Study Less and get Better Grades

Summary

This video challenges traditional study methods, advocating for smarter, not harder, studying. The speaker, an average guy with above-average laziness, shares unconventional tips for academic success. He argues against note-taking in class, suggesting it allows the brain to forget information, and instead recommends focusing on understanding the material. The 'Eat the Frog' technique is introduced, encouraging tackling the most difficult task first to enjoy the rest of the day without stress. Lastly, he emphasizes the importance of studying by doing the same tasks required for exams, such as practicing problem-solving for math or writing essays for history, to achieve better grades.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Study smarter, not harder: Focus on effective learning strategies rather than the duration of study.
• 🕒 Prioritize short, intensive study sessions: Two hours of concentrated study can be more effective than a week of less focused preparation.
• 📚 Avoid multitasking: Don't take notes in class; instead, focus solely on understanding the material to enhance retention.
• 🐸 Eat the frog first: Tackle the most challenging task at the beginning of your day to reduce stress and increase productivity.
• 🏆 Choose the right tasks: When studying, focus on activities that directly relate to the type of assessment you'll face.
• 📈 Practice makes perfect: To excel in exams, practice the same tasks you'll be doing during the exam, such as problem-solving or essay writing.
• 📖 Don't rely on notes: Train your brain to remember information by not taking notes, which can create a false sense of security.
• 🚫 Avoid passive learning: Actively engage with the material through practice rather than passively reading or watching.
• ⏰ Manage your time wisely: By completing difficult tasks early, you can enjoy the rest of your day without the looming pressure of unfinished work.
• 💡 Adapt to your learning style: Understand that different people have different learning styles and find what works best for you.

Q & A

What is the main message of the video regarding studying for exams?

The main message is to study smarter, not harder, by focusing on effective strategies rather than just the amount of time spent studying.

Why does the speaker claim not taking notes in class can be beneficial?

The speaker believes that not taking notes allows for better focus on understanding the material, rather than splitting attention between writing and listening.

What is the 'Eat the Frog' technique mentioned in the video?

The 'Eat the Frog' technique suggests doing the most difficult task first thing in the day to avoid procrastination and to feel a sense of accomplishment and relief early on.

How does the video suggest one should approach studying for different types of exams?

The video advises to practice the same tasks that will be required during the exam, such as solving problems for a math exam or writing essays for a history exam.

What is the speaker's personal experience with note-taking during classes?

The speaker has not taken a single note in the past four years and found it to be more effective for understanding and retaining information.

Why does the speaker suggest that taking notes might lead to forgetting information?

The speaker argues that taking notes can create a false sense of security, leading the brain to forget information because it assumes it can be looked up later.

What is the importance of doing the hardest task first thing in the morning according to the video?

Doing the hardest task first thing in the morning allows for the rest of the day to be more enjoyable and productive without the looming pressure of an unfinished difficult task.

What is the speaker's educational background as mentioned in the video?

The speaker graduated at the top of his class and got second place in the Olympiad of Informatics.

Why does the video suggest not to rely on note-taking as a memory aid?

The video suggests that relying on notes can train the brain to forget information more easily, as it develops a dependency on external memory aids.

What is the speaker's opinion on common study techniques like spaced repetition and the Pomodoro Technique?

The speaker does not cover these techniques because they are not considered the most important factors for improving grades; instead, the focus should be on studying smarter.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Smarter Studying, Not Harder

The speaker introduces the idea of studying smarter, not harder, by comparing a situation where someone aces an exam after only studying for 2 hours the day before, while others study for an entire week and still fail. The difference is not intelligence, but the approach. The speaker claims to be qualified to give this advice, describing themselves as an average person with above-average laziness who still managed to excel academically. This video won't focus on popular techniques like space repetition or the Pomodoro Technique, but on more effective strategies for improving grades without excessive effort.

05:03

📝 Ditch the Notes

Contrary to common advice, the speaker advocates against taking notes in class. They explain that for the past four years, they have not taken a single note and it has improved their understanding. By not focusing on taking notes, they were able to concentrate fully on what was being taught. Taking notes sends a signal to your brain that it’s okay to forget because the information is recorded elsewhere, which results in forgetting most of what you hear. Instead, trusting yourself to remember important details creates stronger mental retention.

🐸 Eat the Frog First

The speaker uses the metaphor of eating a disgusting frog to explain how to tackle difficult tasks. If you eat the frog first (i.e., do the hardest task first thing in the morning), the rest of your day will feel much easier and more enjoyable. Procrastinating the task will cause mental stress throughout the day and may result in poor quality work done at the last minute. By handling the hardest task early, you ensure better quality, more time, and a lighter mental load for the rest of the day.

🏀 Focus on the Right Task

The speaker advises against inefficient study methods and emphasizes doing the right task to improve performance. For example, reading textbooks or watching others solve problems won't help much in a math exam – you need to practice solving problems yourself. Similarly, for a history exam that requires essay writing, writing more essays is the best way to improve. The key takeaway is that active practice of the task you’ll be tested on is the most effective way to study.

🔑 Study Smarter in Three Steps

In summary, the speaker recaps the three main strategies for studying smarter: 1) Stop taking notes to force your brain to remember information; 2) Always tackle the hardest task first thing in the morning; and 3) Focus on practicing the exact tasks you’ll be tested on, such as solving math problems or writing essays, instead of passive study methods like underlining notes or listening to music while studying.

Keywords

💡Study smarter

The concept of 'study smarter' refers to the idea of improving study efficiency and effectiveness rather than simply increasing the amount of time spent studying. In the video, this is exemplified by the speaker's emphasis on strategic learning methods over rote memorization or excessive note-taking. The video suggests that by focusing on understanding and applying knowledge, one can achieve better results with less effort.

💡Spaced repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique where material is reviewed at increasing intervals over time, which is said to enhance long-term memory retention. Although the video mentions that it won't cover this method, it's a common study technique that contrasts with the speaker's approach of not taking notes and focusing on immediate comprehension.

💡Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that involves breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. This technique is mentioned as an example of methods not discussed in the video, which implies the speaker is advocating for different study strategies that they believe are more effective.

💡Note-taking

Note-taking is the act of recording information during a lecture or while studying. The video argues against traditional note-taking, suggesting that it can distract from the learning process. The speaker claims that not taking notes allows for better focus on understanding the material, which is a central theme in the video.

💡Memory retention

Memory retention refers to the ability to remember information over time. The video suggests that by not taking notes, one's brain is forced to retain information more effectively, as there is no backup in the form of written notes. This concept is crucial to the speaker's argument for studying smarter.

💡Eat the Frog first

The phrase 'Eat the Frog first' is a metaphor for tackling the most challenging or least desirable task at the beginning of the day. The video uses this concept to encourage viewers to prioritize difficult tasks, which can lead to a more productive and stress-free day, aligning with the theme of efficient study and life management.

💡Hardest task

The 'hardest task' refers to the most daunting or complex activity that one needs to accomplish. The video advises doing this task first thing in the morning to maximize productivity and enjoyment of the rest of the day, which is a practical application of the 'Eat the Frog first' strategy.

💡Right task

The 'right task' is the activity that will most directly contribute to one's goals, such as practicing problem-solving for an upcoming math exam. The video emphasizes the importance of focusing on tasks that simulate or directly relate to the actual exam conditions, which is a key aspect of studying smarter.

💡Doing vs. Reading

The video contrasts 'doing' tasks, such as solving problems or writing essays, with 'reading' about them. It argues that active engagement in the form of doing is more effective for learning and preparation than passive reading, which is a core message in advocating for practical study methods.

💡Underlining notes

Underlining notes is a common study technique where one highlights key points in the text. The video suggests that this method, along with listening to music, might not be as effective as other strategies for studying. This is used to illustrate the point that not all traditional study methods are the most productive.

Highlights

The speaker claims to have achieved academic success without extensive studying by watching a particular video and studying smarter, not harder.

The speaker emphasizes that conventional study methods like space repetition, Pomodoro Technique, and pain M technique are not the focus of the video.

The speaker shares their personal experience of not taking notes in class for the past 4 years and the benefits they've experienced.

It's suggested that not taking notes allows for better focus on understanding the material in class.

The speaker argues that taking notes can lead to a false sense of security and less retention of information.

Forgetting something important is not the end of the world; one can ask classmates or search online.

The 'Eat the Frog' strategy is introduced, suggesting to tackle the hardest task first to enjoy the rest of the day.

The speaker recommends doing the hardest task first thing in the morning for better productivity and satisfaction.

The importance of doing the right task when studying is highlighted, such as practicing the same type of problems that will be on the exam.

The analogy of basketball practice is used to illustrate the need to practice the specific skills required for academic success.

The speaker advises against underlining notes or other passive study methods that don't involve active engagement with the material.

A recap of the three key strategies for smarter studying: not taking notes, doing the hardest task first, and practicing the exam-type tasks.

The video concludes with a motivational message to try these methods for a month and see the difference.

Transcripts

imagine going to an exam after having

studied only the day before and acing it

and the best part is you only studied 2

hours Meanwhile your classmates have

been studying for the whole week and

still fail they start thinking that

they're stupid and that you're a genius

but only you know the difference between

you and them is that you watch this

video and you study smarter not harder

you might be wondering who am I to make

this video well I'm the most qualified

person to talk about this because I'm

just an average guy with above average

laziness that graduated at the top of

his class and got second place in the

Olympiad of informatics and before

starting just in case this video is not

going to cover space repetition Pomodoro

Technique pain M technique or any

similar methods that are all over the

internet not because they don't work but

because they're not the most important

thing when it comes to getting better

grades starting less don't take no not

this is going to sound counterintuitive

because since you were little everyone

has told you to take notes in class I

went the unconventional route and

haven't taken a single note in the past

4 years I'm not exaggerating not even a

single one I don't even open my notebook

in class and it has been so much better

than taking notes that I wanted to share

it with you I remember a few months ago

I was in university class and a

classmate asked me how do you understand

everything without taking notes are you

a genius and in my mind I thought no how

do you understand everything when you're

trying to understand while at the same

time taking notes the point is it's

easier to understand everything when

you're not taking notes because you're

only focusing on one tou you might be

wondering but but but what if I forget

something exactly you need to convince

your brain that there is no other option

than to remember what you learned in

class because if you think about it by

taking notes you're telling your brain

that it's fine to forget something

because you can always look it up in

your notes and guess what ends up

happening you forget most things and all

right if you end up forgetting something

extremely important it's not the end of

the world you can always ask a classmate

or search it up on the internet I know

you're thinking that I'm crazy but just

try it out for one month and decide for

yourself if it's worth doing eat the

Frog first imagine the next time you're

having lunch you have have to eat a

disgusting frog that's still alive when

would you eat it would you eat it the

first thing halfway through the meal or

at the end if you eat it at the end the

meal's not going to taste great because

while you eat you're going to be

thinking that you still have to eat that

disgusting frog on the other hand if you

eat it before anything else it's going

to taste horrible yeah but after that at

least you have a delicious meal to eat

so in both cases the frog is going to

taste horrible but in in the first case

at least you get to enjoy your meal and

the same thing applies to life you have

to do the hardest task the first thing

in the morning let's say you have to

write an essay for tomorrow and you hate

writing as in my case if you do it first

thing in the morning the rest of the day

you're going to feel great because you

already did the hardest task and now you

can enjoy your time without feeling

guilty on the other hand if you keep

postponing the essay it's going to be in

your mind all day and you're going to

feel depleted because you still have to

do the essay and because the due date is

tomorrow you'll be forced to do it at

night and you'll end up with a poor

quality essay while spending the same

time as if you did it first thing in the

morning so if you do it as soon as you

wake up you're going to spend the same

time the quality is going to be better

and you're going to feel great

throughout the day if you do it last

thing in the day you'll spend the same

time the quality will be worse you will

feel depleted through throughout the day

and you will be sleep deprived so to the

hard task the first thing in the morning

do the right task if you're using a lot

of your time to study but still get bad

grades this might be your problem you

need to find the right task to do when

studying the task that will give you the

biggest Advantage when doing the exam

let's compare this to basketball if you

want to perform better in your next

basketball game what do you need to do

do you need to read more basketball

books watch more basketball games no you

need to play more basketball games so if

you want to perform better in your next

math exam for instance don't read a

textbook or don't watch other people

solve problems go online search a bunch

of problems and do them that's how you

become better at solving problem if your

History exam is an essay and you want to

perform better in it write more essays

if you have a reading exam in your

English subject do more reading

exercises I hope you get the point and

that you can figure out for yourself

what should you be doing to study the

rest of the subjects because I hate to

break it to you but underlining your

notes while listening to music isn't

studying so just as a quick recap the

only three things you need to do to

study smarter are don't take notes to

force your brain to learn do the hardest

task the first thing in the morning and

study by doing the same task you have to

do in your

[Music]

some