Are you so used to your way of studying that it’s starting to drive you a little bit mad? Those 10pm energy drink-fuelled sessions not really doing the trick like they used to?

If you’re in need of mixing up your study habits, look no further than the community of Reddit to help you out. In this thread, users shared what worked for them, what didn’t and why sleep is way more important than you realise.

#1 Flashcards

One thing that people kept suggesting was to write on flashcards and memorise your notes off them. Reddit user hopbel admitted that this technique got them out of a pretty sticky situation. They wrote, “Once, instead of studying for the exam two days away, I wrote myself a flashcard program (didn’t occur to idiot me to look for an existing one). Finished it in about a day and used it to pass all my exams. Understanding what you’re studying helps a lot with recall, but the repetition of flashcards really cements it. And writing the cards yourself helps you identify what you really understand. Can’t write a good flashcard on something you know nothing about.”

#2 Teach Other People

Explaining course material to others will not only help you revise, it’ll draw attention to the parts of your revision you’re a little unsure about.

“Speaking out loud as if you’re teaching someone is also extremely helpful because it also test you on if you truly know your stuff,” a user wrote. “I was doing this the other day and it made me understand my work much better when revising. I also discovered some gaps where I failed to explain some things and it forced me to re-learn it.”

#3 Use A Timer

If you find yourself procrastinating more than you should be (ahem, guilty), get a little more strict about the time you allocate for study and breaks.

As one user explained, “Put on a timer. 30 minutes study, five minutes break. Yes, five minutes. If anything that distracts you for more than 10 minutes, you will start to procrastinate. During studying for the 30 minutes the rules are, 1. No getting up for water/food/snacks 2. No getting up for the bathroom unless you really need to This helps you from getting too exhausted with studying, and repeat it until you’ve finished your lesson.”

Sounds pretty hardcore but at this point, we’ll try anything.

#4 Listen To Your Dad

If your parents went to university, they more than likely have a pretty good idea of how to handle a full-time study load. Plus, they’ve been in the workforce a while so they’ve pretty much seen it all.

One user wrote, “Before going off to college, my dad gave me a tip. “Treat it like a job. Hit the books Monday through Friday 9-5. Work in the library, not your room or apartment. Don’t miss a class. Work ahead during that 40 hours.””

And what happened when the user followed their dad’s sage advice? “I followed his advice to the letter. I never had to pull an all-nighter. I didn’t have to cram for exams. I never got very stressed, despite attending a competitive school and completing a difficult major.”

Maybe it’s time to ask your parents what wisdom they’ve got hiding up their sleeve.

#5 Keep It Simple

“Write any and all notes by hand,” a user commented. While your laptop is fancy, and typing is a lot easier then writing, it’s just not eh most effective way to take in information.

Another user backed up this advice by writing, “Handwriting is slower and so the note-taker must actively engage and paraphrase the material. Meaning it is processed on the spot and thought about. This is better for recall as it is concurrent note-taking and studying, while typing is more only note-taking.”

#6 Find What Works For You

But of course, study methods aren’t a one size fits all scenario. “There isn’t one single right studying method that fits all”, user Olisipea explained. “Find which one suits you best and don’t be afraid to tweak it as needed.  For instance, I found that walking around and explaining what I was studying to myself out-loud was very effective, but I’ve known other people who preferred to sit at a desk and silently study to themselves.

So try a few methods on and see what sticks!

You can read all the tips here.