STUDY TIPS

I'm definitely not the cleverest student, but I've been able to do reasonably well in school by studying. A lot. In high school and first-year university I was not an effective studier; it wasn't until second-year university that I figured out how to study. I don't like to think of the years prior to that as having been wasted with lacklustre studying; rather, it was during those years that I tried different study methods, eventually finding what worked best for me.

It is possible for anyone to learn anything -- and it is important to remind yourself of that. Sure, certain subjects may come easier to some people than others, but there is absolutely no inherent reason why you can't come to understand anything you set out to.

Often when I don't understand something it's because I've given up too early. Some things require a tremendous amount of persistence to reach the point where they "click". For me, it takes repetition. I know that I have to do hundreds of practice problems or draw out the same diagram several times. There's no denying that it's a lot of work. Eventually though, things will make sense to you -- and it will have been entirely worth it.

Remember, it is possible for you to learn anything.

Here are some study tips -- things that I have found work well for me. It would have been nice to have figured these things out in high school, so hopefully they may be useful to you if you're at that stage (or at any stage, really -- I still do all of these things!).

On getting organized to study:

• How To Make A Study Schedule
• DIY Clipboard Planner (With Printables)
• How I Organize My Student Agenda
• The Student Organizer Binder
• Getting Things Done

On studying:

• Study Tips, Part 1: Making Study Notes (& a few pages of my medical school study notes)
• Study Tips, Part 2: Quizzing Yourself
• Study Tips, Part 3: Where To Study
• Study Tips, Part 4: Picture Mnemonics
• Study Tips, Part 5: When To Study
• Study Tips, Part 6: Abbreviating Powerpoints or Textbooks Into Study Notes
• Study Tips, Part 7: Avoiding Distractions
• A Day of Studying with a Countdown Timer
• Studying in Residency
• Studying in Residency: Oral Exams

If you have any study tips or suggestions please feel free to leave them in the comments!