Three of the Worst Places to Study
Several studies have found that studying in new places helps students retain more information. Every time they move around, they force the brain to form new associations with the same college test prep material, which forces the brain to develop new associations with the material, forming stronger memories.
While some spots are certainly the places to get studying done — cafes, test prep tutoring sessions, libraries — other places are not. Whether you need to study for ACTs, SATs, LSATs, GREs, or other types of tough tests, make sure you avoid these non-conducive study spots.
On the Bus.
The bus might seem like a great place to get some college test prep done (considering the fact that you’re really just sitting there doing nothing else), but it’s probably best to avoid it. First of all, you might get motion sickness, which wouldn’t be all that pleasant. Secondly, there’s not that much room on the bus, so you might not even be able to do any college test prep physically. Thirdly, you’ll only have minutes to study considering it’s going to take a bit of time finagling your materials in and out of your pack.
Your Best Friend’s Place.
Having a buddy with you to do college test prep might seem like a fun idea, but be honest with yourself. How much are the two of you going to get done trying to study together? Don’t try to mix your hang out time with your study time. The former won’t be as enjoyable and the latter won’t be as productive. It’s best to just keep the two separated.
Eateries.
Studying on an empty stomach is a terrible idea, so it’s wise to do college test prep at a place where you can grab a snack, right? Actually, no. You’ll more than likely get crumbs or sauce all over the materials you have spread over the table, making everything sticky and gross. If you study at a cafe or bakery, stick to coffee and skip the noms.
If you’re going to make full use of your test prep review time, make sure you don’t head to any of these places. Otherwise, you’ll find that you’ve not only wasted your time, but are worse off since you have even less time to do college test prep.
If you know of any other studying tips for exams besides avoiding distracting locales, feel free to share in the comments.