<p>Before this year I maintained a fair GPA, usually got A's and a B or two, though it's my sophmore year, and I have gotten a D+ in pre-IB chem, and am pretty much about to do just as bad in my second term of it. Before now I have never needed to study, and I believe it has hurt me badly, as it seems that I have no study skills. I need some advice on studying, as well as how badly this will effect my future for college. I am also seeming to struggle in my German 3 class ( It's just stupid, we have a 400 question test, and need a maximum of 10 wrong in order to pass it, or it's an automatic E. ) and I am horrified, as I have taken it already three times over, and still cannot pass the thing for the life of me.</p>
<p>No suggestions at all? Lovely.</p>
<p>OK for me when I study I compile a list of things that are majorly important. For example, talking about the Middle Ages with like Charlemagne. If I can’t name one thing about Charlemagne without looking at my notes, I’m not even close to ready. You should be able to look @ a main idea or concept and be able to list off things about it without notes. If you can do this for everything and describe it in detail, then you’re definitely ready. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Thank-you for the information.</p>
<p>I just sit down and read the textbook. if there’s no textbook… well, I’m screwed for the class then :P</p>
<p>I’m a very visual learner so just the action of writing a study sheet usually helps me study. Not sure about others, but for me the effect is completely lost when I type it - must be handwritten, and I usually remember info better when it’s written “creatively”: for memorizing, say, the formulas for polyatomic ions in chem, I made flash cards with different colored markers. I end up subconsciously associating each one with a color, and I can kind of visualize the other side of the flashcard when I quiz myself.</p>
<p>Sometimes I make my study sheets on unusual papers - napkins, patterned stationery, pieces of cardboard - because it makes the topic stand out to me more, and then I remember it better.</p>
<p>For more conceptual topics or subjects like history, I like to be able to write it all out and connect ideas with arrows, etc. Because I don’t usually have pieces of paper big enough to fit a whole chapter, I love using mirrors or windows! Sounds silly, but dry-erase markers come off just fine from glass and mirrors (although sometimes you might need a little Windex), and it’s really helpful to be able to see everything on such a large scale!</p>
<p>If you’re studying something more long-term, you can write out your “study sheet” on a bathroom mirror and just read over it while you brush teeth and get ready in the morning - though if you’re a guy (can’t tell from your username!), you probably won’t get in nearly as much “study time” as me this way! :)</p>
<p>If you’re a more auditory learner, I’ve heard of some people recording themselves reading important info out loud, and playing back the recording when they’re in the car, dozing off to bed, etc.</p>
<p>And as for German - I’m not sure of your exact level of fluency, but it might help to try to “think” in German occasionally. You know, “speak” your thoughts to yourself in your head, in German? Not sure if that would help you, but I know it has helped me become more fluid in my speech in French and Spanish. In language classes a lot of the time the focus is on grammatical structure and technicalities, but it’s just as important to be able to express what you want to say, and hopefully that will help you know what “sounds right” on German tests!</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>