Best Study Tips for Psychology Students
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Many students tend to
struggle with psychology classes, especially if they have no background
knowledge in the subject. The only way to get through successfully is by
establishing healthy study habits. Psychology is a vast and diverse field so
students can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they have
to process.
As a psychology student, you realize early that the subject covers a wide range
of material. Even an introductory course alone may see you go over the
philosophical background of psychology, biological influences, social
statistics, and experimental methods among others.
Following a few effective study tips can help you learn new theories and concepts in a practical way making it easy to achieve academic success in this field. There are many ways you can study and they don’t have to be stressful and mentally demanding to provide results. Here are some tips to help you study more and learn quicker.
1. Use Different Media
Many people have
watched film adaptations before or after reading a book to understand it
better. The same should apply when studying. You may not have the motivation to
read a whole topic or you may have slow reading skills. Watching a video
addressing the same subject matter can be of huge help.
When you read a book and watch a video about the same thing, your brain stores different pieces of related information in different parts of the brain. As a result, you have more opportunities to pull up all the related bits of data from the different storage areas to respond to a single cue.
Various avenues can be pursued to make the most of this situation. Certain educational materials provide video content focused on a particular subject, fostering engagement with fellow community members for collaborative issue resolution. Subsequently, you can partake in practice assessments to further your understanding.
2. Spread Out Studying Over Time
Some students prefer waiting until the last day before they can study or cram the content of their course. You would not have to deal with the last minute panic if you had planned early. Planning is essential in all aspects of life and should apply it in your study. If you have a week before you sit for a test, start studying over the whole week.
This can reduce the stress and workload you may encounter as the test approaches since you have a small part of the subject matter to study every day. Instead of covering all the chapters in a day, you can cover only one or two each day.
3. Practice What You Study
Psychology is all about human interactions and translating whatever you study to your life can help you become a better student. If you are pursuing online counseling degrees, you can use the skills and knowledge you have acquired in class to help your friends having a hard time. You can even apply it to yourself whenever you experience stress.
Additionally, when you come across a new idea in class but have a hard time grasping the concept, you can associate it with something outside school. You can easily remember something that actually applies to your life rather than something trivial that may not amount to anything in real life.
4. Know Your Learning Style
Everyone consumes and retains information differently. Determining your learning style helps you communicate better with your instructors if you have any problems understanding course material and helps you study psychology better.
If you are a visual learner, you get to understand material delivered visually better. It could be in the form of drawings or other multimedia types. Auditory learners are at their best with oral material and respond better to group discussions and audio lectures.
Kinesthetic learners have to engage in activity or movement when studying if they are to remember what they learn. You can achieve this through gamification or experiential activities. If you enjoy reading or writing, you are better off in a traditional setting that predominantly uses reading and writing for assessment.
5. Get Enough Rest
As you approach the examination, there might be a temptation to engage in overnight study marathons in an attempt to grasp the material. However, this strategy often leads to adverse outcomes. Typically, it results in fatigue and exhaustion, hindering your ability to retain previously acquired knowledge.
Rather than staying up all night, allocate a few hours for concentrated study during your cram session. Ensure that you allocate a sufficient amount of time for restorative sleep. If additional study time is necessary, consider an early morning revision session the following day.
Additionally, bear in mind the importance of integrating breaks within your study sessions. This practice can enhance your creativity and problem-solving skills. You can use your free time to exercise as it helps improve memory. Physical activity also improves physical wellbeing which can impact your mental health and brain activity.
Endnote
Mastering the art of studying psychology lies in the recognition of your individual uniqueness. Start each class session with the intention of crafting a customized study strategy that shall pave your path to success. Early strategizing serves as an effective stress regulator and elevates the efficacy of your study endeavors.
