Prepare yourself.

These are the LEAST effective study strategies (according to the research).

What	Why it’s not a good idea
📗 Reading/ re-reading your notes.	Unfortunately, this is worse than useless. It can give you the illusion you know things, then you think you do not have to study. BUT… you do have to study, just not like this. Recognition is NOT remembering.
📑 Highlighting/ underlining	Again, as above, you have to process what you do not recognize. Otherwise you will not learn. Or improve. More recognition not remembering.
📋 Summarizing by copying	This can feel REALLY productive. BUT, if you don’t reorganize the information significantly you don’t learn anything. It stands no chance of getting into your LTM.
🗂️ Using flashcards poorly	It should be effortful. If you turn it over too quickly you think you’ve reviewed it but you haven’t. More recognition not remembering
😵‍💫 Cramming	Lots of people think cramming ‘works’ for them. Indeed, it can boost your short-term recall. After that short time, however, you’ll forget it all. What a WASTE OF YOUR TIME!!! You could be putting things in your LTM that you can use. So in the future you learn more faster. (Imagine doing an AP course and NOT HAVING TO REVIEW. That’s what I’m talking about. MUCH easier.)
🎵 Listening to music while studying	I know. SO many people thinks it helps. Sorry. Unfortunately, listening to music that you like with lyrics is going to take your precious attention away. It just is. That’s how brains work. Also, it can be easier to recall information in the same conditions in which you learned it. So try turning off the music. Find out more here.

If you have been doing ANY of the above, then you can make a choice to do things differently.