<p>I honestly feel like I've never studied for a test in my life and I don't know how to either. I've always managed to get straight A's by reading the chapter/notes one or two nights before and then just remembering it. Well now I'm getting a B in AP Euro and I have no idea what else to do. I feel like my only option is to memorize the entire chapter which is not humanly possible. So how do you study without just rereading the book over and over?</p>
<p>Ok, well your title certainly doesn't match your post. </p>
<p>Well, reading is a form of studying, and you could evidently utilize a highlighter and sticky notes to accentuate the major points.</p>
<p>I go over my notes or the book and write down important points on a separate sheet of paper (or sheets if its a big exam). Not every test, but those I think I should study for. I usually start doing this the night before, but sometimes earlier if its big or in the morning if its really small. I then carry that sheet around with me and look over it a bit throughout the day until the test, then I throw it out and take the test. I was in you boat last year OP, and thats what I ended up doing.</p>
<p>Try studying over an actual period of time, not simply the day before. There have been studies that if you review the material the day you learned it for about 20 minutes, you retain 90~95% of it. But if you neglect to study, and wait the next day, it's likely that you'll only retain 10~20% of it (depending on your memory. Obviously, this is meant for normal students. The majority of us probably have a far higher recognition of material percentage :P). What I do is review my notes the day of for about 30 minutes, making sure that I can recite back the key parts without any needing a prompt (I only have 3 ~ 5 main parts usually). Then the next day, when I get new material, I study my old material for 5 minutes, and study the new material for 30 minutes. And then after that, I spend 5 minutes on ALL the previous material, and 30 minutes on the new one. The amount I study differs by class, but I find that constantly looking over the old material helps me retain that knowledge easily (Make sure everytime you look over the old material, you look at NEW things, not just the material you already know). Of course, practicing questions is helpful, and making your own question on the subject is probably the best way to know if you actually have a firm grasp on the material. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>studying isnt helpful, learning is.</p>
<p>^well obviously this post is asking what to do when you can't just naturally learn it</p>
<p>wat u have been doing is studying....</p>
<p>studying is memorization. and then you forget it all the day after the test.</p>
<p>^ Or studying is memorization, but not forgetting it all the day after the test. I prefer this one. It pays off in the long run :)</p>
<p>I guess it all depends on what the class is based on (lectures, powerpoints, handouts, textbook). Figure out which one and then the teacher is probably going to be teaching from that. Focus on that part, so if it's handouts organize your handouts and go through them. Read and highlight (or write down on a different sheet) the major points.</p>
<p>when you get hit with tests later on that deal with your application ability, memorization won't cut it anymore. you need to be prepared for that.</p>
<p>try writing things down too, like taking notes even if you wont look back at them, the action of writing it down might help you. Thats what i do during class so i never have to bother studying on my own time.</p>
<p>studying = taking in information, in a really condensed, generalized sense.</p>
<p>Studying is student and dying put together.</p>
<p>not cramming. It is called relearning and recalling. Everything is there. You have to just be able to call it back at the right moment (hopefully during the exam). I believe in socrates. </p>
<p>QED</p>