How To Get Your Summer Studying Done

Hi, guys!

As mentioned previously, I am reading some MCAT material during the summer, and since so far it is going great, I decided to share my techniques of how to get the academic stuff done during the summer. Now, a lot of it depends on whether you have a job or any other responsibilities (I have a part time job) during the summer. 

Before I begin, I just wanted to encourage you to appreciate summer time, and study a little casually, since we want to reserve motivation for the actual academic year. 

This post does not relate to people who are in school yet, just because they are getting stuff done whether they want that or not ;)

1. Planning

I am obsessed with planning, but this time, I encourage you not to write a to-do list or anything like that. I rather suggest you just divide the workload evenly throughout the summer, and do it whenever you feel like. Now, this might be dangerous, since if you've read something in the beginning of the month, and then you continue in the last days of the month, 2 things happen:

1. You've forgotten what you've learned before

2. You're rushing through the material

The point is, consistency is key!

As to the preparation of the material, obviously, prepare the material before you plan on starting the actual studying.

2. Accessibility

You never know where your day/week takes you, so have your material ready to go wherever you are - carry it your bag or something. 

It's not only about carrying, though. It's also about the way you do it. For instance, I don't want my MCAT books looking nasty after they've been in my bag for the entire summer, so I took pictures of  certain chapters on my iPad, and this is making everything much more convenient. 

3. Learning

I've suggested you not to plan very specifically, right? I also mentioned 2 downsides of it, that are easy to overcome, by the way. Here are some quick tips:

1. Every time you begin to learn new material - briefly review the previous one

2. Quiz yourself

3. After you've read/learned something that doesn't have a built-up review in it, spend 3 minutes writing your own: just come up 10 words (or so) related to the info.

4. Share

Sharing is like an easy alternative to teaching somebody. Let's say you've read something awesome about the human brain, then talk about it in a conversation with your friend/partner/family. That way,  you could reinforce this information in your brain, and actually brighten somebody with a new piece of info. This method, by the way, leaves you open for any questions a person might have, so that you learn even more about the topic without having to sit and read. 

5. Outdoors

Summer gives you a perfect opportunity to get outside, breath some fresh air, and enjoy the view while studying. Definitely call a friend and have a picnic while reading for a little, and then, of course, share this information :)

How I Organise My Binders (University Edition)

Hey, sweethearts,

The university doesn't start for me until September, but I have already figured out a potentially comfortable way of handling all materials presented to me in class. In this blog post, I am posting some pictures of how I like my binders to be organized, and I'll talk through my reasoning.
Firstly, I'd like to mention, that I'm not using any notebooks this year unless will be required by professors, since I'll be more organized if everything will be found in one place.

Binder: Staples Better Binder 1'
1. Label
Chances are, you will have more than one binder for the semester. Because of that, you need to label each one of your binders to identify them right away. I typed "Biology 1A03" in Microsoft Word on Calibri font, and 36th size, and then I printed and cut it so it will fit into the label spot.

2. Front

My binder has a transparent pocket in the front, which I decided to use for my schedule. I was also thinking of printing a biology-themed picture, but since I won't be extremely familiar with my schedule right away, I decided to keep it there. Notice, that my schedule is colour-coded, and notice, that Biology is in yellow, which corresponds to the colour of my spine label. 

3. Inside (Left)

So, as I first open the binder, I see a Biology study guide, which conveniently summaries the entire course into 5 pages. Each page includes certain units, and outlines the information in a way, which is easy to learn. I will be revising this study guide as I go through each unit. 

4. Inside (Right)

Same as organizing clothes in the wardrobe requires shelves and hangers, organizing a lot of paper in one place requires dividers. I once made a DIY on binder dividers here, since the original dividers are kind of expensive. Since I'm not to artsy, I decided to stick with the original, though ;). What I love about those dividers is not only the fact that they are nicely colour-coded, but also the fact that they have a table of contents in the very front. As you can see, I will be organizing my paper in the following way:

1. Syllabus

2. Notes

3. Tests

4. Assignments

5. Labs

5. Paper

At the back of the binder, one should always keep some loose-leaf paper, and I decided to use both, lined and blank types. Because it's a biology class, I might need to draw some big diagrams, and instead of fitting them into my notes, I'll use the blank pieces of paper instead. I must make references in my notes as well, though, like (Pic 1). 

6. Back

Unfortunately, I have already packed all my Post-It Notes and flashcards away, but I have given you an overview of what the back of my binder will look like. I'm sure I will need to use some post-it notes to mark something up or to write an additional note, as well as I will need flashcards for studying. There is also space for any paper that I will later need to hole-punch. 

Additional Note:

This layout will work wonderfully with a science-class, but the social sciences and humanities will have adjustments made in certain ways. For instance, the dividers might only be needed for notes, tests, and assignments; or the blank paper won't be needed at all. So, adjust everything accordingly.

I hope it helped!

http://www.staples.ca/en/Staples-Better-Binder-1-Green/product_827602_2-CA_1_20001#id='swatch_638967'

How To Research (Internet-Surf)?

Hey, sweeties!

In the previous blog post about creating Power Points, I have mentioned research as a number one criteria for a successful presentation. Things are simpler if your teacher hands you out the criteria sheet (rubric) or just questions to research, but if you don't have that privilege (or want to spice up your slides), here is a blog post about how to "Internet-Surf" successfully:

1. Platform
So, it is important to use a worthy platform while researching your topic. Google usually does really well, although consider "Google Scholar" if you need really legible material.

2. Diversity of Sources
It would be great if you will take your information from different types of sources:
video-lessons
cases
novels
articles
biographies
statistics
etc. Not only each source will add you more material, it will also stick to your memory because you will revise it a lot of times.

3. Comprehension Help
Relating it back to the previous point, make sure you use different sources to really understand the info. Video lessons (like in Khan Academy), will enhance your knowledge on the topic. It would also be great if you will find and do some quizzes related to the topic, as it will serve you 2 things:
1. Reassurance that you've covered a good amount of info
2. Ability to answer audience's questions

4. Basic Questions
Questions like What, When, Why, Who and How must be researched in order to be able to advance the topic later on. You may use Wikipedia as a source, although not for its information, but for its references, rather.

5. Advanced Questions
The advanced questions will strictly depend on the topic you were researching, but if you absolutely can't seem to pose a question, read a big, detailed piece of material about the topic, and deduct (and further answer) questions from that.

6. If a Debate...
If your research is needed for a debate though, I strongly recommend you to research some information of your opponent, to prepare the answers before-hand.