Anyone else have to write everything down?

[Primate Bonobo]

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It's difficult for me to learn information just by looking at it or reading something. I mean, I can - usually if I'm on massive doses of caffeine or the lecturer or book is really interesting.

But 90% of the time, I just get bored and easily distracted, so I'll find myself reading something over and over without even realizing what i'm reading. As a result, I have to write most things down to learn it. And the sad thing is, i rarely even go back to read what I wrote. Simply the act of writing it down allows me to learn the info.

The crappy thing is, writing takes a long time, so my learning process ends up being slower. This could be fixed with adderrall, but I wouldn't go there 😀

Anyway, anyone else have this problem? or some other problem with learning? how did you overcome it if you ever did?

 

[Richardh]

try mnemonics or short-hand writing when you take notes. if not write your notes on a note card. you can then carry them around and flip through what you wrote and study easily 👍

 

[Musclemass]

OP, your learning technique is a common one. Nothing wrong with it. The act of writing requires you to focus, even if momentarily, on the material and doesn't allow you to drift off inattentively. An alternative would be to try to train yourself to better focus for brief but hopefully increasingly longer intervals of time.

Richardh, what a great idea, to write notes on cards so that you always have them with you and you can study throughout the day, no matter where you are. And you can keep your books with you in one of those rolling suitcases, so that they're available to look stuff up if something in your notes is unclear.

 

[Primate Bonobo]

Richardh, what a great idea, to write notes on cards so that you always have them with you and you can study throughout the day, no matter where you are. And you can keep your books with you in one of those rolling suitcases, so that they're available to look stuff up if something in your notes is unclear.

hahahaha, this is brilliant. 👍

 

[Chevy Chase Fan]

I have to write things down in my own words to understand them. Any time I think I get something just from reading it doesn't last for more than a couple minutes. Its like the light goes on and then slips off. Writing it down cements it for me.

 

[ucsfstudents]

Everyone has a different learning style. Remember to use what works for you, and don't try to use other approaches just because you see others using it.

Remember: although you might have to alter your learning style to adjust to the fast pace of medical school, and despite the fact that each course (for example, immunology vs anatomy) requires a different approach, you should remember not to abandon what has worked for you in the past once you get into medical school.

 

[ImmortaliaX]

I have to write things down in my own words to understand them. Any time I think I get something just from reading it doesn't last for more than a couple minutes. Its like the light goes on and then slips off. Writing it down cements it for me.

+1

When i just read through something, I think, 'ok, that makes sense.' If I try to actually recall specifics though (without studying by writing things down), my memory's pretty shaky.

 

[silverhorse84]

In undergrad I used to write everything down in pretty colors and add pictures. I very rarely looked at them again. In medical school that takes way too much time, so I started typing things. I also started using a computer flascard program because it's faster and I can add pictures from the online version of the text book (or pdf/ppt from lectures).

If you're writing things down you're probably a mix of kinesthetic/visual learner. Computer flascards give you both kinestetic (making the cards) and visual (pictures and using the cards).

 

[rosydoll]

You're not the only one! I have to rewrite stuff in my own words. Even if I end up writing almost exactly what's on the Powerpoint slide or other class notes, it helps.
It definitely isn't a problem! Other people use flashcards, or highlight stuff, or whatever, and writing down info is just another tool.

 

[AllDay24]

Try speaking out loud. For example, for a biology lecture, open up the PowerPoint and have your notes out, and try to "teach a class." It's an easy way to help you remember stuff, and if you can can't explain something correctly, then you obviously know that you need to study it more.

 

[gravitywave]

Richardh, what a great idea, to write notes on cards so that you always have them with you and you can study throughout the day, no matter where you are. And you can keep your books with you in one of those rolling suitcases, so that they're available to look stuff up if something in your notes is unclear.

was i the only one that thought this was flaming malicious sarcasm?

anyway: OP, this sounds like something you're going to want to get fixed before you get to med school, otherwise you're going to get buried. do you have access to the learning skills/disability center at your school?

the speaking out loud thing has worked for me, although i'm mostly visual. i used to take notes in college and then hardly ever look at them again. now i import all the powerpoints and course notes into OneNote and i mark them up with pen/highlighter far more than i actually write anything extra. how are you with hearing things spoken to you?

i'm not any Ed.D but i have had to take a sharp look in the last two months at the ways i learn best and not so best. things here become streamlined out of necessity.

 

[gravitywave]

also:

a bonobo (could not resist the cuteness!!)

 

[PreMedder]

Try speaking out loud. For example, for a biology lecture, open up the PowerPoint and have your notes out, and try to "teach a class." It's an easy way to help you remember stuff, and if you can can't explain something correctly, then you obviously know that you need to study it more.

this really helps me.

1) read all material
2) write down only details you can't memorize by reading
3) talk through all material with a buddy
4) ???
5) profit

 

[bigbubba]

Yeah ive gotta write things down too

 

[da8s0859q]

Anyway, anyone else have this problem? or some other problem with learning? how did you overcome it if you ever did?

OP, your learning technique is a common one. Nothing wrong with it.

There you have it. OP, there's nothing wrong with you -- a lot of people are like that. I took my own notes without exception in college and did well with that. Never bothered with the textbooks, and save for one or two classes, I never used professor-provided Powerpoints either.

It's a little different in medical school because of the volume, but I do have classmates who still do handwritten notes -- just usually while watching recordings of lectures since keeping up is a bit difficult in live lecture. Some others take notes from the notes provided and end up with a very boiled down "study guide" by the time the test rolls around. But I do agree that you're going to have to get used to retaining material you've only read just because it'll save you time in med school.

Whatever works for you, works for you. Period.