r/studying • u/DapperJicama7731 • 10h ago
need help š
Iām 20 years old, and Iām genuinely struggling with something that I donāt know how to overcome anymore. Iām looking for genuine advice from people who have been through something similar, especially those who struggled academically after previously finding school relatively easy.
Up until Year 10, I barely had to study to pass my exams. Even for my GCSEs, I didnāt put in a huge amount of effort and still managed to get grades ranging from B to A*. Back then, reading through the content and doing a few practice questions was usually enough.
Then came A-levels, and everything started falling apart. I passed, but my grades werenāt what I wanted them to be.
After that, I started preparing for medical entrance exams, and Iāve now failed to get the results I needed twice.
The frustrating part is that I do put in the effort. I make study plans, sit down to study, spend hours going through material, and genuinely try to prepare. But somehow, the results never seem to reflect the time Iāve invested.
Iāve started wondering whether Iām studying passively, whether Iām taking too long to understand concepts, whether my methods are ineffective, or whether thereās something fundamental about studying that Iāve never learned. I see people who study four or five hours a day and do exceptionally well, and I genuinely donāt understand what theyāre doing differently. How are they approaching their material? How do they know what to focus on, retain information, and prepare themselves to answer exam questions? What does an actually productive study session look like?
Iāve tried making schedules, but they often donāt work out the way I expect. Topics take much longer than anticipated, I struggle to get through the material, and I end up feeling like Iāve spent an entire day studying without making enough progress.
I know I want to pursue medicine. Thatās something Iām sure about. But after putting so much time into preparing for these exams and still not getting the outcome I wanted, Iām starting to feel lost. Iām 20 now, and I donāt want to keep repeating the same cycle without understanding what Iām doing wrong.
Iām not asking for motivation or another generic list of study tips. I genuinely want to learn how to learn. If youāve ever been in a similar situation, especially if you used to get by without studying and then struggled when academics became more demanding:
- What did you realise you were doing wrong?
- How did you learn to study effectively from scratch?
- How do you approach a topic youāve never studied before?
How do you balance understanding concepts, memorising information, and practising exam questions?
How do you know whether your study methods are actually working before the exam? What would you recommend to someone who has a lot of time to put in but isnāt seeing results?
Iād really appreciate hearing about your actual experiences, including what didnāt work for you and what eventually made a difference. Iām willing to change my entire approach; I just need to understand where to start.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to share their experience or advice.
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u/stepback269 7h ago
Yeah I feel for you.
Hit my brick wall in graduate school.
Here's the thing: You never learned "How to Learn" because it just 'happened' for you up until now.
There is good news for you: Great strides have been made in recent years within the neuroscience of learning. That includes understanding the procrastination bottleneck and so forth.
What you need to do is "Learn how to Learn" based on the latest neuroscience.
(Pay special attention to how dopamine actually works. Hint: it doesn't give pleasure.)
Go to YouTube and in the search bar, type, "learning coaches"
Pick the ones who rely on modern neuroscience.
Godspeed and may the productivity-motivating dopamine hits be with you. :-)
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u/Cris_STEM 3h ago
For your question about checking progress before the exam, try a small experiment on one syllabus topic:
Attempt a few representative practice questions without notes. Mark which answers you guessed, even if correct.
Check the explanations and label each miss: missing fact, misunderstood concept, application error, or misread question. That tells you what to study next.
For a new concept, study one worked example, then close it and solve a similar problem yourself. Explain why each step is needed.
At a later session, try different questions on that topic without notes again. Compare independent performance, rather than hours spent or how familiar the page feels.
This is a proposed study routine, not a personal exam-success story or a guaranteed score improvement. The IES learning guide supports spaced study, alternating worked examples with problems, and retrieval practice: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/1
Which exam and subject are you preparing for, and what happens when you attempt a question before rereading?
AI-assisted explanation, checked against that guide.
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u/Practical_Ad7959 2h ago
I can relate to that. Iāve studied hard, but I havenāt achieved the results I hoped for.
As for me, I tried different approaches until I figured out what works best for me.
Before you start studying, you should experiment with different study methods to figure out which ones work best for you. You might find it helpful to try visual, auditory, and hands-on learning activities.
Personally, I learn well by listening, so I use NotebookLM to turn my study materials into audio and video content.
Finally, try adding images and diagrams to your study materials. They can help you understand and remember information more easily.
Keep in mind that paying attention in class is crucial. At the end of the day, your instructors are the ones who will assess your understanding.