As a child, you must have been advised by your mother and teachers to write things down to remember them better. That always works, as most learning experts and psychologists agree. When we note what to do on paper, we don’t have to overburden our memory to remember them. We can simply refer to it when the time comes.
Here’s why you should write more often to excel in your studies:
- Records everything worth remembering: Writing allows us to track what we know. When we put down on paper, we repeat, reinforce, and reflect on new materials. Since you must remember hundreds of things before an exam, writing them down is an effective way of preparing yourself for the exam. It saves you from feeling overwhelmed because of information overloading.
- Clears your mind and removes the clutter: When you write on paper, you feel more in control. Even if there’s much to be accomplished on that list, you can start getting stuff organized. You can decide which tasks to attend to first. Once you do those, you can move on to the rest. There’s no anxiety or panic because you must finish a lengthy syllabus.
- Clarifies your priorities and goals: When you write down things, your goals become clear. You can choose which to do first and which to leave for later.
- Motivates you: Even if you have successfully finished part of the syllabus, it’s a problem keeping the motivation up. You tend to doubt yourself and get worked up because you feel you won’t remember anything on exam day. But, if you write things down, your motivation won’t waver. You will be determined and positive to finish what you started.
- Strengthens your memory: Writing helps you remember better because there’s always a visual cue that you can access.
- Improves understanding: When you write things down, you can process new information much better. Studies have shown that students using laptops or phones for note-taking don’t comprehend as well as those who take down notes in class.
- Improves focus: If you write down your ideas and arguments, you can get them in an order that helps you understand and remember better. Your focus becomes sharper when you break down large tasks into small ones. There’s no burnout, and you can complete your studies on time.
- Keeps distractions away: If you study on a laptop or phone, getting distracted by social media is easy. Entertainment apps and social media platforms will affect your concentration. However, if you stick to writing down when you study, you are focused only on pen and paper.
These are benefits of writing down when you are a student. This habit will help you to do well in college and even when you start working. It promotes clarity of thought, focus, memory, and organizational ability.
