How to study

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What is learning?

It is a transfer of knowledge. Don't be afraid of it.

Don't be afraid of teachers. They are here to transfer their knowledge to you. Whenever you don't understand something ask them. Don't be afraid or ashamed to ask. Others probably want to ask
something but they are too shy about it about it :) .



Our schools mostly make learning boring, not lovable activity. It should be fun. :) School should be fun.

Learning new things should be fun. Yes, really :).

Remember how much different it is when you are learning something you WANT to learn?



You can compare learning with somewhat more intense googling for stuff. Not really, but the basics are the same. You learn new facts.



Some people love playing video games. They could play them 24/7. They wake up, eat, play games, eat, go to bathroom, play games, go to sleep :) . Repeat tomorrow. I was like that when I was
younger.

Imagine if people studied with that much zeal.



Why should you try for University?



When you are not supported financially by your parents, and that day will come, you will have to have a job, to support yourself financially.

If you have University education, it will be like you "get a better job" card.

You will magically skip all the others with just a high school diploma. It does not mean you will definitely get a job, but your chances of getting a (better) job will be better.

Otherwise you will probably be the lowest rank in the company or your department, and everyone will order you around. You don't want that, do you?

If you don't believe me, try to find (summer) job with just a high school diploma. You will see the choices you have. Do you want to do that all your life? Didn't think so. :)



Besides, living in a college dorm, away from your parents will be a chance for you to see what you are made of.

What is real life like.

What is it like when YOU have to take care of you.



And one more thing: when employers are looking for the employees, the University diploma means that someone is hard working and ambitious, and has self discipline.

You don't have to be in the exactly same area they are looking for, but it helps if you are.

Some people end up in a totally different area than the one they went to school for. But this is not recommended.



Choosing what to study



Don't choose something you don't like, or something because "there is money in it".

I choose English Lit, cause i thought it was convenient. My English was ok, and so...

But I figured out I don't really WANT to study English writers, and literature. So I quit, and enrolled IT.



If you choose Economics, just because you think there is money in it, my guess your every day going to work will be like: "Oh, no, I have to do to another day of (my boring) work".

(If that happens, try to find another work, and quit the first one. AFTER you find second one :) )

Or just enroll to something LIKE.



If you choose something you like, your every day will be: "Hm, I wonder what I could do at work today. What will happen today?"

It could be you will go to work with a smile on your face. That depends of the employer too. :)

Try to make hobby your work, and you will enjoy every day of it.



So choose wisely. YOU choose! You make a choice! Not your parents, or your aunt.

Don't choose something because your older brother or sister choose it, and you want to be with them.

That is the wrong reason. Choose with your heart. What makes you tick? Is there anything you like?

Something you could do for the rest of your life?
Or something as close to it as possible?

Remember to have fun :)







and now, moving to...



Studying for the exam:



-Hardest part is to start. Sometimes people imagine the subject is difficult, even if it is not. Math being the prime example. :)

And then, when they "get it", they say "This is so simple". :)

It happened, I was there :).

Not everything is so simple, but not all of it is mind breaking difficult. It was made by humans, for humans :).

If others could pass the exam, so can you :) .

That is if you want to pass. If you don't want to be an architect, don't go to school for architects :)

If you can, choose the high school you want. And University. Especially University.



-Persuade yourself you want to learn this, that this subject is fun.

Have you noticed how much easier it is to learn something you want to learn, than something you have to learn?



-Say to yourself: This will be a wonderful adventure.

This is like going through the map (the book),to the end line/goal. (end of the book).

Visualize the picture of you traveling and the map :)

Say: "I wonder what this book holds. I want to learn this, what is inside."



-Clear your mind

Clear everything else from your mind. Do not think about the present or the past. Focus on now, here.



-Program yourself to learn

Tell yourself: I will learn everything I read from this book.



-Read the material, say it, check if it correct. Say it again.



-Make notes of the most important parts of the studying material, if the material is big.

You can do this on the computer, just don't let the surfing part take you away.

You can check your notes later, and go again over the most important parts.



-Know what you are studying.

If you learn that something is divided into four part , make sure you know WHAT is divided.

What you are talking about. You can try using mind maps to help you organize data

To visualize relation of parts to whole, or one part to eachother in the whole areo of study.



-Time your study.

Use a stop watch. Set it to 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, make a 5 min pause.

This will divide your studying time into units.

You will not feel like you study all day, and that your the study will never end.

There is a technique called "The Pomodoro Technique". Look it up.



-Start early.

Plan to finish studying a day earlier. Don't leave everything for the last day. Don't expect yourself to study

12 hours a day, each day.

Stop watching tv or playing video games the study days. They take too much time.

If you have to, say to yourself: "Leisure time after 8 pm, (or 10pm)"

By that time you will probably be tired to continue. Or maybe not :).



-Organize your time. Say: "I will not study after 8pm", so you do not delay the start of they study.

You can use an alarm clock to sound the start, so you don't delay the start.





-Broaden your horizons.

Don't stay at what is in the book. Check out internet or wikipedia, or Khan academy.



-Math

When working the math examples/problems, feel free to look up solutions at the back of the book. You are supposed to learn the PROCESS.

The result is .... well result of the process.

Even math teachers sometimes look up the solution on the back. Why? Because they want to learn/remind themselves of the process of solving the mathematical problem.

So they can solve the similar ones, after that. It is easy if you know the process how to solve that type of the exam.

Looking up results is, of course, not allowed on the exam. :)



-Ask for help

If you do not know something, or if something is too difficult to learn,

ask for help form your parents, colleagues or professors.

Don't be afraid to ask the teacher if you don't understand something, or if you have a question.

They are here to teach you.





-Classical music

Some reports say listening to classical music before and during study can help retain knowledge.

Try and see if you like it. If not, don't. Don't repeat the same song too many times.



-Visualize success on the exam (even while studying.)

Visualize yourself passing the exam. You can even try to visualize what questions will be on the exam :).

Oral or written. Don't even think of the possibility to fail. Banish the thought! :)



-Make a half an hour break after the meal. Your body needs energy and time to process food.







The Exam:



-If you take exam on the second term, try to find questions from others who were on the first term.

Or Google for previous terms exams and/or questions. :)  But font just rely on these. You HAVE TO study to pass.

If you do not study, "you shall not pass" :), as simple as that. :)

Try to prepare the best you can, and maximize your chances to pass the exam.

That does not mean cheating. Don't cheat. You will be caught, and suffer the consequences. 

Rather spend that time on studying. 



-Don't try to copy form others.

You will probably be caught, and escorted out, with our exam nullified.

You are under no obligation to give answers of the exam questions to others, during the exam. Doing so, will probably get you both escorted out.

You shouldn't actively try to harm them, though.



-If you have an oral exam, pick a spot, look at it and concentrate on it while answering a question.

You might get confused if keep looking at the teacher's eyes.

End each sentence with a stop. Don't act confused. Talk loud and clear.



-Never say: "I don't know", even if you are unsure about the answer.

Most teachers want you to pass, and will try to help you to pass.

If you say "I don't know", they can't help you.



-If you don't know something on the written exam, skip it and come back to it later. Don't lose time on it.

You can come back to it later.



-Trust your gut feeling. Sometimes on the exam you will ask your self the basic question about some area.

Trust your gut feeling, your instincts on what is correct.

Sometimes it might help to imagine yourself back at home, after the exam is over. Which answer would you choose then, at the security and calmness of your house?



Think calmly. Take a deep breath. Be calm. YOU KNOW you know the answer! Don't even think about any other option!

Remember!

But you can only remember if you studied, so ... study! :) Prepare yourself for the exam.

Good luck! :)



Results:



-If you fail an exam, it is not the end of the world. You are not the first or the last.

You will have another term to try again. Learn from your mistakes, and learn the answers to the questions you did not know.





In the classroom:



-Don't miss classes. You will lose connection to the classmates, the material, and the teacher.

You won't know when the exam is, or what was studied last time.

So, don't miss them. If you have to, for some reason, ask someone for the textbook of the lessons you missed.



-Learn from other people's answers

Listen while others are answering questions. You can learn from their answers.

Teacher will probably repeat questions.



-Sit at the front row, so you can see and hear better. You will also pay more attention, and learn more on classes.

Try not to talk to your friends during classes, or surf, or sms.

Teacher came here to teach you, so show a little respect. If someone tries to talk to you constantly, answer in

short sentences, make shh sing (put your finger over your mouth), and or show on the teacher.

Or say: "Just a sec, let me hear this", or "I really want to hear this, please hold on".



-If you know something say it. If you say it and the teacher does not react, it is probably the wrong answer.

The teacher heard you once already, so don't push it. :)



-Don't envy others, if they understand something BEFORE you do.

They are not trying to annoy you. :)



You might be tired, or not concentrated on the subject.

Just examine the subject more, concentrate on it, or ask from help.

It's ok to ask for help if you don't understand something.

Each person has it strengths, so just take it easy. :)







Homework:



-Homework: You are not doing your homework for your teacher, you are doing if for YOURSELF.

YOU are the one that will benefit from solving examples, and learn easier and sooner.

Teacher already knows the subject, the material.

I suggest you do it. If you do not know how, ask your friends for help, or ask the teacher to explain it on the next class.

But ask your friends first, and do it at home first.

That is why it is called homework :)





Remember to have fun, and to let your ideas flow.

Experiment with your ideas. That is what they are for :)