Student tips: Cramming!

Lab notebook

Cramming!

The end of the semester crunch is on, and I know what you're doing.  Panicking, cramming, stressing, complaining, cramming some more.  Not a pretty picture!

So, while I have your attention (because that's really what happens at the end of a semester--all the students are finally paying attention), I'm going to try and give you some tips on avoiding or at least minimizing this problem in the future. 

One of my college professors taught me the art of avoidance through diligence.  Let me explain.  Every single day we had class, he gave a 5 question quiz from the previous day's notes.  Every two weeks, we had an exam.  Every exam was cumulative.  I studied 2 hours for the first exam over 2 weeks of material and 2 hours for the last exam which was cumulative.  No difference.  Why?  I avoided the cram because he required me to be diligent throughout the class!

Constant review, asking questions, discussing concepts with peers, reading the book for an overview and then content before class and re-reading the text are all standard strategies that students are given.  The problem--this is work!!!

So, what about cramming?  Not work?  No.  It's work all right.  It's just not very effective.

So, I know that you can't do anything about the reviewing and re-reading now, but I had to tell you while you were in the final push.  Here's a strategy or two I used when I didn't follow the strategy of my prof. 

First, take advantage of every opportunity to review.  The 10 minutes while you wait for the train or the 20 minutes while you wait in a line can make a difference.  Every time you come into contact with the material, you reinforce it. 

Second, reinforce it through natural conversation.  Some one is bound to ask the question--'whaz up?'  Let them have it; the content you're studying anyway.  Yes, I know they probably won't stay in conversation long, but so what.  You have work to do and in the mean time, you've reinforced what you've learned.  (BTW the way to do this without the sneak attack approach is to form a study group!)

Third, find a way to organize the information that makes sense to you.  Colors, drawings, metaphors, rewrites, flow charts, rhythms, cut-outs, whatever!  How do you remember?  Figure it out.

One final thing.  I found that I could never learn what I did not understand.  If you don't get it, ask for help, look for an on-line tutorial, text a friend, email the professor. 

In short, work!  :)   And next time, try the avoidance through diligence technique!