If you are like most students, studying is certainly not something that is at the top of your list of things you love doing. We totally get it! Spending hours staring at books in a vain attempt to memorize all of the facts and figures that you are going to need to pass your exams is mind-numbingly boring and that is one of the reasons why you might be struggling to actually retain much of the information that you are studying. However, if you can do something to make studying a little bit more enjoyable then you will find yourself working more efficiently and the task will be much less tedious. With that in mind, check out our favourite fun ways to study.
Buy Yourself Some Cute or Fun Study Supplies
It might sound silly, but believe it or not when you have cute study supplies you are going to be more excited about getting to use them. Remember, your study notes are yours – you do not need to hand them in so they can be a little bit fun! Why not look for bright colorful pens, fancy paper clips and cute notebooks with patterned pages or your favorite childhood characters. You don’t even need to spend much, you can find all of these items at the dollar store.
Take a Short ‘Fun’ Break Regularly
When you spend several hours studying, you will soon find that all of the information begins to blur together. That’s why it is important to take regular breaks. In order to make studying more fun, why not use those breaks to so something you enjoy. Turn on your favourite music and dance, got out for a run or play a couple of levels of your favorite video game. Whatever you choose, just make sure you stick to your planned timetable. Taking a break to do something fun will help you come back to the books refocused and refreshed.
Illustrate Your Notes
Trying to remember everything can be difficult, so it is important to find ways to help you retain as much information as possible. Why not doodle some illustrations to supplement your notes. It will not only be a fun little activity, but it is going to help you learn!
Turn Your Textbooks Into a Play
This one might sound a little bit crazy, but bear with us! When you hear something read aloud you are more likely to pay attention and you will remember the words. So, why not read your textbooks or notes aloud to yourself, or within a study group. To make it a little bit more fun you could even make it a little more dramatic by using accents and acting it out! You could even sing it! This will make it more memorable for sure.
Create PowerPoint Presentations or Infographics
Let’s go back to that point we made earlier about visual learning. You could take that a step further than just doodling in your notes by turning them into a PowerPoint presentation or designing an infographic. This is a fun activity if you enjoy that sort of thing and you will unconsciously be studying the material while you create your visual aids.
Work Out a Reward System
Studying is hard work, so you deserve a reward for getting through it. It doesn’t have to be something elaborate – just enough to motivate you. For example, maybe you get a cookie for every chapter you revise, or if you really want to go to that party then allow yourself to go hang out only after you have completed a set amount of study.
Use Mnemonic Devices
A great way to remember lists of facts is through the use of mnemonic devices. A mnemonic device is a technique that you can use to improve your memory by assigning items to an acronym or a silly phrase where the words use the same initial letters of those you are trying to remember. There are already lots of good ones around such as HOMES to remember the 5 great lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior). However, it could be more fun to come up with your own versions!
These are just some of the fun ways to study that we have come up with. If none of these appeal to you then you could try to come up with some ideas of your own to help make studying less tedious. The more fun you can have with it, the more information you are likely to retain during your study sessions.
