How to improve concentration and dedication in studies to crack an exam?

Sowny on 13/03/2017 - 23:48

Hi Ozbargainers,

It's been 8 years since I stepped outta Uni and started my career in software industry.

Fortunately, I love my job for its nature and easiness to deal with.

Unfortunately, I turned up to be a lazy fella over a period of time by skipping gym, boozing more and more, got addicted to social networking, and finally giving up on studies too.

I'm posting this to get best suggestions from each one of you from your personal experience on improving concentration and dedication in studies to crack exams.

Cheerzzz,
Sowny

Education & Work

Comments

  • supnigs super skids on 14/03/2017 - 00:43
    -2

    Cough medicine.

  • spackbace on 14/03/2017 - 00:46
    -2

    Crack

  • captobvious on 14/03/2017 - 01:19
    -2

    Be friends with the dork in class

  • [Deactivated] on 14/03/2017 - 01:28
    -2

    Modafinil

  • Kangal on 14/03/2017 - 02:20
    +6

    Well, it all comes down to dedication and drive.

    Some people want to earn money to go buy that sports car.
    Some do so to please their gf's.
    Other's do it for family.
    Some strive to better themselves personally.

    I believe you gotta find what your motivation is, recognise it/come to terms, and use it as a spear to do what you want to.
    This is coming from a guy that's young but has heaps of real-world (crappy) experience thrown at him.

    (eg/ right now I'm contempt with the position and person that I am… but I am making efforts to impress this particular special lady)

    • Vampyr on 14/03/2017 - 05:31

      Contempt = Freudian slip?

      • Kangal on 14/03/2017 - 11:56
        +2

        Let's just say I'm a man of logic and science, but this particular bonita has made me behave irrationally. Definitely can feel palpitations.

        If all goes well, I'm thinking of a Mt Everest/Top of the World proposal.

        First I gotta swoon her, earn some dollaz, and try to get my physique up (current: 80kg, 60kg deadlift pathetic….goal: 90kg body weight, 100kg deadlift)

        Hence my inner Zen battle between Contempt and Desire.

        • Gunther on 14/03/2017 - 12:31
          +1

          hahah what!?! +1 for amazing gym logic.

  • altomic on 14/03/2017 - 03:47
    +5

    "Just do the work and stop (profanity) about." - that was my motivator while study part time for 4 years to complete post grade psych (graduated last November) whilst working full time and having small kids

    • BrewerHaHa on 20/03/2017 - 12:31

      I know I"m a bit late to the party but congrats!

  • Ryanek on 14/03/2017 - 07:46
    +4

    There is a sure fire method to beat procrastination. It's pretty long, I'll tell you later.

    • Sowny on 14/03/2017 - 11:37

      Err… Later?!? Noo.. Spit it out now.

      • payton on 20/03/2017 - 01:26

        That was the joke Sonny Jim!

  • lupiter on 14/03/2017 - 08:21
    +1

    First, work out your learning style, whatever is the most effective way for you. Do you learning by listening, reading, seeing or doing with your hands? I'm a visual learner, and if I just have to memorise something (like definitions) I build a memory house (method of loci) for it. Other people might write stuff out again and again, use flash cards, or they find re-listening to lectures the most useful.

    Then schedule regular time and a quiet place to study. Maybe this has to be in the library or a computer lab to get away from distractions.

    Try not to cram all your learning into the pre-exam period, use the whole term. Do your assignments as early as possible, and if you get a question wrong work through it again. Go to your lectures and tutorials and do the work even if it's not marked or the marks don't count. Ask questions.

    • Sowny on 14/03/2017 - 11:36

      I learn just by reading books most of the time. I used to get distracted, feel bored, and get disappointed when I see the result of my practise exam. The more negative marks I score, the more I lose interest and afraid to attempt the test again.

      I think I must head to the library and sit tight for 3 hours with an hour break.

      Have you come across any kinda book which helps improving concentration?

      • try2bhelpful on 14/03/2017 - 13:23

        You need to think more laterally. The practice exam is to indicate the areas you need to study more. Just pick a couple of questions and work on them; when you are happy with those pick a couple of more and work on them. Do the research on the question and answer to understand. It is not concentration you are lacking it is persistance; if you had that attitude as a toddler you would still be crawling rather than walking. I do cryptic crosswords and the first few times I did them I was lucky to get more than a couple of answers. I set myself the task of doing the crossword everyday for a month, then checking the answers the next day and understanding how they got that answer. In a month I could do almost all of the crossword; although Friday's DA might take me most of the week to get there. You need to understand what they are trying to teach you not to concentrate on the exam. Craming, without understanding, will only stress you out.

  • wallet72 on 14/03/2017 - 08:49

    one hour study, one hour break, it may sound like a waste of time but you will stop effectively absorbing knowledge after about an hour without a break. Taking an hour break also lets you still do other things that might otherwise build up and distract you - play a game for an hour, go to the shops, watch tv etc etc. It does mean you spend more overall time studying, but then you plan it that way - and you shouldn't be cramming anyway so spreading out the study will feel less like a punishment.

    The only other thing I find handy is if you are booking your own exams, aim for 10am. It gives you enough time to have a relaxed morning and still be fresh for the exam. I also spend the hour before the exam just doing practice questions (you will be surprised how many 'practice' questions are word for word on the real test).

    • Sowny on 14/03/2017 - 11:22

      Ah, This is something I gotta try. Studying and playing on alternate hours seems to be working but I may need to keep an alarm while playing!

  • bobbified on 14/03/2017 - 10:01
    +1

    Stay away from all your OzBargain toys!
    All those spare eneloops sitting on the floor and in your drawers may affect your brainwaves!

    (PS - I've got no real study tips - I wouldn't be able to study to save my own life. haha)

  • JetLi on 14/03/2017 - 11:01
    +1

    Give yourself a reward at the end of it if you pass, like a trip to Bali filled with lots of booze and social networking.

  • ShannonN on 14/03/2017 - 11:58
    +2

    WE all learn by different methods, aural, visual and hands on or any combo is generally how.

    I started a diploma course in 2007 and found after 30 yrs out of a academic environment I needed to focus harder than most.

    I personally need almost absolute quiet when studying (at home where I can control my environment)no chance of distractions, so for me phone off, no radio, tv etc. At college in the library when writing up notes and researching, I often had to put up with fellow younger students playing music vids without headphones while sitting next to me>

    Just couldn't function with that happening, as for time wasters like gaming, doesn't work. You need to totally commit to the study and when you have that done then party

    I have some good PC software for time and task monitoring and study timetables etc if you want to pm me
    I hope you do well and pass

  • try2bhelpful on 14/03/2017 - 13:10
    +1

    From exams I used to do all the practice exams and then go to the library and do previous years exams. It is funny how you would see the same questions come up time and time again. For assignments the best way is to sit down and just write something. Freeform write down everything you can think of then get up and have a quick walk around and then sit down and make some sense of it. It is too easy to just keep putting off writing because you have scoped everything out perfectly yet. The thing to keep in mind is you will never know everything so you need to make a good fist of what you do know. Blank sheets of paper are intimidating, so you need to make sure you get something down quickly. When I hit a brick wall I go for a walk and think about how I would present the information if I was trying to teach it to someone else; it tends to make it clearer in my own mind and helps with the presentation. It also helps with identifying the gaps you need to research.

  • weezlebub on 14/03/2017 - 13:18
    +1

    personal experience from someone who's been through some difficulties with motivation (fiance leaving, anxiety, depression, too much booze, out of work for a while, lots of random things have happened) …

    Words - sometimes a fluffy speech on what you should do will work, if it works, great, if not, then look elsewhere …

    Habits - drinking is horrible for motivation, don't stop, just try to wind it back (swapping to a few late night ports will put you to sleep, without dealing with motivation issues the following day

    Environment - I went interstate for a year and found that a completely new environment worked wonders to make me more productive

    Chemical - while drugs are never an ideal solution, i found that dexies & modafinil (not at the same time) worked quite well to get me out of a funk that I had fallen into, but I strongly urge that if you want to try it, do it for a week, then stop - they can be addictive, so if you go down this path, use it as a kick-start, not as a dependency

    • Sowny on 19/03/2017 - 12:07

      Definitely no chemicals :(

      • weezlebub on 22/03/2017 - 10:43

        some green tea or other hippy crap then

        • Sowny on 24/03/2017 - 10:15

          haha

  • doctordv8 on 15/03/2017 - 09:29
    +1

    Um….seems kinda easy to me. Do what you did when you were at school, and then Uni. Same ol' same ol'. It worked once….

    But as you asked so nicely……
    Head down. Bum up. Read it. Say it. Write it. And do that until you have it. Do absolutely NOTHING pre exam night.
    No study. If you do not have it the night before all hope is lost…..doom!
    At 54 I just aced a HRW exam, easy peasy. You CAN do this. Go on…say it…. I CAN DO THIS. See, easy peasy! Good luck.

  • iamw0man on 15/03/2017 - 09:48
    +1

    I'm sure I'll get downvoted but - uppers, legal or otherwise. You'd be surprised at how many high performing individuals use this stuff to get through the day.

    • bobbified on 15/03/2017 - 11:50

      Now, now… why would anyone down-vote you for that?
      That was actually the first thing that came to my mind, but didn't want to write it! haha

      • Sowny on 19/03/2017 - 12:05

        I have loaded enough with all this stuffs mate! Not any more.

  • lainey13 on 15/03/2017 - 13:55
    +1

    Get off the internet… too much distraction, including this site!

  • orangeedu on 15/03/2017 - 16:21
    +2

    Many students complain that they just can’t concentrate, and that minds race from one thing to another and their thoughts are all over the place - except on their studies.
    I am used to study long-hours for a few days before the examinations, so here are my tips:
    • Makes notes (Summarise important points)
    • Do past paper examinations (So you will know what will be tested)
    • Re-do the past paper examinations (DO IT MORE THAN ONCE SO YOU WILL USED TO THE TYPE OF THE QUESTIONS)
    • Do all the practice questions given from your teacher/lecturer (DO AS MUCH PRACTICE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE)
    • Take a break for once in awhile (Stop for awhile maybe to grab a snack)
    Lastly, hope this tips will help you! Like it does for me.

  • baker bob on 18/03/2017 - 23:16
    +1

    Get rid of all distractions to the point that you have 2 options, go to sleep or study.

    I was lucky to have access to a holiday house that had no TV, no internet and basic mod cons. Picture Rocky IV, that was me without the snow.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/03/2017 - 23:14

    desperation

  • weezlebub on 24/03/2017 - 15:09

    Ok, simple, non-chemical stuff:

    Food & Drink - try to eat something descent at least once per day, avoid bad foods as they're generally high in sodium and sugar, sugar will give you a brief high, but leave you drained shortly after (especially if you're doing mentally taxing stuff)

    Caffeine - avoid it if you can, regulate it if you must

    Booze & other - unless you've been studying all year while drinking, stop drinking well in advance! there's a study that says that the state you learn something in is the state that you will recall it in (i.e. if you're studying while hung over, you'll need to be hung over in the exams to remember your course content)

    Sleep - lots and often, being tired wont help you study, prime mental state will assist with retention

    Berocca performance - sound silly, but these can have a massive impact if taken every morning

    Actual study - learn to write meaningful notes, what stuff is important, dot point everything, it's the easiest way to cram key / core information and you'd be surprised at how much smaller something becomes once you get rid of the fluffy words that conjugate real sentences

    Digest - pull things a part, put it back together, rearrange things in another, useful way, understand the intention and meaning as wrote-learning wont help

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