3 Study Mistakes You Don't Even Realize You're Making

Inside the Student Success Membership, I'm teaching students all the stuff they don't teach you in school - but should. One of those skills is how to actually study.

I don't know about you, but when I was in high school no one taught me how to study. All my teachers said "just read over your notes and you'll be fine!" I was not fine.

So today I want to share with you the three most common study mistakes I see students make without even realizing it! 

You're studying in chronological order, not priority order

This is something I used to struggle with! I always reviewed class material in the order that I learned it instead of starting with the content that was the biggest focus or the area I needed the most help with. When you review in priority order, you save time and energy because you're starting with the most important stuff. The most important stuff includes two things: the stuff that's worth the most amount of points on your test, project, or homework, AND the stuff that you have NO idea how to do. Often, we like to start our study sessions with easier material or things we already know so we can feel better or more comfortable. The problem is, that approach gives us a false sense of knowing - it's called confirmation bias. Try starting your study sessions with the material you really don't know or the material worth the highest point value and you'll be surprised at the results you get - and how much faster your study session goes by. 

You're using passive study strategies instead of actively engaging with the material

This one is not your fault. Since the dawn of time teachers have been telling students "just look over your notes and you'll be fine!" First of all, I can't tell you how many times I've been burned from "just looking over my notes." Second of all, what does that even mean honestly? Reading over your lecture notes or just looking over class materials can create a really false sense of confidence in knowing the material. Since you're not actively quizzing yourself, and all the information is right in front of you, it feels like you know it better than you actually do. The best way to start studying is to mirror your practice to the format of the test. Is the test short answer? Try writing out your explanation of a concept. Is the test multiple choice?  Try taking a practice quiz with multiple choice answers. The more actively engaged in the material you can be, the better. Ask yourself how you can model your studying to look like the test.

You save studying for one long, grueling session instead of scheduling tiny review sessions over a longer period of time

Okay, we've all heard our parents and teachers say to "study a little bit every day," but none of us really do that. Usually, we set up one or two long study sessions right before the exam. The problem with that is... our brains need repetition in order to move a concept from short term memory into long term memory. I was just talking with one of my students about how 7 repetitions is the magic number to shoot for, which sounds totally insane. But what we don't realize is that each time we review the material, we don't have to spend an hour with it - it can just be ten minutes. More repetition of smaller time periods will give you better results than one long study period. Sometimes, it just feels impractical to fit in ten minutes, or like it's not really doing anything. It's not that 10 minutes makes a huge difference, it's the consistency of the repetition that changes the game. It's like working out - you're better off doing five small, 10 minute workouts throughout the week, than one 50-minute training session.

I Wish Someone Had Taught Me This Earlier...

I know these tips will save you so much time and energy; I wish someone had taught me these tricks when I was in school - it would have made such a difference in my studying. 

That's why I created the Student Success Membership - to teach you all the tips and tricks that you should be learning in school - hacks that will show you exactly what to do to make your life so much easier! All so you can find success inside the classroom, and out!

Inside the Student Success Membership, I'm teaching you all the skills, strategies, and techniques you need for success in school and in the real world!

•  mindset, motivation, mental health, how to handle emotions
• how to take standardized tests and eliminate test anxiety/ timing issues
• how to apply to college, fill out the FAFSA, or choose a major
• How to actually accomplish long term goals
• How to network, negotiate, and send professional emails
• How to actually study in a way that works for you
• How to stop wasting your time and procrastinating
• AND SO MUCH MORE!!!

For a limited time, you can test drive my entire membership for just $1.

When you join today, you'll get instant access to over 60 video trainings and resources that will make your life easier and set you up for success in the real world!

Plus, as a founding member, you'll have the opportunity to directly influence the membership content by providing me with valuable feedback and requesting new modules, trainings, and resources. 

If you're tired of wasting your time memorizing stuff you won't use in the real world, join the Student Success Membership to actually set yourself up for success in real life!