Billie has your study sessions sussed! 

At first glance, studying sucks. Watching a movie or gossiping with friends is often far more enticing than battling with algebra or attempting to analyse a book you wish you didn’t have to read. However, when you hone in on the things that excite you and filter your learning through a study style that works for you, tests and exams won’t seem so dull. 

With years of high school and university study under our belts, we’ve tried every trick in the book when it comes to finding effective and entertaining ways to learn. To help you put the ‘E’ in NCEA, we’re introducing you to four study styles that can each extract your inner scholar. 

Mind maps.

Continuous, robotic writing of notes can put you to sleep. To combat hours of regurgitating a textbook onto a notepad, swap regular notes for mind maps. Mind maps are visual diagrams often laid out with a central idea in the middle of the page that extends out into multiple topics, represented by both text and drawings. With less space on the page compared to regular notes, mind maps prompt you to summarise information, helping you to re-interpret and strengthen your understanding instead of simply copying words down on a page. 

Start by selecting a subject and finding all the relevant resources and course material you have on hand (e.g., textbooks, handouts, websites your teacher has pointed you to). For each different idea or topic within a subject, make a separate mind map to avoid clutter and keep your learnings clear and concise.

For example, if you are needing to plan an essay, make a mind map for each paragraph, or if you have a biology exam, make a mind map for each topic being covered. To make the mind map more fun, add drawings that represent various ideas. 

Once you’ve finished your mind maps, blu-tack them to your bedroom walls or the back of the bathroom door and read them while you get ready each morning. 

Best for: All sorts of tests, but especially those that have lots of topics to break down.

Loving the sound of your own voice.

We know you constantly have your earbuds in for rocking out to your fave tunes or catching up on your go-to podcast. Why not let them also help you ace your academics?

Using your phone, record yourself reading aloud a pre-written speech, question and answer style notes, or anything really. If you’re feeling super creative, you could even make your notes into a song or rap.

Listening to Doja Cat on repeat has you rattling off her lyrics with ease, so imagine what wonders listening to your exam content could do for your study. Let your earbuds pass soundwaves of knowledge straight to your memory. 

When you have your awesome audios ready to go, listen to them again and again. Whether you're cleaning your room or walking to school, multi-task by listening to your recordings. By the time you’ve become sick of the sound of your own voice, you won’t realise the enormous amounts of study you’ve done. 

Best for: Memorising speeches, essay ideas and examples, rules and structures in science or maths, or phrases in other languages. 

Transforming into the teacher.

Even if they appear to have been born experts in their subject of choice, teachers themselves are actually required to continuously study and learn. To get your understanding and knowledge of a subject ready for acing exams, try your hand at becoming a teacher yourself.

Come together with your friends or classmates and agree which areas you are all a bit iffy on. Then, each make a lesson plan on a particular area and take turns being the next ‘sir’ or ‘miss’. 

Use whiteboards to draw diagrams and make key notes, help your students find answers by breaking things down step-by-step, and encourage everyone to ask you at least one tricky question. Without realising, your teaching will propel you towards knowing the content inside-out, and queries from your peers will open your mind to things you may not have considered. 

Best for: Anything and everything, but particularly subjects that have particular processes and methods such as science, mathematics, and business studies. 

Giving the real thing a go.

One of the most obvious, but also avoided study techniques is tackling practice exams. When it comes to learning many things, including how to ride a bike or cook a recipe, the only way to improve and eventually nail the outcome, is by facing the challenge head on and giving it a go. Don’t let a fear of failure, or persistent procrastination keep practice exams at bay. Pushing yourself to solve problems and answer questions that are similar to those you’ll get on the day is extremely effective preparation and helps make the real thing less nerve wracking. 

When marking yourself, be critical and note down the areas you need to pay some extra attention to. Don’t be disheartened if you get some things completely wrong. Instead look at them as indicators for which topics you should prioritise in your study. 

You can find past NCEA exams on the NZQA website, or through your teacher. Additionally, most textbooks these days have endless supplies of practice questions ready for you to smash out. 

Best for: All subjects - practice makes perfect!