Research has shown that the more senses we use, the better we remember. Summarize material on a recording media, or record a fact followed by a few blank moments and then record the definition or explanation. Whey you replay, test yourself during the pause and then listen to the answer. Berny Westfield records herself reading her textbook and her notes. She listens to the recordings in her smart phone while commuting, jogging, or doing chores. Sometimes she just sits in a secluded place and listens to it. If you don’t have a smart devices, “talk” to yourself mentally. Pause periodically to mentally summarize the material; “hear” yourself talking.
Reading aloud, especially when your concentration is flagging, can keep you focused and help you think more actively. Never mind if your roommate wonders what you’re doing. If necessary, find a quiet place on campus. Read in a lively manner, as if you are in front of an audience or reading to a group of young children. Stressing the important words can help you understand long sentences and complex ideas.
During her first semester in college, Meena Shastra and her roommate took a class together. Before going to sleep, they discussed the material covered in the lecture.
