the IVY LEAGUE SECRET to STUDYING EFFECTIVELY

Summary

In this educational video, the speaker, a Yale University computer science student, shares his expertise on achieving straight A's with effective studying techniques. He emphasizes the importance of deep work sessions, setting specific deadlines to avoid procrastination, and using active recall combined with spaced repetition for better retention. The speaker also discusses the significance of focus, minimizing distractions, and the benefits of waking up early for uninterrupted study time. Lastly, he stresses the power of setting clear goals for academic and personal success.

Takeaways

• 📚 Study Effectively: The speaker emphasizes the importance of studying smart rather than just spending long hours, advocating for a more efficient approach to learning.
• 🏆 Academic Achievement: The speaker has a history of academic success, from being a valedictorian to studying at Yale University, which serves as a foundation for his advice.
• 🔍 Active Learning: The speaker suggests that active recall, such as doing past papers and practice exams, is more effective than passive studying like re-reading notes.
• 🕒 Parkinson's Law: Setting specific deadlines can improve productivity and focus, as it prevents wasting time and encourages efficient studying.
• 💡 Deep Work: The speaker highlights the value of deep work sessions where one is completely focused on a single task, leading to better retention and understanding.
• 🚫 Avoid Procrastination: The speaker warns against the pitfall of passive studying, which can be a form of procrastination and not as effective as active learning.
• 🌟 Consistency Over Intensity: Consistently studying for shorter periods is more beneficial than cramming for long hours, which can lead to burnout.
• 🔄 Spaced Repetition: Combining active recall with spaced repetition, by studying over time rather than in one go, can solidify knowledge and prepare for exams.
• 📱 Minimize Distractions: The speaker suggests separating study time from leisure time and using distractions as rewards after focused study sessions.
• ⏰ Early Morning Productivity: Waking up early can provide a peaceful and distraction-free environment conducive to deep work and effective studying.
• 🎯 Set Clear Goals: Having clear goals for academic performance and other aspects of life can motivate and guide one's actions towards achieving those goals.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to provide a no-nonsense guide on how to study effectively to achieve straight A's effortlessly.

What is the speaker's educational background according to the transcript?

The speaker was a valedictorian in high school, had a 4.0 GPA while studying, and is currently a student at Yale University studying computer science.

What is the speaker's perspective on studying for long hours without breaks?

The speaker believes that studying for long hours without breaks is not effective and can lead to burnout. They advocate for studying effectively in shorter, focused sessions.

What is the 'Parkinson's Law' mentioned in the video?

Parkinson's Law is about setting goals and deadlines for oneself. It suggests that work expands to fill the time available for its completion, implying the importance of setting specific time constraints for tasks.

What is the speaker's view on passive studying methods like rewriting notes?

The speaker considers passive studying methods like rewriting notes to be less effective and more of a form of procrastination rather than actual learning.

What is 'active recall' as described in the video?

Active recall is a study technique where one actively tries to retrieve information from memory, such as by answering past paper questions or practice exam papers, which helps to ingrain knowledge effectively.

How does the speaker suggest combining active recall with another technique to enhance its effectiveness?

The speaker suggests combining active recall with spaced repetition, which involves reviewing material at increasing intervals over time, to make studying more effective.

What is the importance of focus according to the speaker?

Focus is crucial for effective studying. Without focus, one's study sessions can be unproductive, and distractions can significantly hinder the learning process.

What does the speaker recommend to manage distractions while studying?

The speaker recommends setting specific study times without distractions and then rewarding oneself with leisure activities afterward. They also suggest waking up earlier for peaceful and distraction-free study sessions.

What is the role of setting clear goals in becoming an 'academic weapon' according to the video?

Setting clear goals is essential for intentional deep study work sessions and becoming an academic weapon. It provides direction and motivation for achieving high academic performance.

What is the speaker's final advice for viewers who want to improve their study habits?

The speaker advises viewers to follow the steps in the guide, work hard, and apply the study techniques discussed to become an academic weapon and achieve good grades effortlessly.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Mastering Effective Study Techniques

The speaker introduces the video as a guide to achieving straight A's effortlessly. They share their academic success, including being a valedictorian and having a 4.0 GPA, and mention their current studies at Yale University. The speaker emphasizes the importance of effective studying over long hours of inefficient study sessions and introduces the concept of 'deep work' sessions, which are periods of intense focus on a single task. They also touch on the idea of Parkinson's Law, which suggests that the amount of time spent on a task can be directly proportional to the time allotted for its completion, advocating for setting specific deadlines to enhance productivity.

05:00

🔍 Active Recall and Spaced Repetition for Better Learning

This paragraph delves into the specifics of effective studying techniques, advocating for active recall over passive studying methods like re-reading textbooks or rewriting notes. Active recall involves engaging with past papers and practice exams to reinforce learning. The speaker also introduces spaced repetition, a method where active recall is practiced over a period leading up to an exam, creating a 'muscle memory' effect. They discuss the importance of focus during study sessions, suggesting strategies to minimize distractions and the benefits of studying in the morning for a more peaceful and productive environment. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's belief in the power of setting clear goals for academic success and personal development.

Keywords

💡Straight A's

Straight A's refers to receiving the highest possible grade in every course, symbolizing academic excellence. In the video's theme, achieving straight A's effortlessly is the central goal, and the script offers strategies to study effectively to attain this without excessive effort or time investment.

💡Academic weapon

The term 'academic weapon' metaphorically describes someone who is highly skilled and effective in their academic pursuits. Colin, the speaker, uses this term to describe himself and encourages viewers to become 'academic weapons' by adopting efficient study habits.

💡Study effectively

Studying effectively means employing methods that maximize learning and retention of information with minimal time and effort. The video emphasizes the importance of effective studying over long hours of inefficient studying.

💡Parkinson's law

Parkinson's law is a concept that suggests that 'work expands to fill the time available for its completion.' In the context of the video, it is used to highlight the inefficiency of setting broad time frames for studying, which can lead to procrastination and wasted time.

💡Deep work sessions

Deep work sessions refer to periods of focused, uninterrupted work on a cognitively demanding task. The video script mentions the value of such sessions in achieving academic success by concentrating intensely on a subject matter.

💡Active recall

Active recall is a learning technique where students actively retrieve information from memory rather than passively rereading notes. The script promotes active recall as an effective study method, such as answering past exam questions, to ingrain knowledge.

💡Space repetition

Space repetition is a learning method that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time. The video suggests combining active recall with spaced repetition to enhance the effectiveness of studying, particularly for exams.

💡Distractions

Distractions are anything that diverts attention away from the task at hand. The video discusses the impact of common distractions like social media and emphasizes the importance of minimizing them to focus on studying.

💡Focus

Focus refers to the ability to concentrate intently on a specific task. The script stresses the importance of maintaining focus during study sessions to achieve deep work and effective learning.

💡Goals

Goals are specific objectives or targets that one aims to achieve. The video encourages setting clear academic goals, such as getting straight A's or a 4.0 GPA, as a driving force for intentional and deep study work.

💡Balance

Balance in the context of the video refers to maintaining equilibrium between academic responsibilities, personal life, and leisure activities. Colin advocates for a balanced approach to ensure overall well-being while pursuing academic excellence.

Highlights

Getting perfect grades doesn't have to be complicated. The speaker shares a no-nonsense guide on how to study effectively.

The speaker has always had good grades, being a valedictorian in high school with a 4.0 GPA, and is now a Yale University computer science student.

Studying effectively is more important than the amount of time spent studying, emphasizing quality over quantity.

The importance of deep work sessions for effective studying, as opposed to long hours of unfocused study.

Parkinson's Law is introduced, highlighting the relationship between time spent on a task and productivity.

Setting specific deadlines for studying can increase productivity and prevent wasted time.

Active recall as an effective study technique, involving doing past paper questions and practice exams.

Combining active recall with spaced repetition to reinforce learning and create 'muscle memory'.

The necessity of focus during study sessions, minimizing distractions for better retention.

Using distractions as rewards after completing study sessions to maintain motivation.

Waking up earlier can provide a peaceful and distraction-free environment for deep work.

The importance of balance between academics, health, and personal life for overall well-being.

Setting clear goals for academic success and personal development.

Visualizing oneself in the future can help in setting and working towards clear goals.

The speaker's belief in the power of having clear goals for leveling up in life.

Encouragement to follow the guide's steps and work hard to become an academic weapon and achieve good grades effortlessly.

Transcripts

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if you clicked on this video because you

want to learn how to get straight A's

effortlessly you're in the right spot

getting perfect grades doesn't have to

be so complicated that's why in this

video I'm going to give you a no BS

guide on how to study effectively so

throughout my life I've always had

pretty good grades in primary school I

was a valedictorian in high school I had

a 4.0 GPA while studying Max 2 hours a

day and now I'm a student at Yale

University studying computer science and

over the years I've built enough

knowledge that you can call me like an

academic weapon and I'm not gonna lie

with you I am that guy in school I'm

that Asian boy who just happens to Ace

all his tests that Asian kid who just

happens to have like 100 different

interests 100 different Hobbies projects

programming debate music piano you name

it and I'm not trying to show off or

sound cocky but I probably spent the

least amount of time studying in my

class but that's because I learned how

to study effectively and now being at

Yale University and Ivy League

institution studying computer science

I'm surrounded by so many academic

weapons but guys I'm no different to you

I'm a student you're a student and we're

both trying to make it out I've tried it

all I've tried highlighting the Pomodoro

Technique making pretty notes flash

cards studying with friends you name it

and in my journey in being an academic

weapon I have learned a lot and what

I've realized is that you can actually

make studying simple and fun so whether

you're 13 years old or whether you're in

high school studying APS the IB or a

levels or whether you're a university

student this video will be valuable for

you because learning is something that's

extremely important for every single one

of us so you might as well become an

academic weapon now to make your life

more enjoyable

so the first thing you need to do is

change your broken monkey mindset I

often hear a lot of people saying stuff

like oh I studied for 10 hours a day or

I studied until 3 A.M yesterday and they

think it's a flex but honestly I don't

think it's a flex at all I don't know

about you but for me I would much rather

study two hours a day and still get the

same results if not better than the

student who studied like 12 hours a day

because what you need to realize is that

the time you spend studying does not

equal knowledge gained and it's the same

way like if you want to get shredded in

a gym you don't want to do like 20 sets

of 100 push-ups because your arm's gonna

die right you want to do three to four

sets of reps that are reasonable or say

you're trying to practice a piano it is

much better to practice 30 minutes a day

consistently rather than just like clip

out 12 hours in a single day because

you're going to burn out guys what's

most important is that you study

effectively the smartest students that I

personally know they understand the

principles of deep work so for example

one of my roommates Cody he took 20 APS

back in high school which is a crazy

amount if you know the American

education system and what I've learned

from him is the value of having deep

work sessions like study sessions where

you're completely focused on a task and

so your goal should be to become that

student who only needs one hour to

finish an Economics chapter whereas most

students would need a week

so now you might be thinking Colin how

do I study like what's the best way to

study the first law that I want you guys

to be familiar with is called

Parkinson's law and Parkinson's law is

about setting goals for yourself and

deadlines so let me give you an example

let's say you had math homework due next

week and you gave yourself one Saturday

to finish that entire math homework

because you gave yourself the entire day

to do your homework what ends up

happening is that you just waste so much

time during that day you're probably

going to end up working on your math

homework for like six hours when in

reality you only probably need like 30

minutes the point here is that if you

give yourself too broad or too long of a

lifespan to do something you're gonna

waste so much time so Colin what should

I do instead the next time you get an

assignment or the next time you decide

you want to study for a class try to set

deadlines for yourself in hours in very

specific hours let's say two hours to

complete this math preset and if you

write that down on your whiteboard or if

you write it on Google Calendar for

example You're Gonna Save so much more

time and now you will feel that when you

give yourself that time I'm constrained

you're like 10 times ultimately more

productive and worst case scenario if

you're not done with your map problem

sets by the end of two hours you can

always add more time but you cannot take

back time that you procrastinated with

you cannot take back time that you

wasted and that is the key difference

here also one thing to note is guys

don't be like overly unrealistic right

don't tell yourself I'm gonna finish 30

000 word essay in 15 minutes that's just

a complete BS but still give yourself a

little bit of a challenge and I promise

you that by the end of the deep work

session you will be happy and really

proud of yourself

so the second important part of this

video is answering the question how do I

study what techniques should I use most

students what they do is passive

studying so this looks like for example

just reading the textbook just rewriting

notes and trying to make it look

aesthetic and pretty and then at the end

of the day you're like

I'm done 10 pages of beautiful notes I'm

totally being productive nah in reality

you're really just like procrastinating

it may seem like you're doing a lot of

stuff but in reality you're really not

and guys I was once guilty of this too

now it's not to say that writing notes

are completely useless no it's not but

if your primary method of studying is

just rewriting notes from a textbook

then you're doing something wrong so

what should you do now what if the best

study techniques in my opinion is active

recall active recall looks like doing

past paper questions it looks like

searching for practice exam papers

online and just going through all the

questions one by one this in my opinion

is the most effective way to study and

do well for your exams because if you're

actively trying to take that information

from your head to answer questions soon

enough that knowledge is going to be

ingrained in your brain and most likely

your professor or your teacher is

probably going to repeat some of the

past exam questions maybe it's going to

be worded differently maybe the numbers

are slightly changed but the main

concepts are going to be the same and I

truly believe guys that if you study by

answering questions you will become an

academic weapon so that is active recall

but there's actually a way to make

active recall even more powerful and

that is by combining active recall with

space repetition and so basically how

space repetition works is that you're

doing active recall for a long period of

time so say for instance you're going to

have like a biology exam next month what

you want to do is for every week for

four weeks before the exam you want to

take as many practice exam questions as

you can and that way you're chipping in

your studying and it's almost going to

be like muscle memory by the time you

take your exam so this is probably the

best study method that I personally use

to get good grades

now I want to talk about Focus because

studying without Focus will bring you

nowhere nowadays there's like so many

distractions around us you have

Instagram Tick Tock Twitter Netflix you

name it and what most students do is

that they study while scrolling their

Instagram like every five minutes me

personally I like to separate my study

time from my fun time so this looks like

for example committing to study for 30

minutes without any distractions and

then afterwards I can check Instagram or

something like that guys you don't have

to go like complete monk mode and delete

other social media and things like that

but what you can do is instead tell

yourself okay after I'm done with my

math homework then I can watch that

Netflix show and so now you're shifting

your mindset into changing these

distractions into rewards for studying

hard and this is really good for you

because you're training the brain to do

hard things and to remove distractions

now another thing that I love to do is

waking up earlier so me personally I

really like waking up in between 5 30

a.m to 6 30 a.m but it's going to be

different for every person so say for

instance you normally wake up at 8am

maybe try to wake up at 7am and from 7

to 8 get some deep work sessions and I

personally find that in the mornings

it's usually very peaceful and quiet and

you can get that deep work pretty easily

also if you wake up earlier you're

normally not going to get your phone

buzzing all the time so you're more free

from distractions personally speaking I

would much rather get my work done

before dinner time as opposed to having

to study from like 10 pm until 2 A.M and

I'm a huge believer in balance and I

think that balance is very important

balance to academics health and to your

personal life and having fun so try to

get rid of distractions because two

hours of deep focus work is much better

than six hours of mid Focus work

the final thing I want to talk about is

setting goals for yourself I'm a huge

believer in setting goals for yourself

not just for grades but also in your

personal life also in your health also

in your ability to make money and learn

new skills so if you want to get

straight A's in school if you want to

get a 4.0 GPA make it clear to yourself

make it crystal clear that that is one

goal that you're trying to accomplish

because if you don't have goals clear

set in your mind then it's going to be

hard for you to do like intentional deep

study work sessions to become an

academic weapon and if you don't know

what your goals are or if you're trying

to make new goals for yourself the easy

way to do this is try to imagine

yourself in the next 10 years try to

visualize yourself and see who you want

to become so maybe for me in 10 years I

see myself completely jacked with a

six-pack so I reverse engineer that goal

and I create activities centered around

achieving that goal and I promise you

guys if you have clear goals you're

going to level up in life so that's

gonna be it for this video I hope you

guys got lots of value from it I have

full confidence that if you follow the

steps in this guide and you work hard

you will become an academic weapon and

you'll get good grades effortlessly my

name is Colin and I make videos on

college self-development and high

performance so if you want to be part of

my journey stay tuned make sure to like

this video and smash that subscribe

button down below God bless the hustle

we're all going to win one day and I'll

see you in the next one

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