You dedicate yourself to your studies and try to absorb as much knowledge as possible. But there is so much information at the same time that it is not always easy to deal with all the subjects. In this case, the ideal is to seek tips and alternatives to learn better and faster.
Instead of racking your brains over concepts that seem impossible, using other techniques can make all the work easier. In addition to understanding more easily, you will keep all information fresh in your head. Too much, isn’t it?
And to find out how to do that, we’ve separated 5 tips for you to learn better and faster. Note: pay close attention to tip #3!
1. Take advantage of the various methods to learn
Each person learns in a way. There are people who get along better with certain techniques, while for others they don’t help at all. This is normal and can happen to you too.
The good thing is that there are several methods and you can use many of them — it’s called multimodality. By exploring each path in your own way, knowledge building is much smoother.
Discover the learning possibilities
It’s very common to associate reading with studies, isn’t it? But in addition to this option, there are those who do well with videos , while other people rock listening to podcasts or rewriting the acquired information. There is no shortage of alternatives and understanding how they work for you is the first step to speeding up your process.
Identify what’s best for you
Among the tips to learn better and faster, you have to find the “combination” that fits your style. Perhaps you enjoy writing and reading or using visual aids alongside reading. Test and see what else suits your needs!
2. Take handwritten notes while studying
As we said, writing is one of the many ways to learn. But how to do this when you are studying? Taking notes is the best way out! By putting pen to paper, you can “record” the thoughts that arose while exploring the material. You know that trick that was clear with an explanation? You should write it down so you can remember it later.
After creating this habit, you will see how simple it is to return to the topic and find out what it is all about. With the habit it will be easier and easier to identify which are the most valuable and important information to take note of during your learning.
Make highlighter your best friend
Adding some color can be the ideal alternative to make your study and notes interesting. Then, use the highlighter to highlight important terms, concepts, keywords, and what needs more attention. Just be careful not to overdo it and mark everything as important. Just focus on what’s relevant, right?
Create summaries and mind maps
In addition to the notes in the content, gather everything in one tool. Summaries help to give an overview of the topic from your perspective and are a great way to keep your memory fresh. Mind maps have a visual impact that is great for recording certain schemas or processes. So, don’t give up these alternatives!
3. Don’t ignore the importance of revising after studying
After receiving the content in the classroom, it is necessary to reinforce the learning. The review serves exactly to fix the concept in your mind and allow you to easily remember it when you need to use it.
The review is amazing because it doesn’t take so much time, if you have studied the content well. It still gives excellent results, it’s one of the great tips to learn better and faster.
Vary the subjects that will be reviewed
At the beginning we said that there is a lot of information and materials. So, when reviewing, you need to pay attention to them all. As time is short and you have other responsibilities to fulfill, it is best to create a plan to review a topic each day. By reviewing a little bit at a time, you’ll learn about everything you need to know!
Do not leave to the last minute
The review will only be really effective if it is done over time. So, no letting the deadline get tight, okay? Review a few minutes a day rather than drowning in summaries for hours on the eve of an exam.
4. Create a study plan
It is not enough to have all the tools and the best techniques. If you don’t have organization, it will be very difficult to control all formulas, concepts and other knowledge. So, it is essential to create a study plan.
By organizing your studies in the most appropriate way, you will always keep up with your learning. Besides, it’s a way of not forgetting anything, which is super important.
Gather materials that can help each other
Like Romeo and Juliet, beans and rice, Physics and Mathematics subjects were made for each other. Portuguese and Writing are also all about, as are Chemistry and Biology. To create a logical learning sequence, there is nothing better than joining similar subjects. By setting up your study plan like this, the brain can handle the various information more smoothly.
Don’t forget the exercises
Determining how many pages to read or how many summaries to do is critical. However, remember that study also includes practice. So, be sure to add a little space for exercises. When solving the questions, you will find the main doubts and still discover what you have already been able to understand.
5. For the hardest subjects, teach someone
Despite the good techniques, there’s always that subject that gets on your feet, isn’t it? It’s normal, but you can get around with tips to learn better and faster. Instead of running away from the topics that bring difficulty, dedicate yourself to teaching the subject to someone.
That’s right! In this “teacher” moment, you will be able to be sure of what you have learned and which points still need reinforcement. You can explain to parents, cousins, friends and even in the mirror — the important thing is to do it!
Put together a presentation
To make the moment of teaching even better, how about preparing a presentation? It doesn’t have to be anything very produced, but just sharing the content makes it easier for the learner and for you, who explains. With this exercise, it is possible to notice that the difficulty on the subject decreases!
Find key learning points
For a person to understand what he wants to explain, it is essential to know the “pillars” of information. Take the time to find the essential concepts and study them carefully. This will facilitate the explanation and, of course, strengthen your learning.