Picture this. You have a major test coming up and you just can’t get the material to stick in your head. You read your notes and the textbook over and over, but when you try to quiz yourself, you can’t remember any of it. The problem is, you aren’t studying correctly. Here are some tips to make studying easier and more effective.

Rewrite Your Notes

If you’re in class and taking notes, then you don’t really have time to organize your notes the way you need to. You just write down all the information that is said and you don’t care about neatness. One of the best ways to make sure the material sticks with you is to rewrite your notes. But when you rewrite them, condense them to where they make sense, highlight important things like definitions, and write them neater and straighter than you did the first time. When you write something, you are more likely to remember it than if you just read it. Also, when something is highlighted, it is much more likely to stay in your mind, because it stands out.

Stay Focused and Limit Distractions

When studying, find a space low in noise, like a library. But if you are doing your studying at your house, then turn off all distractions such as cell phones, televisions, and other things that might cause your attention to stray from the material. Another great way to stay focused is to study for about thirty to forty minutes and then take about a five minute break. This makes sure you don’t overwhelm yourself and also makes sure you aren’t just memorizing the material, but actually learning it.

Don’t Do All Your Studying The Night Before

The best way to learn the material and to make sure you get the grade you want on that test you have coming up is to make sure you work on it a little bit each day preceding the exam, quiz, test, etc. You do not want to be stuck the night before with a bunch of notes and worksheets that you don’t understand at all. Cramming can be overwhelming for anyone and it can be really bad for your mental state. So make sure you plan ahead and be ready for your class.