How to study effectively

(plus you can try it out for free for 3 days which you totally should do)

Some observations based on my experiences of studying. Particularly in my most recent year at Oxford I came up with a framework for effective study that I believe can be applied to most subjects. Of course I only have experience applying this system to physics so please don't blame me if it doesn't work out for you!

The rules:
1. Realise that learning is individual
2. Manage your time
3. Manage your notes
4. Take care of yourself
5. Work your socks off

If a lot of what I say sounds blindingly obvious then that's probably because it is. If I also sound a bit full of myself then that's completely accidental.

As will probably become evident in the video I am not an educational professional, just some guy that has had some success in his studies in the past and wants to save other people some time and effort studying inefficiently. Please don't take what I say as gospel, ultimately the whole point of half the video is to make your studying individual so you need to experiment and work our your optimum configuration yourself. Consider my advice to be like the pirate's code - more like 'guidelines'.

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[vinieboy]

Studying is not the problem.. starting to study is...

[Xforeverlove]

Here's a study tip:
Stand up.
Stretch.
Take a walk.
Go to the airport.
Get on a plane.
 Never return.

[MoonlightGlimmer]

When you're looking at videos on how to revise instead of actually revising...

[GoalDen]

After the clip ended.I just stared at the screen that i need put some changes in my life. Thank you verrry much Simon.thank you

[indigo]

I watching this instead of studying. Send help

[SimonClark]

I'm kind of the opposite - I find that as the exams get closer, the pressure gets me more and more motivated. If you have end of year exams, use those as a target to keep working towards.
If not, then be sure to reward yourself with some time off (not too much, mind!) after each test so that you don't get too tired and burn out mid-year. Remember that it is perfectly possible to work too hard!

[SimonClark]

Happens all the time!
I think it's important to remember that you can only do your best. When you sit down to take your exam, the result you get only represents your ability to answer one set of questions on one day under one set of conditions. You shouldn't be afraid of doing badly because of anything that it says about you - it doesn't reflect you as a person at all. The best you can do is maximise the number of questions that you can answer well, and hope that some of them come up on the day.

[aBrightDarknessHD]

Here I am, looking at tutorials of "How to study" and not actually studying all day...*sigh*

[higgins]

Rule 6- Don't get distracted on a fucking youtube video telling you how to revise rather than actually revising!

[MichelleMotivateMe]

Intermittent repetition is the best way for you to retain the information. Continuous study the night before may work to pass the exam the next day, but you will not retain the information. I hope this helps.

[SimonClark]

I can honestly say that I have little to no natural talent for maths, or at least I didn't when taking my A levels. The two reasons that I got the results that I did were 1) an inspirational teacher who kept pushing me, 2) working my socks off almost every night. With the right amount of effort, directed in the right way, it is perfectly possible to get an A. As for improving your maths skills the only way is practise, practise, practise! Calculus, geometry, algebra, the whole works :) Good luck

[TheSchemer]

9:27 well as Jeff Winger said "The funny thing about being smart is that you can get through much of life without having to do any work".

[irun_mon]

Step one: stop watching youtube you berk, go back to study now

[ohshitakimushroom]

If you were my tutor I'd study all day.

[SimonClark]

Well there's not much I can say specifically for each of those subjects, really it's about applying the ideas I talk about in a way that works for you. What I talk about in the video really applies to revision for tests than long-term working, so that's the best advice I could give!

[callumsmithfunk]

Simon just want to say you are a great inspiration to me

[SimonClark]

It's a good question. Sometimes the textbook really is just gold and so it's worth noting down every word! What I do most of the time is keep all of the information but rephrase it in my head (makes you think about the content, as you need to make sure that what you're writing down in still correct) and often structure it differently, e.g. writing as bullet points instead of as a paragraph. There is no easy answer I'm afraid, though practise is your friend!

[preetirawat]

Its funny how I keep coming back to this video for inspiration every time my exams come around :D

[grantkidd]

God I don't even have the attention span for this 11 minute video =( 

[whoiam]

- one year on and I still come back to this video for motivation :')