Just some tips I wish I would have known or figured out about studying earlier.

Since I'm currently in the middle of exams, I'll keep this short and to the point.<br><br>Just some tips I wish I would have known or figured out earlier:<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>* AVOID the "I'll start tomorrow" mentality, it certainly can help sometimes, but more often than not it will put you in a situation where you have to cram and you will lose out on sleep and feel like crap. <br>* Pre-2020, I used to be a huge believer in notes apps and flashcard apps, they do offer a lot of cool things to help you study, however, I learned in 2020 that having physical notes flashcards, and study items really does help a lot.<br>* DO NOT DEPEND ON, YOU, or GOOGLE, DEFINITIONS. MOST OF THE TIME THEY ARE WRONG.<br>* 8.5 x 11 is not always the best size, I personally love flashcards that are 3x5, GREAT for carrying around and using flashcards on the go. I have also learned that different formats work for different things. For instance, I have some vocabulary words where 3x5 flashcards work, but then there are some subjects that I need to have a larger format to fit all the information on that is needed to be effective. DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHAKE IT UP FROM TIME TO TIME.<br>* Take breaks, take good breaks. One thing that I have learned is to take breaks well before you feel like you need to. I also used to have a mindset that if you are struggling to understand something that the best thing to do is to continue to hammer at it until you get it. However, this only leads to burnout and I have realized that sometimes the best thing you can do is to leave it alone for awhile and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes. Or even better, to take a break and let your brain have some time to assimilate the information. <br>* This is something that I wish I would have learned or figured out earlier. I tend to be less organized than I used to be, but so much more effective. If there is anything that I have learned in the last few years is that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS NO TIME. Even though it can be hard to find, there always seems to be a way to make the time. In other words, stop worrying about making time for studying, and instead just MAKE TIME TO STUDY. <br>* Be kind to yourself. I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older and I understand this better, but I've learned that the best way to get good at something is to first act like you suck at it, because you probably do to be fair. So don't be afraid to make mistakes, because they hold so much value and are the reason why we learn anything. You only learn from your mistakes. Don't let your mistakes discourage you.<br>* This last one is stupidly obvious, but I wish I would have figured it out sooner. Write in cursive, It doesn't matter how sloppy it is, it will help your retention so much. I have also found that it is quicker to write in cursive, it's also a great way to practice letters and to get your hands in shape if you're studying a language and need to learn a new alphabet. Also, if you have problems with letter/word retention, then it is especially important to write in cursive.<br>* I swear I thought this was a common sense thing, obviously, I was wrong. DO NOT WASTE, TIME, IN AVOIDING, WASTING TIME. I don't even know how to elaborate on this. For instance, Netflix is a huge time waster, but don't waste time wondering how many times you can check how long you have been wasting time. That only adds to the time wasted. Also, I've found that people who are "chronically late", even if they set their clocks ahead, they will still be late. This is the reason why, they are avoiding the issue. If you know you run behind, you will always be late.<br><br>I know a lot of these things can be seen as common sense, but to me, they aren't. I've learned a lot of these things in the last 12 months or so, and it has really helped me be a lot more productive and to study more effectively.