By Kelly Roell
Test Prep Expert
Sometimes you simply can't imagine studying another subject for
another minute. You've officially given up and refuse to care anymore.
You have taken four final exams
already and are looking down the barrel of the shotgun that's going to
fire off three more finals any second. How do you progress when the
thought of sitting down in front of a pile of books and notes makes you
want to scream? How do you move beyond apathy to ensure you get the
score you really want on that final or midterm exam?
Here's how: you get creative. The following
list encompasses twenty different creative study methods that are sure
to help heal you of the study blahs.
Read your chapter aloud…
…as
a Shakespearean monologue. And if you really want to make it good,
speak the Queen's English. Everything sounds better in the Queen's
English.
Try it: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. Sounds better, right? Right.
…as
if you were giving a presidential address. Be sure to have the
unmistakable half-fist ready. And I'm sure your professor would be happy
to give you extra credit if you record this address and put it on
YouTube. I am almost positive I heard her saying that yesterday.
…in a New Jersey accent. Because, when you're here, you're family. Or else.
Play a Game…
…like
Jeopardy. Convince a really good friend or really interested parent to
give you the answers to questions on your study guide. You must provide
the questions. I'll take Potent Potables for six, Alex.
…like
Around the World. Remember that? In a small study group, one person
faces off against another and moves around the group until someone beats
him or her.
Then, that new person moves around the group
answering questions. The person who answers the most questions correct
gets a Starbucks gift card! Woo hoo!
Draw…
…little
pictures that represent key ideas in your content. It's easier to
remember Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs if you draw a banana and a glass of
orange juice next to Physiological instead of just trying to remember
the word alone.
Trust me on that one.
…the same symbols
over and over. Circle the main idea in each section. Draw stars next to
supporting details in each section. Underline vocabulary words in each
section. Draw arrows from causes to effects in each section. You're
honing your reading skills while learning something new. Win-win.
…a
storyboard about the chapter. Reading about the rise of FDR (Franklin
D. Roosevelt)? Draw a storyboard that reflects his early political
career, the months before his inauguration, and FDR's three-pronged
strategy to get elected. Your brain will easily remember the sequence of
events much better that way because generally, pictures are worth a
thousand words.
Create…
…a short story
placing yourself in the setting you're studying. Let's say you're
learning about Elizabethan England. Or the Civil War. Drop yourself
right into a scene and write from first person perspective what you see,
hear, feel and want more than anything in the world. Just make sure to
make it out alive.
…a poem related to your topic. Learning Trig? No sweat. The last I heard sin and cosine rhyme. Plus, not all poems have to rhyme. Go free verse on that math. See how many of those terms you can squeeze into some iambic pentameter.
…a
short story following a person that you're learning about. Based on
what you've learned about her, what does Mother Teresa do when she
discovers a mystery in Kolkata? Incorporate everything you're learning
about her into the story. Bonus points if you give the teacher your
story for Christmas.
Sing a Song…
…to
remember a list. It's truly one of the best ways to remember the
Periodic Table of the Elements, although there's no solid reason you
should know them cold. Unless, of course, you're a scientist. In which
case, you'll be getting a quiz later.
…to get through a particularly tough reading passage.
If you sing the passage, it may bring up different phrasing that can
help you understand words you may not be getting. Still don't get it?
Try one of the summary methods below.
Write a Summary…
…of
the 10 key things you must absolutely remember from the passage on
sticky notes. Write them in your own words because there's nothing as
silly as remembering someone else's ideas when you have no idea what
they mean. Summarize in a way you can understand! Then, put the sticky
notes up all around your room or kitchen or bathroom. No one else living
in your house will mind. I promise.
…of each paragraph in one
sentence, starting at the beginning of the chapter. That little summary
of the paragraph is probably the main idea.
Once you have all of the main ideas of the paragraphs, string them
together into one little mini-essay. You will be floored how much more
you remember of the chapter when you read this way.
…by turning
the chapter headings into questions and then reworking the block of text
beneath the chapter headings into answers. Again, use your own words
when you write the summaries.
Make Flashcards…
…on apps like Chegg, Evernote or StudyBlue. Many of them will let you add pics and sound, too. Kewl.
…on
3X5 cards like your grandmother used to use. That wasn't an insult. She
actually used to use them. And Grandma knew what she was doing, for
your information. By mixing up the kinesthetic action of writing with the visual on the card, your brain learns the info in two different ways. Boom!
Teach Someone Else…
…like
your mom. You know how she's always asking you what you're doing in
school? Now's the chance to explain what you've learned in Molecular
Biology. Teach her so she really gets it. If you can't explain it in a
way she can understand, better hit the books again.
…like the
people in an imaginary audience. Pretend you're standing in front of a
group of thousands who have all shown up (and paid top dollar, by the
way) to hear you speak about Romeo and Juliet. Explain the details of
this tragedy so anyone listening will understand that Benvolio was
Romeo's best friend for a reason. Be sure to include the Nurse's role, too.
source: about.com
