As a student, it is crucial to be able to learn new skills. The ability to retain information is an essential part of your education. You don’t need to be a genius to be at the top of your class. These strategies will help you retain and master new skills.
Learn by Doing
You will have better results when you actually try out the things you’ve learned. If you focus solely on retaining the information, you will likely forget that information after you’ve finished exams. Instead, suppose you put the information you are learning into practice and use other aspects of your knowledge to relate the information. In that case, you are more likely to permanently retain that information and use it in your future career.
Move From One Place to Another
Most college students make a common mistake while studying is staying in the same place all day. Your brain will make connections between what you learn and the things surrounding you. Therefore, if you spend hours on end in your room studying, your creativity will suffer. So, try studying in various places like the park, a coffee shop, the library, or areas around campus.
Test Yourself
An essential part of studying is ensuring that you are retaining the information. While studying, quiz yourself at the end of each chapter to make sure you understand the material. Most textbooks will include a section at the end of the chapter to test your knowledge. You can also test yourself with flashcards alone or with a friend.
Take Notes
An excellent strategy to help retain information is to take notes. Summarizing the information into your own words and typing it or writing it down with help with memory recall when you need it. Another plus side to notetaking is you will have easy access to this information if you need it in the future.
Start Small
It’s normal to be ambitious and want to take on everything simultaneously. However, this can cause you to lose your concentration and become overwhelmed. To stay on track, it is better to focus on one or two strategies at a time and split these into smaller, more achievable goals. Once you’ve met the first goals, you can move on to the next and progress down your list to success!
Self-improvement will help you develop new skills that you will utilize long after you graduate. Of course, learning strategies will vary from one person to another. You can try the different methods above and see which ones will help you master new skills and obtain better results in college and your future career.
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Kristin Savage nourishes, sparks, and empowers using the magic of a word. She does her voodoo regularly on the Pick Writers blog and occasionally contributes to other educational platforms. Along with pursuing her degree in Creative Writing, Kristin gained experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in marketing strategy for publishers and authors.
Updated in March 2022
