 know
most of us have this urge to vomit over long, windy, antology-like presentation
of school textbooks. So I wrote this tips bulleted-style. Easier to digest
and your eyes  won't
suffer much.
 1.
Tell yourself that you're going to really absorb
what you're reading. Tell yourself you won't
think about Dean Cain while studying. Believe
that you will remember all the stuff you're
going to read.
2.
Be mentally prepared.
Calm. Breathe
in and out slowly a few times. Pray that you'll get it right and you won't
doze off before the third page.
3.
Open the book. Let your mind get acquainted
with the letters, the page, the pictures, the diagrams...you get the idea.
Skim and scan
quite leisurely throughout the page. Don't try too hard to memorize what
you've read. This is just the preliminary stage.
4.
Okay, now grab a piece of paper  ,
then scribble a spidergram
about the topic you've just read. There should be:
- The title
in the centre of the spidergram.
- Major ideas
or subtopics for the spider's legs.
- What you
understand/remember about the topic after
the skimming stage.
- Relevant questions.
- Your personal
thoughts (optional).
A
spidergram
5.
Now's the real thing. Referring to the spidergram you've just made, highlight
important parts/words/facts in the book with your beloved, ever-useful
highlighter. This is to prevent information overload. Surely you wouldn't
want to study every single word in the book would you?
6.
Use your spidergram as your guide
to avoid unimportant facts and save time
studying. Now's the time to study real hard. Focus.
Absorb.
Memorize.
Try not to sleep.
7.
Finished reading, already? Good to see that you're awake. Now fill
in the blanks in your spidergram with
what you've read in depth just now. Use short
words. You'll use this for quick future
study.
8.
Read your spidergram
a few more times and make sure you don't
make mistakes. Noticing that you've written
Machiavelli's work as The Communist Manifesto instead of The Prince just
before the big exam can send you biting your nails in panic. Not a very
good way to face the History paper just 5 minutes away.
9.
Make sure you understand and memorize
the important facts before you close the books and run to the TV room for
The X-Files reruns!
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