay questions.

–If you have a study guide. DO THE STUDY GUIDE…

–Make sure you don’t know the definitions, but can apply it.

Thats the difference between college and highschool tests. College tests expect you to be able to apply the information not JUST regurgitate. You don’t need to know definitions word for word, as long as you understand its concept.

Lecture based Tests:

–What are the main ideas in each lecture?

–Main definitions…Certain words you recall hearing over and over again.

–What things are repeated in the lecture?

–What did your professor say was important?

–Remember how the examples were used, and in reference to what.

–Borrow notes for lectures you missed (I read a quote somewhere that said “90% of the tests are based on the one chapter you didn’t read, and the one lecture you didn’t attend) FILL IN YOUR MISSING NOTES.

Study for Your Test in an EFFECTIVE study group, but don’t forget to study by yourself.

I’m all for a little bit of studying in an EFFECTIVE study group. The main thing to know about study groups is that they can be AWESOME for learning the material, but they aren’t always effective. If you’re in a study group and you feel like you’re not learning/retaining information, your comrades aren’t taking your test as seriously as you are, you need to read to catch up, or your group is distracting you then you need to go study alone. Fine somewhere where people can’t find you. You need to make sure your study group is effective, because if it isn’t you’re wasting a lot of time when you could be learning about osmosis. Also, you can study in a study-group but make sure you get some ALONE study time. Alone study time is important, because you learn the most information alone without any distractions.

DO NOT STUDY IN Your Room, NEAR A COMPUTER, OR NEAR A PHONE

If you’re reading this right now while you’re supposed to be pulling an all-nighter this shows how the computer is DISTRACTING you. Computers are a great source of knowledge, but the World Wide Web is just a the World Wide Distraction while trying to study. You don’t need distractions. Learn what you can without the computer. when you need computer information (print it down before or after hand when you’re ready to leave the library.

Your room is filled with things you love. Do you think that all the things you love won’t be distracting when trying to study? Go far enough from your room that it takes effort to come back. Because you won’t get distracted with your room if you have to travel to get to it. The best place to study is a quiet corner of the library. A secret study spot where none of your friends know you are, so they can’t come distracting you. Once you find your secret corner you’ve got a great study space.

Try to get your professor to tell you what types of questions are on the test

If you can get your professor to tell you this answer you’ve hit gold. You know if you need to study on a broader bit of information,

Multiple Choice aka Multiple Guess

You just need to know how to apply the concept. Which answer is righter than others. Its an elimination process. If you get the concept you don’t need to know the definition word for word.

Fill in The Blank aka Pretend You know the Dash

These you’re probably going to need more exact information for. Study the things your professor REALLY REALLY harped on the best. Math questions you need to be able to apply information

Essays

Easiest thing in the world to bs. Study the main concepts discussed in class first. Then the more obscure ones. Make sure you know how every concept relates to the other one.

Most importantly if you fail your first test don’t get upset. Your second test you will do MUCH BETTER because you won’t procrastinate EVER AGAIN (after you’ve failed the first), and you’ll better understand your professors style of question asking so you will understand what to study, and the most effective way of taking notes.