Study Tips/Questions

[BorkedSystem32]

Hello there, programmers!

I think it would be helpful for many here - programmers, CS students, sysadmins, hobbyists, etc. - if there were some tips being thrown about on how to study any CS or math-related topic(I say math because of the important role it has played in computing). Feel free to share any tips and methods of studying that you believe others might find helpful - you may just help that struggling student get an A! If you have any questions in regards to studying, feel free to ask them too!

I'll start:

• Keep yourself fit and healthy - Eat a healthy and varied diet filled with fruit/veg, meat, dairy, and carbs to keep your stomache full and your brain active(your brain uses upwards to 20% of the total calories available in your body) - hunger will distract you. Do not forget to keep your body itself active: stretch, go for a walk, do an intensive exercise(jogging, weightlifting, etc.) - exercise has proven benefits in regards to concentration and happiness(plus, you prevent cardiovascular and other physical health problems)!
• Use a wide variety of study methods - Constantly reading over your own notes is ineffective. When studying/learning: include a wide variety of reading material(i.e. books written by professionals) and keep reading them until you understand them, create flashcards that ask questions, practice by applying your knowledge to as many problems as you can, explain concepts to others(this can be a family member, a friend, a fellow classmate, or perhaps even your dog or a rubber duck) or even find different ways of explaining it if you don't understand it, and make audio/video recordings where you explain the concept.
• Draw diagrams - This is particularly useful if you're trying to explain more difficult concepts(such as computer memory); they can be simple doodles or very detailed, you don't need to be a draftsman just to explain pointers in C. These are handy too, because you can label the diagram and attach notes to these labels.
• Don't study too hard - Many think you need to study hard, however, most end up burning themselves out within a few days. Instead, study smart: plan a timetable of what you're going to be studying for the week, take periodic breaks every so often as you study(e.g. every 45 minutes, take a 15 minute break), and...(read next point)
• Keep yourself motivated - With effective time planning, make time for relaxation: spend time with friends/family, go out for the day, play a game, or engage in a hobby. If you have goals in mind, ask yourself if you have reached those goals. If so, reward yourself. By holding goals and not burning yourself out, you will reach your goals much more effectively and you will maintain a constant level of happiness that will not hold you back from studying - compare this to somebody who has no goal to strive for, burned out, unhappy and miserable, and unable to focus. Be your best!

I hope you find this list useful. As stated, you can share any other tips or techniques for studying that you have - these are ones that I've found to be quite useful based on my own experience, but, rather than following them religiously, experiment and find the methods that work for you. Maybe you work best with a couple of methods and long study periods or maybe you work best with a wide variety of methods and frequent breaks.

I say this right now, however: You are never too young or old to learn something new. Don't believe me? Watch this TED talk from a neuroscientist who reveals to us from her own research, just how we can shape our brain to however we want it to be.

Good luck!

 

[BorkedSystem32]

Hello again!

I'm bumping this thread, seeing now that many students will be returning to school after their holidays and so the advice given in this thread may hopefully come of use to any of you. I wish you the best of luck for any of you this year who are still in school - keep going and never give up, even if you don't get the grades you want!

To my fellow CF users: if you have any helpful study tips/advice, please post them here. It would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[BorkedSystem32]

Nice. This above is heavily underestimated, coding can consume tons of energy, you need to keep yourself hydrated, eat healthy, and take breaks in order to do something else stimulating your blood flow. Coders are well known for working lots of hours non stop while eating pizza, not good, carbs are easy and cheap but not healthy.

That's a stereotype(although it most certainly could apply to a lot of programmers if true). For specifically carbs: wholegrain pasta, rice, or bread(all preferably brown) are a good source of energy and minerals, and since they have a low GI, you're less likely to feel tired after eating them compared to if you ate, for example, white bread or anything high in sugar. Ideally, meals which combine carbs, protein sources(any kind of meat - preferably unprocessed; legumes; eggs, etc.), and vegetables are ideal(obviously, you do not need to include all food categories together, but at the very least have something from each category as often as you can).

For any programmers who wish to have a change of diet:

• Breakfast: oatmeal - add any fruit/nuts/seeds if you wish or simply eat it plain. Refrain from adding sugar.
• Lunch: a sandwich - use brown bread and include toppings such as tuna, vegetables(cucumber, tomatoes, onions, etc.), eggs, or cheese. Avoid processed meats(i.e. sandwich meats).
• Dinner: this can be anything as long as it's relatively healthy - chicken with rice, pasta with a tomato sauce, baked potato with a filling(e.g. tuna), etc.
• Snacks: any fruit or dried fruit(bananas, apples, raisins, etc.), nuts(almonds, peanuts, cashews, etc.), seeds(sunflower seeds), yoghurt(preferably Greek yoghurt - avoid any sweetened or flavoured yoghurts).
• Avoid fruit juice if you can help it, as the sugars in it will damage your teeth.

The above should give you an idea of what would be part of a healthy diet: you should aim to include plenty of calories, get your vitamins/minerals from a wide range of sources, get plenty of fibre, and keep sugar intake as low as possible(you can have smoothies, but don't drink them too often).

I hope this is helpful for anybody wishing to keep their brain well-fed during the study season! Obviously, if you have financial concerns in regards to food, don't be afraid to reach out to charities/food banks and see your teachers for support.

 

[LupusInferni]

Nice. This above is heavily underestimated, coding can consume tons of energy, you need to keep yourself hydrated, eat healthy, and take breaks in order to do something else stimulating your blood flow. Coders are well known for working lots of hours non stop while eating pizza, not good, carbs are easy and cheap but not healthy.

I would add: if possible? get yourself your own project. It's very different trying to learn let's say Python, vs studying while also trying to build your own music player, when you have personal projects the learning experience and speed goes to the top.

Not even going to try lying, I've spent long stretches of time coding eating whatever was easiest and most accessible (albeit not so much pizza, no delivery where I live) and way too much caffeine.

 

[BorkedSystem32]

Not even going to try lying, I've spent long stretches of time coding eating whatever was easiest and most accessible (albeit not so much pizza, no delivery where I live) and way too much caffeine.

That's fair enough: it takes a lot of discipline to eat healthy and also a lot of patience adjusting to a change in diet.

Don't drink too much caffeine: it will mess with your mind and could also lead to other problems(like palpitations).

 

[LupusInferni]

That's fair enough: it takes a lot of discipline to eat healthy and also a lot of patience adjusting to a change in diet.

Don't drink too much caffeine: it will mess with your mind and could also lead to other problems(like palpitations).

I will add to my statement, by clarifying that these 'easy' foods are only eaten while I'm actually coding and more as snacks, I don't/won't work through meal times and take the time/effort to eat better foods; and not all of my snack foods while easy/convenient are necessarily unhealthy either. Scrambled eggs are easy to make/don't take a lot of time and aren't particularly unhealthy.

 

[BorkedSystem32]

Scrambled eggs are easy to make/don't take a lot of time and aren't particularly unhealthy.

100 points to Gryffindor!

Eggs are great. Now back to actual study advice and not food advice.