It’s the year 2024 and you’re probably looking for better ways to get more out of your studies. I get it. Reading a textbook for hours on end for the information not to click can be discouraging to just about anyone. So I’ve created this article for those who want to change that.

Using the Right Stationary

You may not care about what equipment or utensils you write your notes on or with, but having good quality tools that enhance the “fun factor” of your studying can help motivate you to study more.

I use Japanese stationery because it is made sturdy and has a very smooth texture on the paper. For example, the paper I use is Kokuyo B5 letter type, it is very smooth to write on, the margins are neat, and the paper setup is organized for numbering, naming, and titling. Funnily enough, because it is a Japanese type of paper. The lines have markers that create ‘boxes’ for neat writing of Japanese characters.

The pencils and pen I use on a day-to-day basis include the following:

  • Stalogy 365-day Journal
  • Maruman Notebook
  • Uni-ball Sigma DX 0.38 pen (in multiple colors)
  • Kurutoga 0.5mm mechanical pencil (with bold and HB lead)

A Spaced Repetition System

Memory plays an important role in us while we study, from spoken languages to math. Memory is key to remembering the important structures of a subject for you to get better at it and develop more intuition. This is why something like a spaced repetition system is crucial for your success.

A SRS is a spaced-repetition system that scores your ability to memorize an item in a time frame. If you remember the item enough times the item will be delayed and pushed to the back of the list, while never-before-seen or not to memorable items get pushed to the top for you to study and master.

As you make progress in this system, you will eventually master many of the items shown to you and hopefully as a direct effect, you’ll have become knowledgeable enough that you know that you’ve completed your studies.

A great app for this is Anki for the web, and a companion app called AnkiApp on IOS and the Google Play store. These apps help automate the process of which items get scheduled for your review and better yet they’re free!

Deep Focus, and Active Learning

Many books include the idea of “Deep Focus” which involves the ability to concentrate a set amount of time on your work without any distractions. This period is a moment for you to understand, grasp, and connect the dots with a topic of your choice. It helps in the active learning cycle. Active learning is a technique where you investigate, explore, and jot down all the ideas about a subject engaging in it to create deep connections for your brain and solidify the content into memory.

While it’s easy to describe what deep focus and active learning are, getting used to the techniques in practice is a challenge. It means learning how to cut off from the world, and to place yourself in that moment of study. Where you pull your chair from your desk, sit down with your notes and material and only concentrate on that.

Many apps have been created, to boost your ability to focus with techniques such as the Pomodoro. Many more apps will likely be made until we all realize that we didn’t need an app to tell us to focus in the first place. I recommend using an app blocker and only allowing your clock app on your phone.

Set the alarm for 30 minutes, with timed breaks in between say 5 minutes. If you want better results the amount of time you deeply focus can be increased to 45 minutes with 10-minute breaks in between. The increased time learning while concentrated is supposed to maintain the “immersion” effect you are working to achieve while studying.

Choose your Subject Material

Choosing your subject material is very important. I used to think that if I followed what everyone reviewed as “good, ” I would understand the material much faster. However, reality doesn’t always work that way. Even if a material may be good for many, it may not be suitable for you.

That’s why before you start studying, you should research just a bit on what material you want to use for your studies and then use it. This means not only reading reviews on websites from users to give you a general idea of the quality of the material but also if you’re able to. Try reading the first few pages or videos, and see if the material “clicks” with you.

I can’t stress this enough, I know it seems easy to follow the status quo, but you do yourself injustice because you only know you. How you learn and what materials cater to your learning should be an essential part of what you want to get out of the long study sessions you will have.

There are many ways to study, but I picked out what works best for me. How they help to entertain myself during my studies and retain the information better. I think these methods can be nice ways to exchange the overall study experience and make you an effective learner. For more tips, subscribe to my newsletter where I share weekly updates!