EFFICIENT studying: How to ace MANY SUBJECTS in LESS time

Summary

In this video, Amy Wang shares her personal experience and strategies for managing a challenging academic load, including taking multiple weighted classes. She emphasizes the importance of a balanced lifestyle, incorporating breaks and leisure activities to maintain productivity. Amy advocates for 'smart laziness,' using online resources like Quizlet for efficient studying and a tracker system in her planner to ensure all assignments are completed. She also discusses the significance of prioritizing tasks by weight and difficulty, and the non-negotiable aspects of health and well-being in achieving academic success.

Takeaways

• 😀 **Maintain a Balanced Schedule**: Amy emphasizes the importance of not studying all day and planning enjoyable activities to maintain productivity and happiness.
• 🏋️‍♀️ **Work Smart, Not Just Hard**: The concept of 'laziness' is redefined as finding efficient ways to work, saving time and energy without compromising results.
• 🔍 **Utilize Online Resources**: Amy shares her experience of using online resources like Quizlet to find answers and explanations, streamlining the study process.
• 📚 **Avoid Overloading**: She advises against studying all memorization subjects in one session to prevent cognitive overload and ensure better retention.
• 📅 **Use a Tracker for Organization**: A personalized grid system in a planner helps keep track of assignments and tasks across multiple subjects.
• 💪 **Prioritize and Adapt**: Prioritizing tasks by weight and difficulty, and focusing on areas of struggle, is crucial for effective study management.
• 🌱 **Health is Non-negotiable**: Amy stresses that maintaining physical health through exercise, proper nutrition, and sleep is essential for optimal performance.
• 🧠 **Sharpen the Saw**: Continuous self-improvement and maintaining a sharp mental state are compared to sharpening a saw for more efficient work.
• 📈 **Apply Basic Study Techniques**: The video suggests that applying fundamental study techniques effectively can help manage multiple subjects.
• 🌟 **Holistic Approach**: Amy concludes that good habits and a holistic approach to problem-solving can address multiple challenges in life, not just academic ones.

Q & A

What was Amy's strategy for handling a challenging course load in high school?

Amy managed her challenging course load by convincing her English teacher to allow her to take multiple weighted classes, maintaining an 8-hour sleep schedule, and participating in Varsity Sports.

Why did Amy's English teacher initially refuse to sign off on her class selection?

Amy's English teacher was scared for her because she was taking on an excessive number of difficult classes, all of which were weighted 5.0 GPA out of four.

What did Amy's teacher write on the sticky note when she returned Amy's class proposal?

Amy's teacher wrote 'you're crazy Amy' on the sticky note.

How does Amy define 'lazy' in the context of studying?

Amy defines 'lazy' as working smarter before working harder, seeking shortcuts, and not reinventing the wheel when a more efficient method is available.

What did Amy find on Google that helped her with her AP Government homework?

Amy found Quizlets with the exact questions and answers from her homework packets, which made studying more efficient.

Why is it important to not overload your brain when studying multiple subjects?

Overloading your brain can lead to diminishing returns, where the brain cannot effectively encode new information, making studying less productive.

What tool did Amy use to ensure she didn't miss any assignments for her classes?

Amy used a tracker in her planner, creating a grid system for each week to check off completed tasks for each class.

What is the 'Snowball Effect' mentioned by Patrick Deng in the context of productivity?

The 'Snowball Effect' refers to the idea that making progress becomes easier over time once you start taking small steps, making tasks less stressful and more manageable.

Why is it important to prioritize subjects and concepts when studying for many classes?

Prioritizing helps allocate time and effort effectively by focusing on items that carry the most weight in assignments and tests, as well as addressing the most challenging concepts first.

What does Amy emphasize as a non-negotiable aspect of maintaining her performance in school?

Amy emphasizes being healthy, including working out, taking supplements, and eating a balanced diet, as a non-negotiable aspect of maintaining her performance.

What is Amy's perspective on the importance of basic studying tips?

Amy believes that basic studying tips, despite being 'boring,' are effective and should not be overlooked. She encourages following these basic tips for consistent progress.