An aspect of college that all students face is studying. Whether you enjoy it or not, it is necessary to get the degree you desire. Throughout my time as a college student in the STEM field, it is something I must do daily.  

One aspect that many individuals do is equate the number of hours studied to how well they think they will do on their exams. You will commonly hear, “Oh, I studied this number of hours for this exam. I feel very prepared.” It is often an outrageous number that is not required.  

Before you approach studying, you must understand what type of learner you are.  

You may be a visual learner which entails looking at diagrams, having color-coded notes, etc.  

Some learners require a hands-on approach meaning they need to try to do something to learn it.  

Some auditory learners benefit from watching tutorials or listening to audiobooks to retain information.  

Finally, some individuals learn best from reading information. After reading the information, they tend to rewrite the information to ensure they have a firm understanding of the material. 

Determining what type of learner you are, will help you tailor your study routine. Also, understanding that you may not fit under one category is important. 

I am a visual and auditory learner who benefits from rewriting information. 

Knowing my learning style helps me to study. Since I am a visual learner, I rely on drawing material out on my whiteboard. Seeing information on the whiteboard in color helps me better understand it.  

The key thing that I do is to put the information in my own words. This way I can ensure that I know the information well enough to explain it to someone else.  

By attempting to put it in my own words, I can sort out areas that I did not understand previously.  

Being able to understand the material is crucial rather than regurgitating information. Critical thinkers can learn the material and apply concepts. Employers look for individuals who can think quickly and use what they know to solve problems. 

Turning your learning style from someone who regurgitates facts into someone who understands and can apply information will revolutionize your learning experience. 

This leads to where being an auditory learner ties in. In areas where my knowledge is lacking, I rely on rewatching lecture videos if my professor provides them, YouTube videos, or I often record my lectures if the professor allows it so I can listen to the material again.  

At this point, if there are concepts that I still do not understand, I will ask a friend or go to the STEM center for further clarification. 

To solidify this information, I use my whiteboard again to recall information. After writing as much information as I can recall, I take a different color marker and fill in the information that I missed. Then, I will highlight the information in my notes that I forgot and only review that. This is because if I could confidently recall the information once in theory, I can recall this again. 

This ties in with understanding the concept of the forgetting curve. Essentially, once you learn something it will be fresh in your memory. Gradually over time, you will slowly forget until the information is reviewed again.  

To alleviate the forgetting curve, reviewing material each day for an hour is more beneficial than cramming the night before an exam.  

Constantly reviewing will keep the information fresh in your mind and allow you to make further connections within the material. 

Another key aspect of understanding in terms of studying that is not talked about enough is motivation and avoiding burnout.  

Managing your time efficiently is key to avoiding burnout. This will allow you to carve out time in your busy schedule for friends and other activities you enjoy while being able to keep up with the material.  

Dedicating large periods of time to study can be daunting, but you will thank yourself later once you receive that good exam score back.  

Romanticizing studying can be an effective way to encourage you to study for long periods of time. Going to study at a place you enjoy can be a reward. A few places that my friends and I enjoy are local cafés such as Ember and Forge and the Purrista Cat Café.  

Rewarding yourself with a coffee and a positive environment can make studying not feel like a chore that you need to do.  

Most importantly, it is important to believe in your capabilities. Studying the material is important, but if you do not believe you can learn the information this will become difficult. 

Know that you are capable. You are smart. You can learn anything you set your mind to. You got into this University because others thought you could achieve great things 

Utilizing your resources and believing in yourself will allow you to achieve the academic success you desire. 

Happy studying!