How to Study for Math/Physics/Chemistry

Hey guys!
I know that math and math-related subjects require word problems involving calculations. Sometimes, though, they can be kind of challenging. It's Okay; they're meant to be :)
I came up with some tips today to ease the struggle of doing math, so hopefully, it will help you.
On a more personal note, I love math related subjects and I don't mind math itself, since it is precise, controlled and applicable (for example: pH scale, rate of change calculations etc), but I find myself very inattentive to details. For instance, I would mess up the numbers, or the sings in front of them.
Anyway, here are a few tips:

1. Practice

Obviously, you have to practice doing math, because the majority of problems are unique and require a different way of thinking. For effective learning, you have to mark up the questions which are unclear or you got a mistake on, in order to avoid that mistake on a test

2. Read into the Question

Due to the inattention, we often skip or misinterpret an important part of the question. And also, the recognition of certain patterns within questions will help you solve them on the test. Lets say there are 10 different types of problems in a unit, and each has its own procedure, but it could be that the questions are worded slightly differently. I recommend learning how to recognize the type of problem based on a key word, or the information provided.

3. Have All Formulae Out

When you have all formulae out in front of you, it will be easier to choose which one to use with your question. If you'd be looking for every formula separately within the notes, you might easily lose track of what the question was asking and fill your mind up with foreign material.

4. Clarify Everything

If you've been marking up the questions that you had difficulties with, it will be easy for you to return to them and clarify them with your teacher or look it up on the Internet. You must, however, clarify every detail, since the difficulty of questions only increases and one detail might mess up your way of thinking.

5. Create a Condensed Study Sheet

Before the test, but after doing all your homework, create a condensed study sheet and make sure to learn it before the test. Put a certain type of problem which you had difficulties with or the formulae that need to be memorized.

6. Double-Check Thoroughly

When double-checking your test, remember to check the calculations as well as what exactly the question was asking for. Mentally, go through your solution after reading the question and make sure that you've done all appropriate steps. Remember, that math is not only how you solve it, but also how fast you can solve it and mainly, how correct you can solve it.


Good luck!

Exam-Prep in 4 Days

Hey guys! 

There are some exams coming up for me, and maybe, there are some for you too, and today I wanted to talk about a 4-day exam prep sample schedule. Since I don't know what subjects you're taking, and what is your current grade, I will try to be as general and as helpful as I can:

Day 1: 

- Actively work through all your notes (refresh your memory; post questions on the stuff that you don't remember; highlight; redraw diagrams; etc.)

That activity is very important and should take you approximately 5-7 hours to do. Certainly, divide your work throughout the day accordingly. The most important part of it, is coming up with questions for the stuff you do not remember. It works like a sample exam and will let you productively study from it. If you are given the sample exam or an overview of the topics, then still do the questions, according to your overview/sample exam topics. 

Day 2:

- Go through every unit/topic in details (re-answer questions; re-do the tests and activities; etc.).

This time, you must focus on details (especially, if it is a multiple choice exam). Make sure to mark up the questions which you did not answer and rewrite them onto your question sheet made in Day 1. In terms of the timing, it can take you up to 1-3 hours per unit.

Day 3:

- Do your self-written practice exam

Just answer all of the questions in as much details as you can. Don't be afraid to mark up anything that you didn't remember, because that would be the material that you will best remember on the exam once you correct it. Depending on the exam, it can take you up to 3-5 hours to work through it.

Day4:

- Finish everything up

This is a very important day, so I decided to divide it into the time-frames.

    Morning:

- Make sure you have gone through all topics required for the exam

- Correct/Polish your practice exam

    Day:

- Make a 1 page study sheet for the stuff that you did not remember and try to learn it as actively as you can

    Evening:

- Revisit your practice exam and re-do the questions you had exceptional difficulties with

    Late Evening:

- Skim through your notes

- Reread the practice exam

- Make sure you've learned what was on that condensed study sheet

Don't forget to leave a day free before your actual exam for some rest, and then, just repeat the stuff you did in the late evening of Day 4. 

The best of luck with your exams, sweeties! 

3 Main Reasons Why I Love Studying

Hi, guys!
Today, I wanted to address the actual topic of my blog - the enjoyment of studying. There are a few reasons why I love studying so much; here we go:

1. Challenging & Rewarding
I am the type of person who likes to problem-solve and challenge myself. This is because with every issue, goes its undetermined solution. The greater the issue, the more rewarding the feelings are.

2. Its Never Purposeless
No matter what kind of subject you're learning and whether you like it or not, you will learn a few things:
-enduring the subject
-study skills for your future
-information related to the course
-communication skills
-skills appropriate for your subject
-exploring yourself

3. Its Never Boring
Unless you are studying an uninteresting subject, studying is not boring. Get creative with the way you study. Play engaging music; go study outside of home; use different tools and devices. But even if you are studying something that seems unbearable, is to think about how it is applied. For instance, I don't really like Physics, although whenever I study it, I think about the ways it is applied in Medicine, or I think about the cosmos, which is endlessly fascinating.

Writing Faster / Short Hand Notation

Hey, sweeties!

Today, I thought it would be great to introduce the way of writing your notes during the class a little faster. I'm going to talk about 2 methods which I love: Short Hand Notation and Symbols&Diagrams, although keep in mind that it works a little bit more efficiently if you are writing your notes by hand. Also, if you are going to land your notes to somebody else, make sure to introduce them to the symbols and such that you've used by creating a symbol page or something.


Short Hand Notation

So, when you must write your notes during a lecture very fast, creating a shorter system of writing is a great idea. The only disadvantage that I see in doing that, is actually creating and memorising your symbol page; you might totally look something up, though. Advice: You might wanna do that before your classes/year starts, in order to already be very efficient.
Basically, the method it the following: you either condense the entire word or its position to something recognizable to you. Here is an example of what I do:

I take common words or their parts and make a condensed version of it or a symbol. If you are in sciences, you might choose to use actual variables instead of words, and it will save you a lot of time. If you are creative, you might want to create your own symbols (which I didn't) and use it while you write. For instance the ending "tion" is very common and i decided to change it to the drawn above symbol. Here is a way of thinking while doing that:

The words "tion" sounds like the word "shin", so I condensed my drawing into that symbol. Same thing with the ending "able". It reminds me of a bicep (able=strong=bicep) and I drew its condensed version. 

Go ahead and try coming with your own symbols, but if you lack time and creativity (like I do), steal someone's ideas. 

Symbols and Diagrams

I recommend using this method when you sort of already know your professor's way of lecturing or have read the material ahead, so you could orient yourself while making the diagrams. You could use mind-mapping, timelines, tables, Venn or other diagrams, arrows, etc. It will beautifully organize your notes and it would be easier to study from it. 

The best of luck! :)