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DIY study aids

October 15, 2024

Studying doesn’t always have to feel like a drag. With the help of personalized study aids, you can grasp the material more effectively and make the process enjoyable by tailoring it to your needs. Some of these ideas might help you stay engaged, motivated, and prepared for your academic journey.

studio ghibli study GIF

Voice notes

For auditory learners, simply writing study notes down and reading them might not be the most effective study method. A helpful alternative is to record yourself explaining a concept, reading your notes, or asking practice questions for you to answer. This is especially helpful as the audio can be listened to at any time—whether you are on the way to class, amid chores, or simply relaxing. This keeps the mind engaged as the content is still being absorbed.

Mind maps

Mind maps can be a powerful tool for visual learners struggling to see how everything connects. As the material begins to build up, it can become confusing to understand how concepts relate. Mind maps can bring clarity by visually organizing the material.

How to:

Begin with a blank sheet of paper and write the main idea in the middle. Branching from the main idea, write down all the subtopics. If applicable, you can also connect related subtopics. To help make it more engaging, use colours and shapes to distinguish ideas.

As you create the mind map, take the studying further by quizzing yourself on each subtopic as you progress. This can reinforce your understanding and highlight the areas that need more attention.

Experiment

If applicable, with the help of YouTube or Google, you can find safe and environment-friendly experiments that align with your study material. This hands-on method can be helpful for kinaesthetic learners as it allows you to engage with material physically. In addition, this method can make it easier to recall what you’ve learned during assessments.

How to:

Find relevant and fitting experiments online and conduct them. Once the experiment is completed, take some time to explain what happened and what you learned. This can be done by verbally articulating it to yourself or someone else, recording the explanation, or writing it down. Reflecting on the experiment after the matter can solidify what you've learned.

Study popsicles

If traditional study methods do not work for you, a more engaging and interactive method such as study jars could be helpful.

How to:

Using popsicle sticks, write short questions or prompts and place them in a jar. When it’s time to study, randomly draw a popsicle stick and answer the questions to the best of your ability.

This method encourages active recall and highlights areas consistently stumping you. If this method is effective, consider removing the sticks with questions you consistently get right, leaving only the problem areas in the jar. Continue this method until you can confidently empty the jar. This keeps studying interesting and effective.

Flashcards

Flashcards are timeless, and for good reason. They promote active recall, allowing you to identify your strengths and weaknesses in the material. What makes flashcards so great is that the process of creating them is a form of studying. It reinforces your understanding as you write them out

How to:

Using index cards, on one side, write down a question or definition; on the other side, write down the answer. When it is time to study, flip through these flashcards, testing your recall ability. After this, you can always follow up with more in-depth studying.

Review spread

For some, the best option is to go the classic way of simply writing down your notes and reading them for review. This is great, but why not take it up a notch?

How to:

You can create a large, visually appealing review guide using a poster board and colourful markers. Hang it up in your room or study area, allowing constant and easy study access!

Quiz board game

Studying can be more fun, so why not turn it into a game? With the idea of a quiz board game, you can test your knowledge solo or with friends in a game with dice, tokens, and game pieces.

How to:

Start with an old board game, or create one from scratch; make each space on the board represent a question or definition. Roll the dice to see where you land and what you have to answer. To make it more exciting, include rewards for correct answers and penalties for wrong ones. Try your best to make it through the whole board game and win!

Anime gif. Jiro Horikoshi in The Wind Rises sits at a desk and writes with a pen on paper, as wind violently whips upwards around him, making his clothes thrash wildly, and pages from his desk fly away.