Midterms can sometimes feel like they are happening out of nowhere. It’s a busy time of the semester, with dance practices, football season, and Halloween demanding your creativity and attention. If you are getting bored of trying the same old study tactics (like writing down your notes and staring at them) maybe it is time to switch it up. Studying doesn’t have to be boring! You just need to find things that work for and motivate you, then stick with it. Let’s add movement, creativity, and strategy to your next study session.
The “Dance It Out” Method
As dancers, we all probably prefer to dance instead of study. However, studying is just as important as dancing, especially if you are after big dance goals in the future. But, who’s to say that you can’t have the best of both worlds? Find ways to turn your study material into movements or choreography. Let’s say you are studying for a science test, associate certain movements with each key term. An arabesque could be used to represent aquatic. This is perfect for kinesthetic learners (which many dancers are).
Active Recall and Rehearsal Breaks
Sometimes our brains work best when we study in short amounts. These “sprints” allow time to process the information you learned without getting overwhelmed. Study in short segments, for example 25 to 30 minutes at a time. Then go to dance practice as a way to have a mental break, and after practice you can test yourself on the material. This will help your brain to store information while you are rehearsing.
Color-Coded Flashcards
Let your creativity and personality shine! If you are someone who likes a lot of color or having your things personalized, this is a great option. Grab flashcards, markers and highlighters, and anything else you can use to mark important details or remember terms such as stickers or glitter glue. Think of it as costume design. The visuals make the performance memorable! Try to match a certain color to a certain topic, this will help your brain to remember by associating that material with that color.
Mind Map
Ditch the normal notes! Mind mapping is a fun way to visually connect everything together. Think of it like marking choreography during rehearsal. Every loose gesture is tied to a more complex piece of information. Add doodles, lines, and arrows to connect terms, definitions, facts, and diagrams. The level of complexity is up to you! Just remember that committing the information to memory is still the goal, no matter how fabulous your notes look.
The Perfect Study Playlist
Make a study playlist and play it every time you study. Your brain will then connect those songs to the material you are trying to remember. With your skills in memorizing counts, movements, and choreography, pairing information to songs is just one more step in the right direction for dancing to your next A!
