The Best Subliminal Study Tricks

At this point in the school year, it can feel like there isn’t time for anything. You have so many things to do that studying just seems like a waste of time, but you know you have to anyway. Well, we’ve collected a list of study tricks that you can do without even knowing you’re studying, so that your grades stay high (and so can your sleep levels).

1. Fall asleep to a video

Fun fact: if you play a video as you fall asleep, the content of that video will work its way into your dreams! Because your brain is still processing the information as you go to sleep, it becomes part of your dreams, and thus, you remember it better. Coming from someone who has had dreams about tangent functions, covalent bonds, and different types of maps, this strategy works without you even having to do anything.

2. Create patterns

Your brain loves to connect things together, so study in a way that makes it easier for that to happen. When going over a specific concept or idea, follow the same set of processes every time. Then, completing those processes again during the actual test will trigger your brain. For instance, if you’re chewing mint flavored gum as you study chemistry, chew a piece of mint flavored gum during your chemistry test, and your brain will have an easier time recalling that information.

3. Be confident

Though cliché and somewhat obvious, you beating yourself up over something you didn’t remember or a topic you forgot to learn is only going to hurt your grades more. If you walk into the test room thinking that you are ready, you understand everything, and you’re going to get 100%, then you’ll be more likely to get that 100. Whereas, if you second-guess every question and think you failed from the start, your results will reflect that mindset.

4. Repeat everything

One of the best ways to learn something is through repetition, and you can repeat ideas even in non-study settings. If you hear a keyword out “in the wild,” think about the definition, meaning, or connection to that keyword in your head. If you’re trying to remember an idea, create cues that link to that idea. Look for buzzwords that remind you of your material, and just for a few seconds, think about what those words mean. You’ll find yourself saying information without even realizing.

5. Change up your content

It might seem annoying, but if you want to study without actually doing work, change up what you consume. For example, if you’re studying for a language, switch your TV shows to be in that language (even if you have subtitles). Or, if you’re trying to learn something about science or math, use the STEM tab on TikTok (it’s there for a reason)! If you need to remember plot details for a book test in English, watch that book’s movie, or if you’re trying to remember history, watch films and TV shows from that time period. All you need to do is sit down and watch something and you’ll be studying!

Your brain works in mysterious ways, but it’s out to help you nonetheless. Take hold of ways that you can study without even trying and you’ll have a much easier time taking assessments. And, if you liked this, check out our other posts below or in the Blog page.