# Give me some tips for studying (low concentration)



## Brainsilence02 (Jan 29, 2005)

My concentration is low. Give me some tips for studying. Anything that works.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2005)

Exercise, jog, lift weights play basketball or whatever, then when you're all amped up, study.


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## enigma (Feb 18, 2005)

Think of everything that makes you sh*t scared (until you're practically shivering).

Then pick up whatever book you have to study, open it, and just dive right into it in order to escape these frightening thoughts/feelings (then you _have_ to focus and absorb it all, just so you can relax again).

Got _me_ through college.

e


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## bat (Aug 18, 2004)

get as many past papers as possible. work out the most likely areas to come up and learn them. pick some other fairly likely areas to learn as back up. then get recent publications/papers in your subject and pick out a few fairly obscure quotes to go with each area you've learned to get the extra marks.


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## Brainsilence02 (Jan 29, 2005)

Thank you.

Privateer, when I exercise, usually, my head spins :| But maybe after exercising for a long period, it will have as effect to get me "amped" (although I don't fully understand what is "amped").

Enigma, there are a few things that scare me to hell (causing STRONG shivering), but after that I can't think of anything else, I go to bed and try to make it go away. However, the "dive" thing sounds nice. I will try to mix it with other things

Bat, what you said is a great approach to get prepared for exams. But I am looking for a way to manage to actually read and understand the text (textbook) that I am reading. However, I owe to say that your approach for getting ready to exams is better than mine, so I will keep yours instead of mine.

Well, maybe some might think the way I do. A good way to demonstrate it is to assume this imaginary conversation with someone:

- What gets you cripled in studying? (someone asks me)
- Lose my motive. (I am answering)

- Why?
- I have no reason to do it or continue it.

- What thoughts come to you when you can't continue?
- That I don't understand what I am reading. That I will never manage to make it. Yet when I am leaving it for later the a thought comes that tells me "it's ok to continue later, you are going to make it later". The next time I pick it up, it's a nightmare.

When I am styding it, I get moments where my mind is totaly blank. Like somone turns off the lights. My mind is a void. Then I get crippled by the fact that I should have progressed more (more pages readed AND learned) than I already did. And continuing feels like futile 

And I feel so bad that I can't progress with my studying. It's like having a regular job and be continually off because of a silly excuse. I feel like a looser  (someone who isn't worthy). I am reaching the bottom (feelings), but I push on. I continue to read pages, I continue not to understand what I am reading about, and feel more and more bad. In the end, I drop it. I am so disapointed that I will probably go into a depression (when nothing is important, when everything is causing pain) an oblivion vortex will follow.. After one or two hours, I will find my courage back. I will start reading pages again. Of cource, I am still not understanding them  So I stop studying, and go and write a bad mark.

Is it because I can't stand failure? Is it because I need an electoshock? (joke).. Is it a personality flaw? Who knows..

After I write at the exams, I get this cheerful tention to read the book. This is crazy.

Ever since I was a kid, I never could complete a task, when I had to. Sometimes I got anxious, sometimes nervous, sometimes I felt it was futile. Haven't found the answer to that yet.


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2005)

Take a 15 min break after every hour of studying. Trust me, it helps.

I find that the more associations and relevance information has for me, the better I retain that information. So, try to understand the "why" of what you are studying, as best you can, and you will have a better chance at remembering it come test time.


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## danny (Sep 2, 2004)

> try to understand the "why" of what you are studying, as best you can, and you will have a better chance at remembering it come test time.


absolutely, active learning is the best way to learn,

Try to break up the work, like sarah says take regular breaks and do something enjoyable in the breaks. go for a swim, play some pool with some mates, and have something to look at the end of the work e.g go to the cinema, relax in front of the tv or something.

Good luck


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2005)

Sorry about the slang. By "amped" I mean excited, kind of energetic. In all honesty, I'm an art student. Sometimes something like physics or math or history interests me, but I find it nearly impossible to really study something that doesn't interest me. So I get Cs in boring classes, but As and Bs in classes I do like which all averages out to about a 3.0 GPA. I've never done much better than that.


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## Brainsilence02 (Jan 29, 2005)

RevSarah, danny, thanks. I kept in mind "why" while reading the book, the meaning, "active studying". I guess when I want to read something, I find easier the "why".

Well.. for example: I read first the contents (index) of the book, and then the prologue beafore I proceed to read the whole book. Something that simple and it made a gooood improovement.


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## Brainsilence02 (Jan 29, 2005)

Privateer, I am on an alike situation. Well, it seems I got the slang  amp, like amplify or ampere.


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## Sojourner (May 21, 2005)

One other thought about this topic:

Take small bites. Work in 20 minute increments instead of an hour.

Write down the things you want to accomplish that day, but make each one a bite-sized tidbit that doesn't overwhelm you with its difficulty before you begin it.

After you finish each one -- take a short walk and get a small drink/snack. You can add items to your list during the day.

Be sure to cross out the item and put a check mark prominently beside the number when you finish each task.

For example:

1. Read 12 pages.

2. Work 6 problems.

3. Learn new vocabulary (15 words).

Added later in the day because you did so well...

4. Read 20 pages.

5. Outline answer to one possible exam question.


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## Brainsilence02 (Jan 29, 2005)

I am a bit late, but thank you Sojourner.

I tried those as variations and they did do some job.


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