Study endurance?
- Thread starter weaksauce
- Start date
Sugar, caffeine, and regular breaks.
Well, no. IMO, they're essential to be productive. They're also the perfect time to fill up on sugar and caffeine. Just find something to do that's reasonably time-limited (10-25 minutes) and doesn't allow the mind to shift out. Read the newspaper, grab a coffee with a friend or coworker, watch a Simpson's episode, post on B3d, whatever.
I was always lazy and only made it thanks to my rather high IQ
If you steal my tactics one more time...
Seriously though, I got my certificates and diploma in IT purely through the use of 'social engineering', as our teacher told it. Say one thing, do another, give the impression of completion, get full marks. It's not to say that I didn't actually do the work or even hand it in, but he thought I did, and that's what mattered.
Have all the materials and food/drinks, put on some nice music, make all sort of fun study aids while you are studying. I always find that good happy atmosphere to be better. All my friends became rather gloomy around crunch time. For long hours I also find being alone is better than in study group, though I guess that depend on the subject. Being fit also help. Good luck.
Given that coffee/caffeine shrinks the blood vessels in your brain, is that necessarily good advice? (The withdrawal hangover/headache you get from not drinking coffee is just your blood vessels returning to their normal size
)UPDATE: There is some more info here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/best/caffeinebrain.shtml
I think that many people study for too long a periods of time, under the misguided impression that it you study for twice as long you absorb twice as much. I don't think this is correct, there's an upper limit to what you can absorb in a single sitting (unless you're a remarkable learner!).
Moreover I think there are optimal times to study; these vary from person to person. It's only natural to be more alert a some times of the day, and it's sensible to ensure that you're studying at these times. When you're less on the ball, don't try to study, take a few hours off and come back to it when you're feeling fresh. Don't try to study when you're feeling off the ball but pretend to yourself that you're doing useful stuff -- you're not.
Moreover I think there are optimal times to study; these vary from person to person. It's only natural to be more alert a some times of the day, and it's sensible to ensure that you're studying at these times. When you're less on the ball, don't try to study, take a few hours off and come back to it when you're feeling fresh. Don't try to study when you're feeling off the ball but pretend to yourself that you're doing useful stuff -- you're not.
Yeah, I should have qualified that. I'm not advocating anyone starting up on the brown, lifegiving nectar just for study purposes. Probably just my addicted mind failing to comprehend that some people just don't drink coffee to begin with... :smile:
I've read some other caffeine trials, though, and they have all seemed to use higher dosages than what I would consider 'casual coffee consumption'. That, and they might not take into the account the psychological/habitual/revitalizing effects of the coffee brake being an enjoyable activity (which can't be analyzed using a replacement/placebo).
tongue_of_colicab
Veteran
My study endurance is about 30 seconds. I seriously cant study, there just to much other stuff to do and because the schools i've been in were easy now I got a total lack of disipine. The problem with me is that in highschool I ended up at a low level (you got 3 here, I ended up in the lowest) because I had some problems in the first 2 years. But that was way to easy, I never botherd to learn paying some attention in class was enough to get good grades. For my exams I dont botherd styding either and ended up with the higher scores in class. Though that isnt something to be proud of considering how hard, or rather easy it was. Still some didnt manage to pass.
Anyway after that I went to IT school but because I only did the lower level of highschool I now again am at a lower level in college. For example, the first year I ''learned'' how to use office and install windows. Talk about a waste of time. Luckily I only got 1 year left and after that i'll finally be able to study something which I hopefully need my brain for. I'll either do 3d/game related study but they dont have alot of space so I cant be sure I can sign up for that, otherwise i'll go learn Japanese. I know its going to be a pain though, after doing nothing for 9 years and than suddenly having to learn on a daily basis.
Anyway after that I went to IT school but because I only did the lower level of highschool I now again am at a lower level in college. For example, the first year I ''learned'' how to use office and install windows. Talk about a waste of time. Luckily I only got 1 year left and after that i'll finally be able to study something which I hopefully need my brain for. I'll either do 3d/game related study but they dont have alot of space so I cant be sure I can sign up for that, otherwise i'll go learn Japanese. I know its going to be a pain though, after doing nothing for 9 years and than suddenly having to learn on a daily basis.
I was always pretty terrible about studying. I found the only way I could study was in a group. The easiest subjects for me to study were anything that involved problem solving where I could look over problems done throughout the course, or pick them at random out of a text. This is where I'd find group work most helpful, because you can help each other out and make sure you really understand what you're doing rather than just applying a solution blindly.
Mostly, I just never studied intensely. I took a lot of breaks and spent a lot of time wandering to look in the fridge, or probably browsing on these forums.
Edit: In highschool I NEVER studied and NEVER did homework and came out pretty well. It was definitely a bad thing once I hit university/college. You at least have to do the regular work to know what you're doing.
Mostly, I just never studied intensely. I took a lot of breaks and spent a lot of time wandering to look in the fridge, or probably browsing on these forums.
Edit: In highschool I NEVER studied and NEVER did homework and came out pretty well. It was definitely a bad thing once I hit university/college. You at least have to do the regular work to know what you're doing.
DudeMiester
Regular
After 3 or 4 hours, my brain gets seriously full, and I need to take at least an hours break. Other than that, I can study all day!
Work for an hour, take a ten minute break, work for an hour, take a ten minute break, etc etc
I've seen the research on memory retention, and so forth, but I don't buy it. When I was in college/grad school I pulled many all niters studying for a test and more or less every second counted. I certainly wouldnt retain the material very long once the test was done, but it did serve to up my score for the actual examination.
Caffeine works for a few extra hours, if you are tired, but after awhile you just can't shake the sleepy feeling and adding extra caffeine basically only makes you shake more. Thats the point where you go to sleep/take a nap or something.
Then one day I realized it was simply easier to go over my notes once every 3 days ritualistically for like 20 minutes. Then come test time, I hardly had to study at all.
I've seen the research on memory retention, and so forth, but I don't buy it. When I was in college/grad school I pulled many all niters studying for a test and more or less every second counted. I certainly wouldnt retain the material very long once the test was done, but it did serve to up my score for the actual examination.
Caffeine works for a few extra hours, if you are tired, but after awhile you just can't shake the sleepy feeling and adding extra caffeine basically only makes you shake more. Thats the point where you go to sleep/take a nap or something.
Then one day I realized it was simply easier to go over my notes once every 3 days ritualistically for like 20 minutes. Then come test time, I hardly had to study at all.
Every time i get stuck on a Maths question i just don't want to study that topic
I am currently stuck on differentiation question(nice), best thing for me is to move on to other topics (classical mechanics)
edit: I got stuck on mechanics as well It is so hard taking on maths without any teachers
edit2: I finally solved differentiation problems!
I am currently stuck on differentiation question(nice), best thing for me is to move on to other topics (classical mechanics
)edit: I got stuck on mechanics as well
It is so hard taking on maths without any teachers edit2: I finally solved differentiation problems!
Last edited by a moderator:
I find it most effective to keep a constant low level activity when I'm not actively studying. Take a walk, have some coffee, go cook dinner, play a game that doesn't prevent you from thinking of other things(single player games like diablo, stepmania or doom, juggling or playing a tune you already know on a musical instrument).
Whatever you do, keep chipping away at things you don't understand and keep checking for contradictory ideas and immediately try to resolve them; when you feel that you need more material or need pen and paper, matlab or other tools to keep going drop what you're doing and get to it. The earlier you identify misunderstandings and fix them the less they will come back to haunt you.
Bigus Dickus
Regular
Time and necessity is a great motivator. The only motivation for me studying regularly and in a disciplined way is knowing that it will save me from the "cramming" later if I don't. However, I find that I'm much more efficient in utilizing time to remember things if I know that this is it, down to the last day/hour/whatever, and I won't get another chance to learn the material before being tested on it.
Things were pretty easy through undergrad and my engineering master's, but med school is a bit different. The material isn't that difficult at all, but the volume is a bit insane at times. My "cramming" sessions now have to start some 48 hours before a test and I have to go non-stop if I want to at least read through all the material before test time. 24 if I just want to concentrate on condensed or highlighted portions of notes that I think are more critical. Obviously I don't aspire to to that kind of marathon studying, so despite my nature I do try now to put in a few hours at least a few times a week. But, when push comes to shove, I can stay focused and continue learning for I'd say a good 24 hours stretch. Get a two hour nap and I'm good for another day. And then dead for two or three...
Like Fred, I find that every second I feel I'm getting benefit out of the study. I have a great short term memory, and in the case of med school the challenge is often just getting through the volume of material at least once... I guess it isn't quite the focus and concentration you need to, say, solve a cosmology problem... or actually practice medicine.
Stay away from majors that require memorization. Physics was my cup of tea since all could be derived from a few first principles. Also, profs clue you in to what's important to them in "artsy" or non-scientific classes. I once saved $300 in political science books by simply regurgitating the profs opinions on tests and orals. Did the same in a sociology class once too...
Other than that, coffee, soda and doritos...
Other than that, coffee, soda and doritos...
tongue_of_colicab
Veteran
I dont make notes because im lazy but it does help. By nature you remember things better when you write them down even if you not look at it afterwards but it also help when you want to look up things. Taking a look at your notes is alot easier than having to search your book for the information you want.
