psych-facts:

Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, practice, study, or by being taught. A test measures how much you learn by testing your ability to recall, recognize and work with what you know. These tips are suggestions that I have that can  help you learn more efficiently and do better on exams. They are based on my personal experiences as a psychology student.

1. Read the textbook/required readings before class if possible. For those already attending college/university, you’re probably aware that most of the professors assign you readings to do before lectures. However, it’s hard to discipline ourselves to do something that we feel may not be important. The lecture is going to go over what we read anyways so why waste time going over something again. Well, it’s actually important, because it helps you make sense of what is being taught so you don’t get lost and it helps you store what you learn more strongly in your memory because you are repeating what you learn. 

2. Relate to what you learn. When I first started university, one studying tip was to relate to what I was learning. This means thinking of situations or other things you know and incorporating them with new information. By relating to what you learn, it helps you understand the new information quicker and it gives you more memory cues to draw from as you try to recall information on a test. 

3. Teach what you learn to others. When we are asked to teach something to someone, it forces us to recall what we know. If you feel that you have a hard time trying to remember information as you teach, it’s a sign that you didn’t really learn the materials well. On other hand  if you have really understood something, you should find yourself having an easier time explaining a concept. We are often poor judges of ourselves and this gives us a chance to gauge how much we actually learn. Furthermore, by teaching someone something, you are practicing your ability to recall a skill that is used on tests. 

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Sometimes you never really understand how people can impact your life. They leave these footprints, these marks on your path that can be unforgettable. People love and are loved and that’s what matters. Cherish the moments, smile everyday, live in the moment. Live. Love. Laugh