I was always a good student, learning well during classes. But in my last year of high school, I started doing extra lessons to prepare for the uni entrance exams. Now, as I reach the end of uni, I realize I’ve forgotten how to teach myself. The quality of education here hasn’t been great, and I’ve tried methods like reading, summarizing, and listening, but I can’t remember what worked best. Practical stuff was always easiest for me, and my memory is still good. What should I do now? I feel lazy most of the time but occasionally have bursts of motivation. I’m worried I’m messing up my future with this behavior.
I’ve been making slide presentations on the topics I study, pretending I’m teaching someone else. It forces me to organize my thoughts, fill gaps in my knowledge, and it helps me remember better. Writing short essays is also really helpful.
Mitchelle said:
@MABLE
That sounds like a solid idea! But how do you deal with procrastination?
Forgetting how to learn and struggling to apply yourself are two different things. You’ve got to figure out which is holding you back.
Mitchelle said:
@MABLE
That sounds like a solid idea! But how do you deal with procrastination?
How do you deal with procrastination?
Honestly, procrastination is something you just grow out of. No sugar coating. You decide to do something, and then you do it. It’s really that simple.
Mitchelle said:
@MABLE
That sounds like a solid idea! But how do you deal with procrastination?
Procrastination for me is more about fear of the unknown… things that might pop up after I start. To manage it, I just start early, even if I’m not ready. This gives me time to solve problems as they arise. Once I start, the issues become clear, and problem-solving can even become fun. I see procrastination as a reaction to stress… It could also help to get a blood test to rule out physiological causes for your stress.
Do you know exactly what you need to learn? Without that, it’s hard to give suggestions. I’d start by gathering a list of what you need to cover. This could be from your course materials, relevant research, or even career-based topics you want to focus on. Once you’ve got that, look into what resources you’ll need—books, online courses, etc.
When it comes to studying, I take notes and quiz myself on the material. I’ve got ADHD, so I tend to skim-read without actually processing the information. To counter this, I take detailed notes and create summaries. It also helps to try explaining the topic to someone else, even if it’s just an AI chatbot. It helps identify where I’m struggling. I studied philosophy and would often teach the content to imaginary people, just to test myself.
For motivation, I schedule study time—just a time block, not specific tasks. At first, it might feel overwhelming, but once you start, you’ll probably get into the flow of things. I also recommend turning your phone off or using a focus app to avoid distractions.
I feel the same way—lots of passion, but it burns out quickly. What’s helped me is writing down what I want to learn and dedicating 1-4 hours a day to it. I’ve read books about learning, and they mostly emphasize repetition, mnemonics, and making personal connections to the material. I use the Anki flashcard app to help with this. Try to pace yourself so you don’t burn out. And don’t forget to write down why you want to learn—it’ll keep you motivated!
This course on Coursera is free and really helped me out.
This is a book by the same person who teaches the course. Definitely worth checking out!
Your post does show some signs of laziness. Also, don’t use too much shorthand when talking to others—it makes it hard to understand. Remember note-taking and how it helps with retention? Writing things down makes you more active in your learning process. Question everything you read and jot that down in your notes, but feel free to use shorthand for yourself.
Do you remember highlighting notes in school? Did it help much? I find that study groups where you explain topics to others are really useful. If you can teach it, you know it well.
Also, consider taking Omega-3 supplements (1000 mg) when you study, especially before bed. It could help improve focus and memory.
Honestly, don’t stress too much until you start working. After years of uni, I felt like my brain wasn’t functioning as well either. But once I entered the workforce, I found myself learning faster and processing more. It’s like my brain realized the information was actually important, so it started working better again.