Fun Facts

Study techniques: some tips and tricks

Studying can be stressful, especially when we are trying to cram a semester’s worth of learning into a few weeks, before the exams J

A few tips on how to cope

Practice make perfect

Have you noticed, that repeating a task, makes it appear much easier and more achievable in each subsequent attempt.

Certain topics appear very complicated and we are ready to give up even before we begin. The solution is, to break the first reading into small parts, if that is easier…. but get through the chapter. It does not matter if your brain refuses to register the content. Finish it. Believe it…your brain IS registering something…you are simply unaware of it.  When you repeat the reading after a few days,  the content will be far easier to comprehend. This will improve with further repetitions.

A picture is worth more than a thousand words

When reading a chapter, it is a common mistake to concentrate only on the text.  It is equally important; to refer to any figures, diagrams cited in the text. The figure legends (the text under the figure) most often, explain the technique or flow chart in a very simple and concise manner. Once you have a picture to refer to, the complicated language in the text becomes easier to understand.

A visual memory…of the picture or figure will stay with you much longer and will be easier to recall, compared to words in black and white. 

It’s all about timing

This might not appeal to the younger generation…but traditional wisdom is good. Rising up early in the morning to study has two advantages. It gives you a quite time to concentrate. Your brain is also working at peak capacity, fresh after a good night’s sleep. You can accomplish more in less time.

Eat right and stay hydrated

Remember tea, coffee and colas do NOT equal water. Drink plenty of water. If that gets boring, take nimbu pani, chach. Even better; take fresh seasonal fruits. Snack on nuts like almonds and walnuts..in reasonable quantities. Incorporate, alsi (flaxseed) and til (sesame seeds) in the diet. They are great and easily available sources of omega -3-fattly acids in vegetarian diet.

The Indian way

Making meditation a daily practice helps reduce stress and improves concentration. Early in the morning, sit cross-legged (sukhasana) and take a few slow deep breaths. Chant omm few times in a slow rhythm. It is to be pronounced as A (sound coming from the belly), U (from the chest) and M (with the mouth closed), end with a moment of silence after each omm. Then close your eyes and spend 5-10 min concentrating on the ajna chakra (the point between the eyebrows). Try to free the mind of all thoughts during this time. Choose the time duration that works for you and slowly increase it with practice. It is more important to make this a regular practice, than worry about the time duration.

During the meditation, you can use a yogic mudra called the gyan mudra, which is remarkable for improving concentration.  For this, touch the tip of the thumb with the tip of the first finger, keeping all other fingers straight. Adopt gyan mudra and place the hands palm side up, on the knees while sitting crossed legged during meditation.