how to STUDY for an EXAM in 2 DAYS after FALLING BEHIND in class | my 6-DAY CATCH UP & STUDY PLAN

Summary

In this video, Nathan, a second-year Pharmacy student, shares his six-day study plan for catching up on missed lectures and preparing for weekly exams. He advises prioritizing lecture notes, using digital flashcards like Anki for efficient learning, and focusing on critical content. Nathan also recommends using past papers for problem-based courses and creating essay plans for essay-based exams. He encourages viewers to be confident in their ability to learn and study effectively even with tight deadlines.

Takeaways

• 📚 **Six-Day Study Plan**: Nathan shares his study plan for catching up and preparing for exams within a week.
• 🕒 **Time Management**: Allocate four days for catching up on missed content and two days for studying before the exam.
• 📈 **Efficiency**: Prioritize lecture notes over additional readings or videos to focus on core concepts.
• 📋 **Flashcards**: Utilize flashcards, especially digital ones like Anki, for quick and effective learning.
• 🔄 **Spaced Repetition**: Use Anki's spaced repetition feature to enhance memory retention.
• 📝 **Active Learning**: Create flashcards while reading lecture slides to reinforce learning.
• 📐 **Problem-Based Learning**: For subjects like math, focus on practice problems after understanding the theory.
• 📖 **Summarize and Note-Taking**: For literature, read summaries and focus on themes, characters, and quotes.
• 📉 **Prioritization**: In case of limited time, concentrate on the most critical topics in the lecture slides.
• 📝 **Essay Planning**: For essay-based exams, create plans for potential essay questions to streamline writing during the exam.
• 💪 **Confidence**: Despite the cramming, trust the process and the techniques used to prepare for the exam.

Q & A

What is Nathan's academic background?

Nathan is a second-year Pharmacy student studying at the University of Waterloo.

How often does Nathan have exams?

Nathan has exams every single week on Monday mornings.

What is the duration of Nathan's exams?

The exams are 2 hours long.

What system did Nathan develop to cope with his weekly exams?

Nathan developed a six-day study plan to catch up on missed lectures and study for his exams.

How many days does Nathan allocate for catching up on content?

Nathan allocates four days, from Tuesday to Friday, for catching up on content.

What does Nathan prioritize when he is running low on time?

When running low on time, Nathan prioritizes lecture notes over readings, case studies, and extra videos.

What tool does Nathan recommend for content-based courses?

Nathan recommends using flashcards, either digital like Anki or physical flashcards, for content-based courses.

What is the name of the online learning community Nathan mentions?

Nathan mentions Skillshare, an online learning community.

What is the name of the Anki tutorial class Nathan recommends?

Nathan recommends the class 'Learn Anything with Flashcards: The Ultimate Guide to Anki' by Ali Abdal.

How does Nathan use Anki differently due to time constraints?

Nathan uses Anki unconventionally by adapting the space repetition technique to his tight schedule.

What technique does Nathan use to make flashcards quickly?

Nathan uses image occlusion, where he covers up something and tests himself, to make flashcards quickly.

What does Nathan suggest for problem-based or essay-based courses?

For problem-based courses, Nathan suggests doing practice problems, and for essay-based courses, he suggests reading summaries online and making notes on important themes, characters, and quotes.

How does Nathan approach the weekend before an exam?

Nathan spends the weekend quizzing himself with flashcards for content-based courses or doing past papers and making essay plans for problem-based or essay-based courses.

What is Nathan's advice for students who feel unprepared before an exam?

Nathan advises students to be confident, as they have saturated their brains with knowledge through the techniques he shared.