Step one: From textbook to laptop
Use my highlighting technique (coming soon) to make the important sentences from the book stand out, and write this down on your laptop.
I like using OneNote for note-taking. Take notes on a laptop is crucial for this step because it allows you to write a lot of information fast, and as a pharmacy student, there is a lot of text to cover in six weeks. You do not have time to waste handwriting pretty notes. Instead, write all everything you feel is relevant to your OneNote.
Step two: from laptop to notebook
Once the important things are picked out from your book, it’s time to make sense to all the information on OneNote.
Preferably print all your digital notes into paper, arrange them into a folder and take handwritten notes from your laptop notes. It may sound silly, but when handwriting notes, try to “dummy” down all the info on your laptop for better understanding of the subject. Imagine you are explaining the notes to a five-year-old. This gives you the ability to reformulate the book in such a way you are forced to understand.
Step three: From notebook to flashcards
Once you have “dummied” down your notes, you should be more familiar with the subject. Use both your laptop notes and notebook notes to make flashcards you can use to further lever up academically.
-
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Use flashcards to write difficult and/or fancy words to describe the terms you have dummied down on your textbook. This way you will have several ways to explain a subject and have a greater ability to understand it too.
This is a very time-consuming way of studying, but it’s the best technique to retain information over a long time. Cramming two weeks before an exam is a no go in pharmacy world, with this system you need to learn your subject from the beginning. Set out enough time to study during a day, and spend your time studying wisely. No point in reading the same sentence over and over and not understanding the key points. Train yourself to find key-points in a text. Saves you lots of time.
Good luck!
Have fun. Stay Curious.
– Tia ✨
