The Benefits Of Studying At Your Own Pace

Written by: Christine Guerrero, RMT, MLS (ASCPi)CM

“All I have learned, I learned from books.”

  - Abraham Lincoln

Learning is a life long process, one learns in various ways and Education is just of them. It is very good indeed that we had a career advancing opportunity to study a Four Year Bachelor degree course and graduate with our diploma to back our future calling. After  years in school, we have learned a lot of things, things that will help us to face and embark the professional field with confidence, because these are the things that we could never learn on our own such as lectures of principles and theories of the subject and demonstration or application in laboratory with full access to lab equipment and tools, another is internship programs and seminars. With all the money and time and effort we invested on our Four years of education in college, one still cannot dispute that we haven't had learned that much, and that is why we should never stop from learning and that is also what the qualifying exams and certification exam are for.  

Even though college graduates thought of needing an extended review class or infamously known as "cram school" in a classroom setting to help them in their review for the qualifying exam one should study and learn on their own because of these reasons;

     
First, One can start studying his or her weakest subject area/s first

Second, one can figure their own approach to learning              

Third, One can decide their own study time according to  their schedule. 

And because there is no need to compete with others after college, they can make most of their study time to actively learn on their own, for the reason that one did not have that luxury of time because as we all know the school has a time-table and specified curriculum which led to only one thing, students have to learn with only specific amount of time in a specific time of a day and in a specific time of the year. And that is what the Study Smarter is for, to help you learn on your own even more after college specially when there is no external pressure such as studying together with other students in a classroom setting that only creates an illusion that everyone is learning in the same speed presuming everyone has understood the subject material for that day, even though that is not always the case. 

One may agree or disagree with me on this, looking back from where I am now, I have observed that during my college years, we have not taught on how to study on our own, and how to really start to learn. We are only taught to memorize facts, such as, what is "Red Blood cell" and of course as a responsible student, I can answer that with all my conviction, "red blood cell or (RBC) is also called erythrocytes, are the most common type of blood cell. Hemoglobin is the protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen." While I may have defined RBC based from Hematology textbook, I have not understood what is the point or idea of studying Hematology and why I need to study it for the rest of my life? Why should I be an expert and further study the red blood cells beyond or more than what my professor and lecturers in my review class has already taught me and my precious textbooks? Because you can never be an expert or master without wholehearted commitment in studying the subject by dedicating one's own time and effort. Do not limit yourself on what others has to offer you, DO START LEARNING ON YOUR OWN.

And because we have not learn how to study and learn on our own, we tend to depend to others. I attend an extended review class or the "cram school" after I graduated, and as expected, I Failed the board exam! And I thought by enrolling in a review class I will pass the board exam, clueless as I am, I enrolled in the class and did not learn anything. Why then the other who enrolled in the review class passed the board exam and not me? The answer is simple, they have studied enough during their college years. All they did in the review class was to refresh what the have already learned. Does one see the logic of what I am saying? They passed the exam not because of the particular "cram school" or because of the "lecturer", they passed because they deserve to.  If one does not need a to enroll in a review class why then enroll in a tutorial class or group? Review classroom is different from one-on-one tutorial. The difference is review classroom has a lecturer that studied the subject for you, you are all same studying the same material in a scheduled time in a scheduled day, no more no less, all one has to do is listen and take notes, even though not everyone can carry through. 
But a tutorial means, you are studying on your own effort or have studied already on your own, and what you just need is some clarification in some difficult areas,  a tutor is just guide of you what you should know and how you should do it. 

Another example why I thought enrolling in a review class after graduation is an effective way to pass my board exam is the testimonial hearsay that one can pass the qualifying exam by just, first attend the class, second, listen to the lecturers, third review material are already provided. I have nothing against that, in fact it is right indeed, the lecturers are very good at conducting lesson, I must say they really did their homework, to add to that, the review materials are very helpful. 
So what then is the problem? the problem lies on me, yes myself. I have relied too much and confined all my opportunity of learning to this four-corned walls called "classroom" and I was lazy and I wanted a spoon-fed bits of facts not understanding the concept behind that facts.

To explain further, I have to change my attitude about learning. I begin by unlearning they things that did not help me. I stopped memorizing for the sake of memorizing, I tried understanding every bits of information and i got to the roots by asking myself why I am studying Hematology? Clinical Chemistry? Microbiology and Blood Banking and etc...? So that I could help the people who are suffering from the diseases, and to promote a healthy a living.

There are different Learning approach and study skills and strategies that one can adapt to learn effectively, these are: 

     
1st. Identify your Learning Styles; One could be more on visual or auditory or kinesthetic or combination of two or more learning styles.

According to Linda Wong's Essential Study Skill, "You can lay a strong foundation for learning thoroughly and effectively when you understand your prefered learning style and select study strategies that capitalize on your learning preferences and personal strengths."

     
2nd. Break your study time into chunk sessions such as, 25-30 mins study time, then 5-10 minutes mini-breaks between. According to Dr. Marty Lobdell "Studying more" is not effective, in one sitting.

And make sure to dedicate a "Study area" away from bed. Provide a nice study table, comfortable chair and enough lighting conducive to studying. 
In addition, (this is my secret study technique) prepare freshly brewed coffee for consumption and play a classical music on the background, as I have said in this article. Now you're ready.

    
3rd. Study Actively, First thing, Scan your textbook. Read for the second time, and read out loud. Take important notes, and highlight important facts. Recite, use mnemonics or compose a song about the subject.

    
4th. Summarize the chapter and sub chapters into your own words and see if you really understand the subject.   

    
5th. Review and quiz yourself every after studying.

       

One can see now that there is no need to compete with others when realizing that every person is unique and is different in their approach to learning but still using the same principle. In fact, it is generally known that no two learners are the same. For example, One student may prefer going to a traditional school, but the other are comfortable learning in an online setting, another example, one students may prefer watching video lectures about the Different Metabolism Pathway of Red Blood Cell, Embden-Meyerhof Pathway vs. Pentose-phosphate shunt, for the reason that it is more understandable when taught visually but if it's not discussed in a form of visual map, it will be a bit harder to understand and the learning pace slows down.

The most important reason one should study and learn on their own is they can schedule their own flexible study time. Again, in the Essential Study Skill book, It said, "Time-Management is a skill to help you make balance your pie life in three main areas: school, work, leisure." 
Quoting from my article I posted recently, Learning Time-management helps one balanced their time, balanced means equal amount of time for school, work, and leisure. It is a skill that needs practice, and eventually mastering it will help one meet the desired goal in a span of time or a specific amount of time. Everyone needs everyone, helping a friend, making time for family, and setting time for God and church, do charity works, is using your time wisely. 
As would Ecclesiastes Chapter Three verse One would say,"To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:..."

So you can see that although college graduates thinks they need "cram school" to help them in their review for the qualifying exam by spoon-feeding the facts and not much on the concepts behind the facts, one should study and learn on their own because they know which subject area to study first to and what learning style approach  fits and effective to them, and lastly, they can decide their flexible study time schedules. Leading to a healthier and smarter study sessions at your own pace.

Abraham Lincoln as we all know, is the nominated president of the United States during the American Civil War (1861-1865), He is the guy who wrote the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation, a proclamation that abolished slavery, strengthens the Federal Government, and modernized the economy.

From wikipedia, "Lincoln was largely self-educated. His formal schooling from several itinerant teachers was intermittent, the sum of which may have amounted to less than a year; however, he was an avid reader and retained a lifelong interest in learning." 

Thus, explained the reason he said, “All I have learned, I learned from books.”

Perhaps, I could safely say, Abraham Lincoln is the father of DIY or Do it Yourself, pun intended. But seriously, If Mr. President Abraham Lincoln cannot convince that one can study on their own at their own pace, then who can?!

Work Cited:

Abraham Lincoln, “All I have learned, I learned from books.”

Christine Guerrero, http://studysmarteronline.blogspot.com/2016/02/classical-music-coffee-and-studying.html, 2/14/16

Christine Guerrero, http://studysmarteronline.blogspot.com/2016/02/managing-time-school-work-and-leisure.html, 2/12/16

Dr. Marty Lobdell, "Study Less, Study Smart" Youtube video lecture

Chapter 3, p. 85 of Managing Your Time from the book Essential Study Skills by Linda Wong

Abraham Lincoln, 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln#Early_life_and_family_ancestry