What's the best way to review and remember what I read?
I read textbook chapters and articles for school but a few days later I barely remember any of it. How do I actually retain what I read? Should I take notes, highlight, summarize, quiz myself? What's the difference between just reading something and really learning it?
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The library is full of free resources people forget about — encyclopedias, reference librarians who will literally do research for you, study guides. And the librarians are thrilled when someone actually asks for help. Don't be shy about it.
5 Answers
The library is full of free resources people forget about — encyclopedias, reference librarians who will literally do research for you, study guides. And the librarians are thrilled when someone actually asks for help. Don't be shy about it.
Break big assignments into small chunks with their own deadlines. 'Write a 20-page paper' is paralyzing. 'Write one paragraph today' is doable. The hardest part of any project is starting, so make starting as small and easy as possible.
I graduated college 5 years ago and wish I'd known this earlier: the specific knowledge you learn matters less than learning HOW to learn. Develop good study habits and critical thinking skills and you can adapt to any subject or career.
Strunk and White's 'The Elements of Style' is a tiny book that will make you a better writer almost overnight. Every student should own a copy. It's cheap, it's short, and the advice in it never goes out of date.
Don't pull all-nighters. The research is clear that sleep is when your brain actually consolidates what you learned. Studying until 3am and then taking a test exhausted is worse than studying less and sleeping. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.
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