Blizzhackers

I was thinking about studying techniques and I've realized that after 4 years, I still don't have a solid method for studying in university. My approach has always been to go through all of the lectures, write important key notes and definitions, then read the new notes over and over again. Eventually my mind recognizes phrases, but I still need to use repetition to memorize everything word for word.

I've found that other memorizing techniques don't work for me and word association doesn't do much. Mid-terms are easier to prep for, but finals can be psychologically rough because there's so much material.

Anyways, what approach do you take? Is it different for varying subjects? I'd like to try out a new strategy.

During my last few months at uni I realized the best way to study for me:
1) Go to class (duh obvious, but not being there can fuck you over hard if you decide to skip)
2) Write all the notes in a composition notebook (any notebook would work, composition is just cool cause they're cheap and you can dedicate one to a class), ignore all the lecture notes posted online as much as possible until step 4)
3) Type up your hand written notes while going over everything again, emphasizing on things the professor said was extra important
4) Go back through your lecture slides and read how they correspond to your typed notes. Add anything you might have missed to the typing
5) After studying the typed notes with the slides as well as the book to make sure they're comprehensive, go back and retype the notes into a more condensed version. At this point you should have a solid grasp on the material, so feel free to leave things out that you have on lockdown. Take this condensed version and highlight only the most key points you know will be on a test. Also, underline portions you don't quite understand so you can go back and look them up again.
6) Ace test

It's a lot of work and I didn't do it for every test but it worked for me. Most of it is repetition

When I re-read notes for an exam, I write all the important concepts and formulas on scrap paper and pin it to the board right above my computer. That lets me look up and get little reminders any time I'm on the computer or just in my room.

i read lecture slides for maybe like a few minutes and then play games/browse for like an hour.

I don't really study at all since most of the stuff I study seem pretty easy, except for some math. Though when I do study the method varies depending on if it's languages, math or biology etc.

The only language I'm studying now is Swedish (which is retarded but will help me find a good job in Finland / northern Europe). Studying languages I do this 3 day thing, which has worked pretty well so far. Obviously this is done max 5 days before the test.
1. I go over all the basic stuff first, memorize a shitload of words.(everyone has a different way of memorizing things)
2. Recap the basic stuff, move on to more advanced stuff. Recap all the words of day 1 and learn some more. Take a break and recap the advanced stuff + new words.
3. Recap basic and advanced stuff. Recap all the words. Do some exercises from the book(s) and read magazines or watch news.
This should work for lazy students like myself who don't feel like reading for weeks. Though if you quit studying the language for some time you will probably forget all the advanced stuff and most words. To really learn one must at least read in said language nearly every day. Repeat day 3 until the test if needed.

May post other studying methods l8r, gotta sleep.

1) Do the reading BEFORE class (important).
2) Take notes in class.
3) Re-read your notes within 24hrs of writing them - write down important points.
4) Go back to the text and see if you understand it (if you don't, seek help from tutor/prof/ta etc)
5) Organize your thoughts (holistic approach to your subject is important)
6) Create a list of notes that link together
7) Practice problems.
Relax.

Honestly though most undergrad courses you should be fine by just taking complete notes.

Read ahead, attend lectures, make notes and do a bit of reading after class.

If I don't do these things I fail a course

if you can recall it then you got it

I read the material before lecture then skim it before the test. Look at old tests if they're available. Go over notes and do practice problems if there are techniques that I need to learn. Otherwise I just try and go through and find the topics that I haven't mastered yet.

I did this for my computer architecture class (hardest class I took in undergrad), and it worked pretty well.

1. Go to class.
2. Smoke weed (not even kidding) right before going to bed
3. Do homework/study right before bed
4. Sleep

When you sleep, you'll end up obsessing/dreaming about what you did right before you fell asleep. In this case, I literally dreamt in binary for 8 hours, and thoroughly understood everything when I woke up.

Might not work forneveryone obviously (especially if you don't smoke often). But it did for me.

Cramming is horribly inefficient unless you're on addy. I'm graduating magna cum laude and these are my tips:

1) Studying nonstop for longer than 45 minutes is dumb. You need to take a break every hour. Go check your facebook, watch an episode on Netflix, etc..
2) Reword the material you're studying in your brain. ie, If I see "a+b=c" I'll tell myself "Alright. if a+b=c then a=c-b"
3) RIGHT before you go to sleep have a quick 10-20 min review of the material. As soon as you wake up look at it again.

i dropped out of school so i dont have to study. studyings for bitches