You're putting in the hours. You're showing up, sitting at your desk, and doing what you think you're supposed to do. But somehow, come exam time, the material just... doesn't stick.
Sound familiar?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: many of the study habits we consider "good" are actually terrible for learning. They feel productive. They look productive. But they're mostly a waste of your limited time and energy.
Let's expose the biggest offenders—and what to do instead.
Why it feels right: You're engaging with the material. The words become familiar. It seems like you're learning.
Why it doesn't work: Re-reading creates the illusion of knowledge without actual retention. When you read something you've seen before, your brain recognizes it and thinks, "I know this." But recognition isn't the same as recall.
Studies show that students who re-read perform no better on exams than students who read the material just once. All those extra hours of "studying"? Basically wasted.
What to do instead: Practice active recall. Close your notes and try to write down everything you remember. Use flashcards. Take practice tests. Force your brain to retrieve information rather than passively absorb it.
The struggle of trying to remember something is what actually creates lasting memory. It should feel hard.
Why it feels right: You're interacting with the text. Those colorful lines make important information pop. Your textbook looks well-studied.
Why it doesn't work: Highlighting is passive. Your hand moves, but your brain barely engages. Research consistently shows that highlighting has minimal impact on learning outcomes.
Worse, excessive highlighting tricks you into thinking you've done meaningful work. You finish a chapter with a rainbow of colors and feel accomplished—but you've processed almost nothing.
What to do instead: If you must mark text, write margin notes in your own words. Summarize paragraphs. Ask questions about the material. Make highlighting the starting point for deeper engagement, not the end.
Or better yet, skip highlighting altogether and spend that time on retrieval practice.
Why it feels right: More time studying equals more learning, right? You're dedicated. You're grinding. You're putting in the work.
Why it doesn't work: Your brain isn't a machine. After about 45-60 minutes of focused work, your concentration drops dramatically. You might be physically present, but you're not actually absorbing information.
Marathon study sessions also lead to burnout. You associate studying with exhaustion and misery, making it harder to start next time.
What to do instead: Study in focused blocks with regular breaks. The Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off) works well for most people. During breaks, actually rest—move your body, look away from screens, give your brain time to consolidate.
Shorter, focused sessions beat long, unfocused ones every time.
Why it feels right: Your notes are messy from lecture. Rewriting them creates something organized and aesthetically pleasing. It feels like you're processing the material.
Why it doesn't work: Copying is a low-level cognitive task. Your brain is focused on the mechanics of writing, not the meaning of the words. It's slightly better than doing nothing, but barely.
Plus, recopying notes takes forever. That hour spent making your notes Instagram-worthy? You could've actually learned the material in that time.
What to do instead: If your notes need organizing, use the time to create study materials instead. Turn key concepts into flashcards. Write practice questions. Create summary sheets that force you to synthesize information rather than just transcribe it.
Tools like Snitchnotes can help here too—upload your messy lecture recording or notes, and it organizes everything for you automatically. No need to spend hours reformatting. You get clean, structured notes and can jump straight to actually studying.
Why it feels right: It's comfortable. You get answers right. You feel smart and prepared. Your confidence builds.
Why it doesn't work: This is your ego protecting you from discomfort. Reviewing what you already know feels good but creates zero new learning. Meanwhile, the stuff you're weak on—the material that will actually show up on the exam and trip you up—gets ignored.
What to do instead: Spend most of your study time on your weak spots. It's uncomfortable, but that discomfort is a sign of growth.
Adaptive quizzing tools make this easier. Snitchnotes, for example, has quizzes that automatically focus on the concepts you're struggling with. Instead of wasting time on material you've mastered, you spend your energy where it actually matters.
Here's what these habits have in common: they're all comfortable. They let you feel productive without experiencing the struggle that real learning requires.
Effective studying is supposed to feel hard. When you're actively recalling information, you'll get things wrong. When you're focusing on weak areas, you'll feel incompetent. When you're testing yourself, you'll face your knowledge gaps head-on.
That discomfort isn't a sign you're doing it wrong. It's a sign you're doing it right.
If you want to remember what you study, focus on these evidence-based strategies:
Retrieval practice: Test yourself constantly. Flashcards, practice problems, writing from memory—anything that forces your brain to recall information.
Spaced repetition: Don't cram everything into one session. Review material multiple times over days or weeks. Each retrieval strengthens the memory.
Interleaving: Mix up different topics or problem types in a single study session. It feels harder, but it improves your ability to apply knowledge flexibly.
Elaboration: Connect new information to things you already know. Ask "why" and "how" questions. The more associations you create, the stickier the memory.
Learning should feel uncomfortable. If your study session feels effortless, you're probably not learning much.
But you don't have to make it harder than necessary. Using the right tools—like Snitchnotes for automatic note organization and adaptive quizzes—lets you spend your energy on actual learning instead of busywork.
Study smarter. Not just harder.
Try Snitchnotes for free at snitchnotes.com
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