Study Methods to Earn a Perfect Score

I am in eighth grade this year, and that means more attention toward studies. Until last year I was a free bird. Didn't study much and just wrote the tests blindfolded. But all things changed this year. Automatically, I became more studious after enrolling in a tuition class. My parents also encouraged me to take up different study techniques to improve myself. So after some research, I formulated my methods. And after a semester in school, I can proudly say that all of them worked and I did really well in my exams! Also, you don't need to follow these methods only for exams, they should be applied to everyday life, for any milestone. 

Here are the study methods (tested and great results received) which I followed. 

1. A Place to Call Your Own.                         
2. NO DISTRACTION
3. Good Routine
4. The 'Tomato'
5. 3 Rs 
6. Kanban Method 
7. Mind Mapping and PPTs 
8. The Day.

A Place to Call Your Own 

I didn't have a proper study table. Well, I had a table but it used to bore heaps of paper, stationery, books, and other miscellaneous items, with only a few centimeters left plain. I used to study everywhere, on the couch, in bed, and even on stairs. Hence, I was never able to concentrate. During the summer of 2020, I took up the challenge to cleanse my room and make it apt for studying, and that included my table. So now, my table looks tidy and it gives me the willpower to sit and study there for hours. 

Tip- Try to keep your table empty. Keep all stationery in a box aside and things that may make your mind wander in cupboards far away from sight. 

Here is a picture of how it looks right now:

NO DISTRACTION

When your table is all set up, make sure to keep all unnecessary things away, boxed up. 

"Out of sight, Out of Mind."

Keep your textbooks and notebooks on the side and remove all novels and storybooks. You can put up some quotes and motivational lines on the walls to add zeal. 

While studying, don't listen to music. It may be calming, but when the tunes fill up your mind, there wouldn't any place to fill with knowledge. Keep a bottle of water but not food (another source of distraction) and hydrate yourself regularly. Don't try to multitask by watching Netflix and study. If you are referring to YouTube videos for understanding, disable autoplay to prevent unrelated videos from flooding your mind. And after done, keep your phone away. 

Good Routine

Following a daily routine may seem lousy but it is very much needed to be on the path of success. I don't mean that you plan out what you are going to do every second of your day (spontaneity is necessary) but keeping structured times to study will give a push to your brain to come into the 'study state.' Identifying if you are a Night Owl or an Early Bird can also help you to set the time. This quiz may come in handy if you are puzzled- Early Bird or Night Owl. And remember just identifying the time ain't enough! You need to be ready to do some hard work😉. 

The 'Tomato'

This method is THE MOST EFFECTIVE one which has changed the way I study. Called the Pomodoro Technique (which means Tomato in Italian), it was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. This technique is applied by dividing your work time into intervals of 25 minutes, separated by 5-minute breaks. You study for 25 minutes and take a short break to walk around, stretch, and feel better. 

I was introduced to this by my father when I was very young but I discovered its full potential when I took a course on Coursera called 'Learning to Learn.' This helped me greatly and gave me some clarity on all the subjects. 

You can either set a timer following the above guidelines or download the app from Play Store or App Store. 

This is how the app looks:

There are some other apps like Forest and Study Bunny which have slight variations and offer more features. 

3 Rs 

3 Rs stand for Regularity, Revision, and Recall. This was coined by my father and it is also vital to a good study session. But what do these words really mean? 

 

Regularity.

Study every day, no matter what. At least try to open the book for half an hour and make some notes. Study whatever has been done in class that day, so that while preparing for exams, chapters don't heap up! When you follow this, all that you study becomes embedded in your mind and you will never forget it. 

Revision 

In your daily routine, keep half an hour at the end of the day just to revise whatever you are studying. In this way, you can doubly learn and cross-check with yourself, if you really have learned something that day. 

Recall 

Keep recalling whatever you have studied throughout the course of the day; keep thinking about it, so that you don't forget. 

Kanban Method 

This is a technique that was again taught to me by my parents. I learned this recently and it has already brought me laurels. A very simple technique, which needs a little bit of 'craft.' 

Method to make a Kanban Board

Materials: A chart paper (color: your choice), a marker, ruler (to draw lines), and some colorful post-it notes.

Divide your chart paper into four columns by drawing lines with your marker and ruler. Name them as 'Backlogs,' 'To-Do,' 'Work in Progress' and Done; respectively. This is your board. 

How to use it? 

In Backlogs, using post-its write the subjects you are going to study. E.g Math, Hindi, Physics, etc. 

In To- Do, write the chapter in the subject you want to cover (color coding it will be efficient). 

When you are studying the particular chapter, transfer the post-it note to Work in Progress and when you are satisfied, post it in Done. 

Only when you have transferred all the post-its to the Done column, remove them all and start anew! 

This is how my Kanban Board looks like:

This will help you maintain your study timetable. 

Mind- mapping and PowerPoint presentations

In our school, we are encouraged to make pencil notes while the teacher is explaining. They ask us to write in bulleted lists, flowcharts, and Mind Maps. I was introduced to mind maps at an early age, but I didn't understand the point of it. It looked like a tree with swaying branches😂. However last summer, I attended a program for mind maps and was enthralled by the wonder of what these charts hold! You can express ideas, show a chain of thought, and also list down things in a more creative way! Hence, I started using mind maps to study. 

Another method I figured out is PowerPoint presentations. I absolutely LOVE designing slides and making them eye-catching, so one day a thought flew into my head- "Why not make PPTs for studying, like the way teachers do to teach us!" 

And then as a revision, I jotted down all my learnings in stunning PowerPoint presentations which I share with my parents😄😁. 

The Day

The most important day. The day where all your hard work is converted to the sweets of success. Feeling nervous is totally acceptable and also human nature. 

I have never been the kind of person who studies at the last minute before writing the paper and honestly, it isn't good to do it. The pressure is the last thing you need before attempting an exam. 

Last tips.

Be confident: You have done well by studying and just trust yourself to finish the tests with flying colors. 

Step away from the book: Recall; don't open the book to revise again. Just keep thinking over and over again about what you have studied. 

Notes: If you really feel that you want to read before attempting the test, look at the colorful mindmaps which you have created. They will give some tranquil thoughts. 

And finally: Stay composed. 

Before I conclude this article I want to share a few extra things. 

'Exam Warriors' a book, written by PM Shri Narendra Modi is one book that has made an impact on my life. Beautifully articulating Exam tips and tricks, it involves fun activities. You can also connect with other people who use the book through the Narendra Modi app. It is a must-read! 

Secondly, on Coursera, there is a course called 'Learning How to Learn' which is offered by McMaster University and the University of San Diego, California, and taught by Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski which is based on the book called the same. 

A short course of 4 weeks it gives a scientific basis for all the popular study methods. 

Here is the link to access it: Leaning How to Learn

Finally, Practice these methods regularly to become an effective learner. 

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” – Albert Einstein

I hope you enjoyed this write-up (this is different from what I have written before 😊). 

Hope you find this helpful🙃. 

May the Force be with you..