Hi guys! Today I want to share with you my techniques in studying for my midterms. I’ve been doing this strategy with most of my classes for almost 5 years now, and it works! (I mean I wouldn’t be doing it if it doesn’t work, and I wouldn’t share it with you also LOL!) So, if you’re looking for a new study technique, here’s something to consider :) And as always, just add other study techniques you do that works for you! I’d like to try those out as well!

1. GO TO CLASS. I like going to class because I like to take good notes. Whenever I skip class, I would have to get other people’s notes, and sometimes it’s hard to understand and follow their notes. So GO TO CLASS AND TAKE NOTES! Also, taking notes will prevent you from falling asleep. 

2. Draw on your notes. I’m a very visual learner, so I like to see things to understand things. LOL. 

3. Read the book. Especially with bio classes, there’s always usually a crap of terms to understand and memorize. The best way for me to learn is to understand the story behind the processes that are going on. Reading your notes is one thing, but (for me) it doesn’t give me a comprehensive idea of what’s going on. That’s why I read the book. I don’t pay attention to every detail they mention, just the ones that are on my notes. This way, I can have a deeper understanding about the biological mechanisms that we learn in class. For me, this works better than just memorizing my notes straight up! When I purchased my book, it came with an online copy, which helps so I don’t have to carry my big book around! :)

4. Annotate your notes. Once I’ve read the important parts in the book, I annotate my notes, using a different color from my notes. This is where the colorful pens and highlighters come in! I annotate based on what I learn from the book, which helps me understand my notes more. 

5. Type up your OWN notes. After I annotate, I like to type up my notes for several reasons. One, I like to have an electronic copy so that whenever I need to look at previous notes, it’s very easy to find. So my notes become another resource! Two, I learn a lot by writing out my notes in my own words. This is usually the most time consuming part, but the process itself is a learning experience for me. I feel like I’ve learned a lot just when I finish typing up my notes! Three, since my notes are generally more concise than my class notes, it’s more convenient to bring anywhere. After I print my notes, I just bring them everywhere! (yes, even to the bathroom LOL) 

NOTE: I don’t use this technique for classes that are not heavy on information, like organic chemistry. For those classes, what works for me is to write out mechanisms over and over again, and answering practice problems. Also note that most of studying shouldn’t be plain memorizing concepts, but understanding them. You’ll be able to retain the information longer because you know why a certain mechanism or biological process is occurring. Once you understand them, memorizing comes a lot easier!

Thanks for reading, and I hope it helps! Good luck studyblrs you guys are great!