this is so much the message I needed, I used to ace all my exams using "inefficient studying" cuz I used to enjoy it & do it the way I wanted on whim, then came the obsession of efficient & correct way to learn things and it just made me altogether stay away from working. I would rather just not study until end of the day & then cram as much as I could then feel guilty, learning became a chore, I hated it. I think its time for me to just let go of all those concepts these videos talk about & just do things as my brain wants to
I love being medical student but when I start studying l feel so much pressure trying to study efficiently and cover all details to get height grade in exams, your idea about studying opens my eyes that if I love what I’m studying so I can enjoy it. Thank you 💙
I used to binge a lot of study content as a senior in high school. I never found all of them too helpful, and I felt like finding a hack seemed like a huge waste of time when I hardly ever applied it. Granted that this was prior to being aware that I had ADHD, but my point is that it all feels like I’m pushing myself too much to be the best version of myself. Eventually I stopped and one day I just decided to pick up a psychology book just on a whim. I had no plan of reading it all, but I got really engrossed at one point and finished it. It felt good. I didn’t plan on learning anything about psychology, but my mind was hungry to keep learning. I completely agree with your point that you should only be learning when you are having fun. A good mind set can help guide us through all of our problems. In high school I always seen myself as a math failure. I can do the math, I just never understood it which made leaning new concepts very difficult. It carried a bit on to my community college years, but I just started to one day just change how I think about math entirely. I just told myself that I may as well try to enjoy something I didn’t enjoy, and slowly I started to actually love doing math. I wasn’t getting high grades or anything, but I was excited to sit down in the lecture room and be engrossed in the lesson. Now that I’m a junior in a 4-year university, I contemplated even taking Calculus 1 just for the fun of it. It is not a requirement for my degree as I’m doing Psych, but I thought that it may be fun to learn it even if it is eating away a portion of my financial aid. Anyways, I’m saying a lot of words without good structure. My bad, just a bit sleep deprived. Point is, a change in mind set has changed my life much more than simply following productivity guides.
To me, listening to this is definitely a breath of fresh air. As i try to improve on my studying habits and whatnot, i eventually found myself feeling discouraged altogether because i wasn't following all these "efficient study methods" i see online all the time. Listening to this reminded me of how my mom would remind me that the privilege to learn truly is a wonder and knowledge/the wisdom that comes from it is something nobody can take from you. Idk man, i'm glad 7 minutes could help me this much in reflecting and re-centering myself :3
this is an interesting take, as someone who binge watches productivty videos, i end up feeling burnt out, and then i blame myself for not being efficient enough. i love the idea of learning because it is enjoyable, but the pressure to be efficient and perfect around peers and adults is difficult. its like learning in school isnt learning. like in my culture atleast people praise efficiency and perfection. idk honestly i kinda want to focus only on my grades but that makes studying way less enjoyable. anyway thank you for this video, it gave me a new perspective.
Thank you for leaving this comment! I definitely feel like there is a pressure to be as efficient as everyone else and it can oftentimes strip the joy out of what we love doing. Especially post starting college/uni! Glad that this video can offer a little change of pace amidst all the jam packed productivity videos :)
I feel like I’ve been feeling this intrinsically but I didn’t know how to explain it. As someone who is a first year med student, I enjoy drawing mindmaps and connecting diseases, but I keep thinking I’m being inefficient bc ppl around me are doing Anki and getting thousands of content tested in their brain everyday. I don’t mind taking time to go through things to understand them, and u got me thinking with the whole if you like doing something you won’t want to decrease the amount to do it. I guess there can be a healthy balance, but I don’t think people should feel differently if they prefer to delve deeper into topics, as it enhances their engagement with the material. This was a great vid
Oh god how I wanted to hear someone actually mentioning the more humane and imperfect parts of the pressure of being productive, though not a med student I do kinda relate to your words, keep up the good work!
This is the way I think of it. Your knowledge base is an art piece, a sculpture, an oil painting whose brushstrokes and palette is artfully chosen and thoughtfully brushed. The contours, the shades, the hues, the colours, the subjects of your painting; all of it should manifest from some kind of mental chemistry that is uniquely yours. Beautiful learning is not a product that can be created from the laser precision of time-based efficiency. Beautiful learning is a meal course; painstakingly prepared and cooked, artfully plated, and passionately served. Knowledge is the food of an intellectual, and it can only be enjoyed when curiosity and a sense of play are acting alongside us. The next generation of college students have successfully turned the art of knowledge into a cold and machine-ful industry, where the only metric that matters is minimizing your time. It's a shame. As a data scientist and physicist, the complexity of my subject is something that I enjoy privately. I love being immersed in the complexity of formulae, and there is no greater joy than letting yourself freely ask as many "why" questions as you want. I find joy in the pursuit of questions, and in finding the answers to those questions, no matter how big or small they are. Truly curious people will eventually cultivate their passion for whatever subject they are pursuing, simply by learning how to ask questions. So many of us are busy ingesting knowledge that tells us of "what" the world is, that we have lost our interest in spending time just simply asking the "hows" and "whys". The "what" has become more important, and then as soon as we get that filled in, we quickly move on to the next most important "what" to figure out. In my personal experience, true joy in learning should be virtually indistinguishable from play.
I agree with you-studying should be enjoyable and free from rules. Classmates often ask me about my study methods or if I have any tricks. I find it hard to answer because I don’t have a specific trick-I just really enjoy what I’m studying. I chose this major, and I love it. I enjoy attending lectures, focusing on every word the professor says, and analyzing the examples. I always take notes, even if the professor mentions something that isn’t part of the curriculum. Later, I expand on it at home. I love diving deep into the topics we learn. I also enjoy seeing my grades and appreciate challenging exams (as long as they aren't so difficult that I fail) Many students just ask for lecture summaries and previous exams just to pass the courses, but I think that approach makes studying feel like a chore, not something enjoyable also you learn nothing. I’m in my final year of university, and sadly, because of the war in my country, we now have to study online from home instead of being on campus. It makes me sad to lose the experience of my last year like this ( i thought it will be the best year) I also had a close friend who enjoyed studying as much as I did. We used to have long study sessions where we explored every detail to make sure we both understood everything. That made studying even more enjoyable for me. We supported each other at every step. I ranked first and he ranked second in last year’s finals. Unfortunately, we’re no longer in contact, and I fear I may never see him again. Thank you for this video, you earned my subscription.
Thank you for your comment! I’m sorry to hear about your transition to at-home learning. I also wish you luck in being able to reconnect with your friend and I also hope that you, your friends, and family all are safe!
@@Fatima-pc8hb I love your outlook on studying! Mine is the same. Studying is not about "producing" anything but instead, pursuing something because we like it and just for pursuit's sake! Seeking knowledge and being creative is how we as humans express our humanity. Anyways, I'm also in my last year so I wish us both the best! I'm praying for the best for you, that the war will end, and that you will see your friend again
Your take at this current efficient studying wave makes so much more sense than anything else. I have seen countless efficiency videos and this one takes the top. Truth is studying is not a linear process, it’s a zig zag between spontaneous questions, different strategies you try out for different situations, and it’s all in all supposed to be purely off the intrinsic feeling of wanting to know more about something. The idea that studying is a chore comes from the schooling system which a straight line you’re supposed to follow with everyone else. Just because society tells you it’s how it is doesn’t mean it’s the right way of doing things. Great video !!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH. i love studying so much, but i love learning more. you reflected EXACTLY my feelings on enjoying the process instead of rushing through it. learning is such a beautiful medium to see the world around us, why do we have to cut back on it?
the thing that the study space is very saturated with strategy, tricks, methods, whatever you say, makes me very exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious and run away from studying like it's some monster I ran away from when I turn off lights of the hall to my room and it chases me (childhood meme). seriously, till grade 9th and 10th, where I studied my way on my pace with methods that suites my biology and my nature, I scored A's at the end of the day. ever since I came to the competitive exam world and start following these strategies to learn effectively, ace the exam, become a topper, my downfall started (ironic, isn't it?) and to be honest, I was a really curious kid back in middle school which motivated me to learn and study things for the questions I seek and broaden my mind. At the end, I think I might get back to the way I used to do things and feed that curious kid inside me the gatorade of knowledge it wanted ever since it was born and enjoy the process of failing, learning and improving. Thanks Tim, you saved that kid inside me.
this is totally what i have been pondering about. People are often questioning why am I obsessed with spending more time to study, when I can just go for the shortcut to save my time. But it is the satisfaction feeling every second i felt when studying the materials i enjoyed. Thank you for making my guilty pleasure validated. Keep on posting this kind of videos! I will be supporting you!
Thank you so much for this. Efficiency is so hard and overwhelming, I've always loved learning and as a new type of student I usually enjoy studying my content so so much but the pressure to pass and get a good grade usually gets to me. I'm quite stressed out about it most of the time. I was also stressing out about needing to study just now, but your video has helped me so much. Thanks.
Thanks so much for the comment! Test anxiety and stress concerning grades and passing can be a really difficult thing so I thank you for sharing about those experiences and I wish you luck on all of your exams/courses!
Year 12 student from Australia here! Thank you for making this -Too many med student RUclipsrs be like "How I Crammed 1 MILLION Hours Worth of Study into Ten Hours" or "How I Study 16 Hours Everyday with No Breaks"💀💀yup I feel this! and as someone who is interested to go to med school one day but is scared of how much grinding it will take for a long long time (and the fear of getting behind and losing work life balance coz work takes too many hours of the day) it's a tricky balance especially since there will always be a lot to do! But thank you for talking about this, idk how other ppl do it but I def can't 'gun' all the time im just human and I get tired a lot so I'm never really as efficient as I want to be! the adrenaline from studying extremely efficiently can be fun but it's super intense (theres a reason I can only do it a little bit every couple days!) and a recipe for burnout in the long run at least in my experience 😭😭
hey personally i always felt very stupid asking simple questions when i thought everyone around me understood what the teacher was teaching, but now that i’m old and have let go of petty stuff like feeling embarrassed for little things, i ask the questions anyway and turns out my stupid questions actually helped a lot of other students in class, well anything for my fellow mates and me, i guess i’ll keep asking those low yield questions :) thank you for this video tim
I appreciate this comment so much! Letting go of yourself in the hopes of learning material and serving a deeper purpose is such a courageous thing. And asking questions in front of all your classmates can definitely be extremely difficult, even without it being a “simple question.” Thanks for the comment!
I definitely agree with you but the actual problem in med school, you have ultimate information to cover in a short time , if you study what catches your attention and have fun you’ll run out of time, be on the edge of failing exams and you won’t even have time for other parts of your life (been there)
Real. U opened my eyes, I was so consumed by those efficient study videos. I forgot about having fun studying the things, I chose to study because of my interest. Thanks bro
i realized that acquiring knowledge of any kind e.g. in terms of studying for my degree, only ever truly sticks and is properly accessible to me when i build intricate stories around in that make sense to me and the paths which i can reconstruct because they just make sense (such as going on tangents to explain the etymology of a word you explained). that’s why i sometimes genuinely struggle to just study with anki, because pure memorization without the option of exploration appears to be categorized as completely useless by my brain and therefore hardly ever remembered even for short period of time. what i mean to say is, i find “efficient” study tips to be totally ineffective for how my brain works and in fact need to engage with the material at least somewhat inefficiently to make anything stick :)
Hey Timothy, thanks for making this video and sharing it with us. I watched this as I was just about to sit down (after a day or two of not studying) and start my study session for an upcoming entrance exam. It really puts things into perspective for me, and I'm glad that there's others out there who also get curious and go the extra mile just to understand things for themselves. I also like that you brought up the point of low yield questions, sometimes I find myself curious about something or not understanding something that should be easily understood, but I hesitate to ask as I feel it wouldn't be "relevant" to the class going on (relevant in the sense like, "why would you need to know that, it won't help you score better").
I found myself in the cycle of looking for more ways to study than studying. But the only way to find out, is to find out. I like reminding myself that much like how I can learn a whole song by listening a couple time, or watch a movie once and know enough to know what the movie is about, maybe I just need to see what I am studying at least once to know what is going on. Everything else can follow. Pomodoro did help my procrastination, because I tell myself ‘you just have to do what you can in these 15 minutes, then you can do something else’, and sometimes I just keep going. And also, college is not cheap. I refuse to sit in the same class twice and that’s enough to push me sometimes.
Thank you for the comment! It definitely can feel like the productivity-centric media can pull our attention away from the actual purpose of it all sometimes.
Not a med student but I love this approach to education! It feels so validating to hear my sentiments verbalized by another person. Seeing how passionate you are about what you do, no doubt you will be an amazing doctor one day ✨ All the best in med school!
Amazing video! I loved it, it really stood out. But you're by no means, studying ineffectively. One of the most important factor that makes you remember things the in the most effective (and efficient ways), is relevance. When something is relevant to you, you're more likely to remember it. This is a very important aspect of learning-wayy more important than mindlessly dashing trough Anki flashcards (tought active recall and spaced repetition are still good techniques, but only if you've had proper encoding and they make you actively think about the material). Intrest, curiosity, relevance, being able too use the information in your context and being able to deeply reflect on the knowledge, it's what really makes learning effective and, consequently, efficient. The best ,if not only, way to learn effectevly is to love learning. (Plus it's one of the best feelings when you're deeply concentrated on your subject and you just want to discover more and more.) Again wonderfull video! (love the vibe) :) Whish you the best!
This mirrors an undefined philosophy I've been chasing ever since I started self improvement. Your channel is a gem! Thank you! You've earnt a new sub!
I suddenly was searching for productivity videos on RUclips after a long time since I will be joining med school in 3 days. I was stressed, but I found your video, and I feel calm.I am in med school because I love science before anything. Thank you for reminding me that❤
I'm preparing to enter medical school and I got really really demotivated, I was thinking about ending it all, but I don't know, this video found me and reminded me why I even wanted to do medicine, so yea I'm gonna get back on track, thank you so much for this. you're making a very big impact.
I’m just entering med school and saw ton of videos on how to actually study putting pressure on myself to perform well when I am just on starting line but this this right here is everything thank you ❤ I’m so excited now idk I can enjoy studying instead of stressing out about it
This is such a refreshing take on studying! I have always felt that my way of studying (what I considered 'inefficient') was bothersome, especially with those low-yield questions lingering in my mind. However, I've come to realize that this curiosity is just a sign of my passion for the topic. This video will definitely help me embrace exploration without the pressure to be efficient. Thank you, Timothy! I’m excited to start my second year of med school next week! ❤
This video found me at the right time. It is a lot of effort to break away from the chains of feeling the need to be efficient all the time, especially if that is what you have been used to in school. Learning is a very wonderful thing. Thank you so much for this!
This is amazing. I feel like you’re the guide I’ve been searching for over the past few months. As a vet med student, there’s so much information to absorb, and I constantly feel pressured to study and work faster, more efficiently. It’s frustrating because I can’t keep up. And, I know I would enjoy it more if I could go at a comfortable pace. Unfortunately, I don’t have the privilege. Our curriculum is so fast-paced. But your video has been an eye-opener. It’s helped me let go of the guilt I feel when I study at a slower pace. I may still feel it at times, but knowing that someone said it’s okay gives me reassurance. As long as I’m learning thoroughly and enjoying the process, the time I spend will surely be worthwhile.
Thank you so much for your comment! Although I wouldn’t refer to myself as a guide, I am happy that this video is offering a way to help you shed that feeling of guilt associated with learning your material! It means a lot so thank you once again:)
Wonderful insight! Studying can be so much more than just 'effective' studying and using all the tips and tricks to get the highest marks. It should be something we're curious about and want to learn, though this can be difficult to grasp when grades and exams are stressful for so many people.
Thank you so much for your comment! I definitely agree that the metrics associated with exams seems to be a huge stressing factor that lends itself more gravity than just the sheer enjoyment of learning and feeding your curiosity.
Thank you so much for your comment and thank you for the luck! I just finished the first block of medical school today haha so I’m sure I will be needing it in a couple of weeks :)
Thanks for the video and reflexion! Well, I do really think there's an saturated efficiency, not because being efficient isn't good anymore, but it's a cultural thing, the way society is being organized requires you to do so many things that would be necessary 24 hours of a whole day to achieve. In that way, everything must be calculated, precisely organized, everything in life is now a task. We are there at the same moment we are not, emotions are a big part of things, they contribute to wheter we're going to remember something or not, and then, since everyone's basically living a very pressured life, everything is associated to boring, stressful and demanding. And istead of reducing what causes this excessive amount of negative feelings, we go searching for ways to overcome then and for me that's where this "efficiency" sucks. I might get lost in my explaining, but i hope it's pretty objective lol btw thx for bringing the debate!
Thank you so much for your comment! It really helps out the video and I always welcome discourse! It is very interesting to see the downsides of increased efficiency pop up in other aspects of our lives such as these “negative feelings” that we look to overcome as you mentioned. Definitely food for thought!
Hello, I want to say thank you for this video. It helped me realize that when I'm learning I can be inefficient some of the time. I love asking questions about the material I'm learning but I often force myself to "stay on task and be more efficient" but you're right, what's the point of efficiency 100% of the time if we are actually enjoying our studies and engaged in the topic? However, I would like to add that I do think learning to memorize and understand material effectively can be very useful and (for me at least) when I need to learn a ton of information, studying effectively helps me not get overwhelmed. (But I prefer to do this with "cluster style questions" printed out on paper while explaining the ideas out loud to myself on a long hike.) Thanks to your video, I'm going to spend more time delving into the topic and learning out of curiosity, rather than only for tests :)
Thank you so much for your comment, means a lot! I totally agree that efficient learning techniques can help people not get behind and can be important in keeping a well balanced life along with schooling!
Es tan, tan, cierto, de verdad necesitaba escucharlo de alguien más, pensé que era la única y que me estaba volviendo loca, pensé que debía correr por aprender sin disfrutar el proceso
Really awesome video🎉 please make a video on planning. There are tons of youtubers with tons of methods and tools nowadays "planning" apps getting released right and left 😢 with tons of dashboards and system.
Im glad i watched this video , i feel like lately what i did was so un effiecient upon seeing others like other friends of mine would get like crazy good grades by studying for like 4-5 hrs on holidays where as i study for 8-10 on holidays and on working days them 2 hrs and me 4 hrs like ir just felt like im so dumb but honestly idk i dont feel like working hard is a crime is jt ? Im trying my best ig and thats what matters to me but idk what are these efficiency tricks all theae vids abt none of them seemed to help me
Bro i feel like this applies to literally all subjects coming from someone who does EIGHT but I always thought I was the only one. Like the only reason I'm pretty good at French/Spanish compared to the rest of my year is cuz i could NEVER jus learn vocab and phrases and then "piece" them together to suddenly speak and write fluently, which is expected even from the most well-regarded and experienced teachers. The only times I acc liked studying was when i'd spend tht extra 2-4 hrs tryna grasp a topic or speaking abt stuff purely becuz it interested me (French/Spanish/Irish). The time restraint is insane though like what do you mean i have 5 tests every week to study for with 3 hrs daily commute and no energy when i come home all in the hopes of getting some stupid points for some course in uni idk if i even want. the hustle culture has just created NEW problems for me like i'm now 100% convinced tht litterature/creative subjects'll never be for me all cuz the intense and rigid education system jus magically expects me to write, think and analyse so friggin sophisticatedly with so much flowwww without acc practicing or LEARNING. Anyways, thx for listenin to my rant lol, i apologise in advance
That was remarkable i did think the same way you did maybe we humans are born to explore every aspect of life lets dont take it as more philosophical but my intend to say is that sometimes we must experience the bliss of happiness as it all going to be okay eventually maybe not as we predicted but okay . I remembered a quote from hxh that sometimes things that are more important than what you're hunting for could be found by the side of the road. The conclusion is embrace the journey and explore as much as you can.in case i dont see ya good morning , good night and good afternoon😅
I can only say what works for me. I guess I always just repeat my mantra. “If a patient ever comes to me with a disease or issue, I’m not going to show them my transcripts or grades, I’m going to apply the knowledge that I’ve learned.” Also, there’s beauty in everything. The little ingenious mechanisms of biology and physics never fails to amaze me. I would say, have the courage to be curious :)
@@TimmyTangents but how do you enjoy the rigorous cramming up and also in biology we have to memorize what the body does and then we are given basically bullet points which you have to memorize to do in that situation, there is no usage of the brain, its all cramming aint it?
@@manitbhat7270 interesting and completely valid point! Although I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have any better insight than anyone else, I personally try to ignore the metronome of academia and set my own pace. In comparison to many of my colleagues, I may be “behind” with the exposure of information (as many typically cram the mentioned bulleted points), but in depth, I find myself typically ahead (and I’m okay with that disparity). Taking the extra time, whenever your curiosity compels you to, to draw out and create a narrative of various pathways, drugs, and physics, helps me see the beauty in it all. I definitely think that curiosity is something that can be neglected in prioritization of grades (which in a “practical” perspective can get you where you want to be in life but can also lead to this bastardization of learning and a lack of fun in it all.) I guess in sum, it takes a step of faith to “go slow.” Perhaps, analogous to the tortoise and the hare, you might find your slow self “outcompeting” your “efficient” self and you may even start to have fun with it all. This is just my answer, once again, and I do believe there are free resources, education experts, and teachers at institutions that can provide perhaps more concrete and evidence-based data than the results my own prejudices and experiences :) Either way, I wish you luck in finding a fun way to study while also getting great grades!
Thank you for making a content which is makes us ponder over the concept of ‘efficient learning’. I always felt that I’m ‘less efficient and smart’ just cause I can’t do Pomodoro And other study methods as I LIKE to be in a flow when studying, my dyslexia doesn’t help either. I honestly am in a slump wherein I have so much to do but I feel paralysed. I’ll try to get out of this and score good marks in my upcoming exams. Much love!
Hi, I'm from Bolivia, and I couldn't understand your video well, so I would like you to explain it to me, since I saw that you made reference to many RUclips channels of study techniques that I used to follow and I would like you to explain it to me a little better
Hello! So essentially, I think it is good to use those study techniques to be more efficient BUT I worry that people are trying to get faster at studying because we are “not supposed to” enjoy studying. I’m just hoping that, every once in a while, we can embrace learning in a slower way and enjoy the process :) hope that explains it better!
this is so much the message I needed, I used to ace all my exams using "inefficient studying" cuz I used to enjoy it & do it the way I wanted on whim, then came the obsession of efficient & correct way to learn things and it just made me altogether stay away from working. I would rather just not study until end of the day & then cram as much as I could then feel guilty, learning became a chore, I hated it. I think its time for me to just let go of all those concepts these videos talk about & just do things as my brain wants to
Wow! Thanks for the comment and good luck with your studies!
@@TimmyTangents thanks man !
I love being medical student but when I start studying l feel so much pressure trying to study efficiently and cover all details to get height grade in exams, your idea about studying opens my eyes that if I love what I’m studying so I can enjoy it. Thank you 💙
Thank you so much for your comment! I wish you luck on your studying!!
I used to binge a lot of study content as a senior in high school. I never found all of them too helpful, and I felt like finding a hack seemed like a huge waste of time when I hardly ever applied it. Granted that this was prior to being aware that I had ADHD, but my point is that it all feels like I’m pushing myself too much to be the best version of myself. Eventually I stopped and one day I just decided to pick up a psychology book just on a whim. I had no plan of reading it all, but I got really engrossed at one point and finished it. It felt good. I didn’t plan on learning anything about psychology, but my mind was hungry to keep learning. I completely agree with your point that you should only be learning when you are having fun. A good mind set can help guide us through all of our problems.
In high school I always seen myself as a math failure. I can do the math, I just never understood it which made leaning new concepts very difficult. It carried a bit on to my community college years, but I just started to one day just change how I think about math entirely. I just told myself that I may as well try to enjoy something I didn’t enjoy, and slowly I started to actually love doing math. I wasn’t getting high grades or anything, but I was excited to sit down in the lecture room and be engrossed in the lesson. Now that I’m a junior in a 4-year university, I contemplated even taking Calculus 1 just for the fun of it. It is not a requirement for my degree as I’m doing Psych, but I thought that it may be fun to learn it even if it is eating away a portion of my financial aid.
Anyways, I’m saying a lot of words without good structure. My bad, just a bit sleep deprived. Point is, a change in mind set has changed my life much more than simply following productivity guides.
Thanks for the comment!
To me, listening to this is definitely a breath of fresh air. As i try to improve on my studying habits and whatnot, i eventually found myself feeling discouraged altogether because i wasn't following all these "efficient study methods" i see online all the time. Listening to this reminded me of how my mom would remind me that the privilege to learn truly is a wonder and knowledge/the wisdom that comes from it is something nobody can take from you. Idk man, i'm glad 7 minutes could help me this much in reflecting and re-centering myself :3
Wow, thanks so much for the comment!! Good luck in your studies!
this is an interesting take, as someone who binge watches productivty videos, i end up feeling burnt out, and then i blame myself for not being efficient enough. i love the idea of learning because it is enjoyable, but the pressure to be efficient and perfect around peers and adults is difficult. its like learning in school isnt learning. like in my culture atleast people praise efficiency and perfection. idk honestly i kinda want to focus only on my grades but that makes studying way less enjoyable. anyway thank you for this video, it gave me a new perspective.
Thank you for leaving this comment! I definitely feel like there is a pressure to be as efficient as everyone else and it can oftentimes strip the joy out of what we love doing. Especially post starting college/uni! Glad that this video can offer a little change of pace amidst all the jam packed productivity videos :)
I absolutely agree
Maybe if you strive for perfection for 10 trillion years you wouldn't mind doing it for another day.
I feel like I’ve been feeling this intrinsically but I didn’t know how to explain it. As someone who is a first year med student, I enjoy drawing mindmaps and connecting diseases, but I keep thinking I’m being inefficient bc ppl around me are doing Anki and getting thousands of content tested in their brain everyday. I don’t mind taking time to go through things to understand them, and u got me thinking with the whole if you like doing something you won’t want to decrease the amount to do it. I guess there can be a healthy balance, but I don’t think people should feel differently if they prefer to delve deeper into topics, as it enhances their engagement with the material. This was a great vid
Thanks so much for the comment fellow MS1 haha! It means a lot! I'm trying to stray away from anki for as long as I can haha.
Oh god how I wanted to hear someone actually mentioning the more humane and imperfect parts of the pressure of being productive, though not a med student I do kinda relate to your words, keep up the good work!
Thank you for the comment!
This is the way I think of it. Your knowledge base is an art piece, a sculpture, an oil painting whose brushstrokes and palette is artfully chosen and thoughtfully brushed. The contours, the shades, the hues, the colours, the subjects of your painting; all of it should manifest from some kind of mental chemistry that is uniquely yours. Beautiful learning is not a product that can be created from the laser precision of time-based efficiency. Beautiful learning is a meal course; painstakingly prepared and cooked, artfully plated, and passionately served. Knowledge is the food of an intellectual, and it can only be enjoyed when curiosity and a sense of play are acting alongside us. The next generation of college students have successfully turned the art of knowledge into a cold and machine-ful industry, where the only metric that matters is minimizing your time. It's a shame.
As a data scientist and physicist, the complexity of my subject is something that I enjoy privately. I love being immersed in the complexity of formulae, and there is no greater joy than letting yourself freely ask as many "why" questions as you want. I find joy in the pursuit of questions, and in finding the answers to those questions, no matter how big or small they are. Truly curious people will eventually cultivate their passion for whatever subject they are pursuing, simply by learning how to ask questions. So many of us are busy ingesting knowledge that tells us of "what" the world is, that we have lost our interest in spending time just simply asking the "hows" and "whys". The "what" has become more important, and then as soon as we get that filled in, we quickly move on to the next most important "what" to figure out.
In my personal experience, true joy in learning should be virtually indistinguishable from play.
Thank you so much for your comment! It resonates with the thesis of a future project of mine in fact!
Beautiful!
I agree with you-studying should be enjoyable and free from rules. Classmates often ask me about my study methods or if I have any tricks. I find it hard to answer because I don’t have a specific trick-I just really enjoy what I’m studying. I chose this major, and I love it. I enjoy attending lectures, focusing on every word the professor says, and analyzing the examples. I always take notes, even if the professor mentions something that isn’t part of the curriculum. Later, I expand on it at home. I love diving deep into the topics we learn. I also enjoy seeing my grades and appreciate challenging exams (as long as they aren't so difficult that I fail)
Many students just ask for lecture summaries and previous exams just to pass the courses, but I think that approach makes studying feel like a chore, not something enjoyable also you learn nothing.
I’m in my final year of university, and sadly, because of the war in my country, we now have to study online from home instead of being on campus. It makes me sad to lose the experience of my last year like this ( i thought it will be the best year)
I also had a close friend who enjoyed studying as much as I did. We used to have long study sessions where we explored every detail to make sure we both understood everything. That made studying even more enjoyable for me. We supported each other at every step. I ranked first and he ranked second in last year’s finals. Unfortunately, we’re no longer in contact, and I fear I may never see him again.
Thank you for this video, you earned my subscription.
Thank you for your comment! I’m sorry to hear about your transition to at-home learning. I also wish you luck in being able to reconnect with your friend and I also hope that you, your friends, and family all are safe!
@@TimmyTangents thanks
@@Fatima-pc8hb I love your outlook on studying! Mine is the same. Studying is not about "producing" anything but instead, pursuing something because we like it and just for pursuit's sake! Seeking knowledge and being creative is how we as humans express our humanity.
Anyways, I'm also in my last year so I wish us both the best! I'm praying for the best for you, that the war will end, and that you will see your friend again
Your take at this current efficient studying wave makes so much more sense than anything else. I have seen countless efficiency videos and this one takes the top. Truth is studying is not a linear process, it’s a zig zag between spontaneous questions, different strategies you try out for different situations, and it’s all in all supposed to be purely off the intrinsic feeling of wanting to know more about something. The idea that studying is a chore comes from the schooling system which a straight line you’re supposed to follow with everyone else. Just because society tells you it’s how it is doesn’t mean it’s the right way of doing things. Great video !!!
Thank you so much for the comment!
THANK YOU SO MUCH. i love studying so much, but i love learning more. you reflected EXACTLY my feelings on enjoying the process instead of rushing through it. learning is such a beautiful medium to see the world around us, why do we have to cut back on it?
Thank you so much for your comment!
the thing that the study space is very saturated with strategy, tricks, methods, whatever you say, makes me very exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious and run away from studying like it's some monster I ran away from when I turn off lights of the hall to my room and it chases me (childhood meme). seriously, till grade 9th and 10th, where I studied my way on my pace with methods that suites my biology and my nature, I scored A's at the end of the day. ever since I came to the competitive exam world and start following these strategies to learn effectively, ace the exam, become a topper, my downfall started (ironic, isn't it?) and to be honest, I was a really curious kid back in middle school which motivated me to learn and study things for the questions I seek and broaden my mind.
At the end, I think I might get back to the way I used to do things and feed that curious kid inside me the gatorade of knowledge it wanted ever since it was born and enjoy the process of failing, learning and improving. Thanks Tim, you saved that kid inside me.
Thank you so much for that comment, it really means a lot to me! I wish you the best in your studies!
@@TimmyTangents thanks to you for the video. keep up the good work.
this is totally what i have been pondering about. People are often questioning why am I obsessed with spending more time to study, when I can just go for the shortcut to save my time. But it is the satisfaction feeling every second i felt when studying the materials i enjoyed.
Thank you for making my guilty pleasure validated.
Keep on posting this kind of videos! I will be supporting you!
Thanks so much for the comment!
this video makes me reconsider what my favorite youtube video of all time is
Thank you so much for this. Efficiency is so hard and overwhelming, I've always loved learning and as a new type of student I usually enjoy studying my content so so much but the pressure to pass and get a good grade usually gets to me. I'm quite stressed out about it most of the time. I was also stressing out about needing to study just now, but your video has helped me so much. Thanks.
Thanks so much for the comment! Test anxiety and stress concerning grades and passing can be a really difficult thing so I thank you for sharing about those experiences and I wish you luck on all of your exams/courses!
Year 12 student from Australia here! Thank you for making this -Too many med student RUclipsrs be like "How I Crammed 1 MILLION Hours Worth of Study into Ten Hours" or "How I Study 16 Hours Everyday with No Breaks"💀💀yup I feel this! and as someone who is interested to go to med school one day but is scared of how much grinding it will take for a long long time (and the fear of getting behind and losing work life balance coz work takes too many hours of the day) it's a tricky balance especially since there will always be a lot to do! But thank you for talking about this, idk how other ppl do it but I def can't 'gun' all the time im just human and I get tired a lot so I'm never really as efficient as I want to be! the adrenaline from studying extremely efficiently can be fun but it's super intense (theres a reason I can only do it a little bit every couple days!) and a recipe for burnout in the long run at least in my experience 😭😭
Thank you so much for your comment! I wish you luck in getting into medical school and also doing well without burning out!
lmao 1 MILLION HOURS 😭😭💀💀💀
hey
personally i always felt very stupid asking simple questions when i thought everyone around me understood what the teacher was teaching, but now that i’m old and have let go of petty stuff like feeling embarrassed for little things, i ask the questions anyway and turns out my stupid questions actually helped a lot of other students in class, well anything for my fellow mates and me, i guess i’ll keep asking those low yield questions :)
thank you for this video tim
I appreciate this comment so much! Letting go of yourself in the hopes of learning material and serving a deeper purpose is such a courageous thing. And asking questions in front of all your classmates can definitely be extremely difficult, even without it being a “simple question.” Thanks for the comment!
I definitely agree with you but the actual problem in med school, you have ultimate information to cover in a short time , if you study what catches your attention and have fun you’ll run out of time, be on the edge of failing exams and you won’t even have time for other parts of your life (been there)
Real. U opened my eyes, I was so consumed by those efficient study videos. I forgot about having fun studying the things, I chose to study because of my interest. Thanks bro
Thanks for the comment!
i realized that acquiring knowledge of any kind e.g. in terms of studying for my degree, only ever truly sticks and is properly accessible to me when i build intricate stories around in that make sense to me and the paths which i can reconstruct because they just make sense (such as going on tangents to explain the etymology of a word you explained). that’s why i sometimes genuinely struggle to just study with anki, because pure memorization without the option of exploration appears to be categorized as completely useless by my brain and therefore hardly ever remembered even for short period of time. what i mean to say is, i find “efficient” study tips to be totally ineffective for how my brain works and in fact need to engage with the material at least somewhat inefficiently to make anything stick :)
Thanks for the comment! Means a lot!
Hey Timothy, thanks for making this video and sharing it with us. I watched this as I was just about to sit down (after a day or two of not studying) and start my study session for an upcoming entrance exam. It really puts things into perspective for me, and I'm glad that there's others out there who also get curious and go the extra mile just to understand things for themselves. I also like that you brought up the point of low yield questions, sometimes I find myself curious about something or not understanding something that should be easily understood, but I hesitate to ask as I feel it wouldn't be "relevant" to the class going on (relevant in the sense like, "why would you need to know that, it won't help you score better").
Thanks so much for the comment and good luck on your entrance exam!
I found myself in the cycle of looking for more ways to study than studying. But the only way to find out, is to find out.
I like reminding myself that much like how I can learn a whole song by listening a couple time, or watch a movie once and know enough to know what the movie is about, maybe I just need to see what I am studying at least once to know what is going on. Everything else can follow.
Pomodoro did help my procrastination, because I tell myself ‘you just have to do what you can in these 15 minutes, then you can do something else’, and sometimes I just keep going.
And also, college is not cheap. I refuse to sit in the same class twice and that’s enough to push me sometimes.
Your video was truly helpful, I've been drowning in "productivity hacks" content that was only increasing my stress instead of productivity.
Thank you for the comment! It definitely can feel like the productivity-centric media can pull our attention away from the actual purpose of it all sometimes.
"when I was a high school teacher" WDYM YOU'RE NOT 17?!?!
Hahaha I get that reaction a lot :P
this is so true, we don't enjoy the things we do anymore, we are just trying to beat time, than you for posting this!
Thank you for your comment!
Not a med student but I love this approach to education! It feels so validating to hear my sentiments verbalized by another person. Seeing how passionate you are about what you do, no doubt you will be an amazing doctor one day ✨ All the best in med school!
Thank you for the comment and the nice words! Means a lot!
Amazing video! I loved it, it really stood out.
But you're by no means, studying ineffectively.
One of the most important factor that makes you remember things the in the most effective (and efficient ways), is relevance. When something is relevant to you, you're more likely to remember it. This is a very important aspect of learning-wayy more important than mindlessly dashing trough Anki flashcards (tought active recall and spaced repetition are still good techniques, but only if you've had proper encoding and they make you actively think about the material).
Intrest, curiosity, relevance, being able too use the information in your context and being able to deeply reflect on the knowledge, it's what really makes learning effective and, consequently, efficient. The best ,if not only, way to learn effectevly is to love learning.
(Plus it's one of the best feelings when you're deeply concentrated on your subject and you just want to discover more and more.)
Again wonderfull video! (love the vibe) :)
Whish you the best!
Thank you so much for your comment! Also interesting point! Being slowly efficient versus quickly inefficient! Love it :)
That's a very good perspective! As a struggling high schooler, thanks teacher!
Thanks for the comment and good luck in your studies
This mirrors an undefined philosophy I've been chasing ever since I started self improvement. Your channel is a gem! Thank you! You've earnt a new sub!
Thank you so much for the comment and the sub! :)
I suddenly was searching for productivity videos on RUclips after a long time since I will be joining med school in 3 days. I was stressed, but I found your video, and I feel calm.I am in med school because I love science before anything. Thank you for reminding me that❤
Thank you so much for the comment! Good luck with medical school! It’s quite the fun (sometimes difficult) journey!
Thank you 💗
I'm preparing to enter medical school and I got really really demotivated, I was thinking about ending it all, but I don't know, this video found me and reminded me why I even wanted to do medicine, so yea I'm gonna get back on track, thank you so much for this. you're making a very big impact.
Thank you so much for your comment!
I’m just entering med school and saw ton of videos on how to actually study putting pressure on myself to perform well when I am just on starting line but this this right here is everything thank you ❤
I’m so excited now idk I can enjoy studying instead of stressing out about it
Thanks so much for your comment!
This is such a refreshing take on studying! I have always felt that my way of studying (what I considered 'inefficient') was bothersome, especially with those low-yield questions lingering in my mind. However, I've come to realize that this curiosity is just a sign of my passion for the topic. This video will definitely help me embrace exploration without the pressure to be efficient. Thank you, Timothy! I’m excited to start my second year of med school next week! ❤
Thank you for the comment and good luck with M2!!
This video found me at the right time. It is a lot of effort to break away from the chains of feeling the need to be efficient all the time, especially if that is what you have been used to in school. Learning is a very wonderful thing. Thank you so much for this!
Thank you so much for your comment!
Finally someone said it
Thanks for your comment!
This is amazing. I feel like you’re the guide I’ve been searching for over the past few months. As a vet med student, there’s so much information to absorb, and I constantly feel pressured to study and work faster, more efficiently. It’s frustrating because I can’t keep up. And, I know I would enjoy it more if I could go at a comfortable pace. Unfortunately, I don’t have the privilege. Our curriculum is so fast-paced.
But your video has been an eye-opener. It’s helped me let go of the guilt I feel when I study at a slower pace. I may still feel it at times, but knowing that someone said it’s okay gives me reassurance. As long as I’m learning thoroughly and enjoying the process, the time I spend will surely be worthwhile.
Thank you so much for your comment! Although I wouldn’t refer to myself as a guide, I am happy that this video is offering a way to help you shed that feeling of guilt associated with learning your material! It means a lot so thank you once again:)
Wonderful insight! Studying can be so much more than just 'effective' studying and using all the tips and tricks to get the highest marks. It should be something we're curious about and want to learn, though this can be difficult to grasp when grades and exams are stressful for so many people.
Thank you so much for your comment! I definitely agree that the metrics associated with exams seems to be a huge stressing factor that lends itself more gravity than just the sheer enjoyment of learning and feeding your curiosity.
needed this, thanks man
Thanks for the comment!
Amazing video and a very healthy mindset that you're promoting here, wishing you luck with your studies!!
Thank you so much for your comment and thank you for the luck! I just finished the first block of medical school today haha so I’m sure I will be needing it in a couple of weeks :)
SUCH a well made video. And perfectly said too. really enjoyed it i hope you keep going and good luck
Thank you for the comment and the luck! Will need it!
I TOOK A LOOK ON YOUR CHANNEL AND I THINK I FOUND A RUclips CHANNEL GETS ME I FIND YOUR CHANNEL SO INTRESTING
Oh wow, thanks for your comment!
Thanks for the video and reflexion! Well, I do really think there's an saturated efficiency, not because being efficient isn't good anymore, but it's a cultural thing, the way society is being organized requires you to do so many things that would be necessary 24 hours of a whole day to achieve. In that way, everything must be calculated, precisely organized, everything in life is now a task. We are there at the same moment we are not, emotions are a big part of things, they contribute to wheter we're going to remember something or not, and then, since everyone's basically living a very pressured life, everything is associated to boring, stressful and demanding. And istead of reducing what causes this excessive amount of negative feelings, we go searching for ways to overcome then and for me that's where this "efficiency" sucks. I might get lost in my explaining, but i hope it's pretty objective lol btw thx for bringing the debate!
Thank you so much for your comment! It really helps out the video and I always welcome discourse! It is very interesting to see the downsides of increased efficiency pop up in other aspects of our lives such as these “negative feelings” that we look to overcome as you mentioned. Definitely food for thought!
Hello, I want to say thank you for this video. It helped me realize that when I'm learning I can be inefficient some of the time. I love asking questions about the material I'm learning but I often force myself to "stay on task and be more efficient" but you're right, what's the point of efficiency 100% of the time if we are actually enjoying our studies and engaged in the topic? However, I would like to add that I do think learning to memorize and understand material effectively can be very useful and (for me at least) when I need to learn a ton of information, studying effectively helps me not get overwhelmed. (But I prefer to do this with "cluster style questions" printed out on paper while explaining the ideas out loud to myself on a long hike.) Thanks to your video, I'm going to spend more time delving into the topic and learning out of curiosity, rather than only for tests :)
Thank you so much for your comment, means a lot! I totally agree that efficient learning techniques can help people not get behind and can be important in keeping a well balanced life along with schooling!
This! I‘ve been saying that you don’t need to know how it works as long as it works
Es tan, tan, cierto, de verdad necesitaba escucharlo de alguien más, pensé que era la única y que me estaba volviendo loca, pensé que debía correr por aprender sin disfrutar el proceso
Thank you for your comment!
You deserve more subs.
Thank you so much for the comment!
Really awesome video🎉 please make a video on planning. There are tons of youtubers with tons of methods and tools nowadays "planning" apps getting released right and left 😢 with tons of dashboards and system.
Thanks for the idea!
Im glad i watched this video , i feel like lately what i did was so un effiecient upon seeing others like other friends of mine would get like crazy good grades by studying for like 4-5 hrs on holidays where as i study for 8-10 on holidays and on working days them 2 hrs and me 4 hrs like ir just felt like im so dumb but honestly idk i dont feel like working hard is a crime is jt ? Im trying my best ig and thats what matters to me but idk what are these efficiency tricks all theae vids abt none of them seemed to help me
Thank you for the comment and I wish you luck with your studies!
Very helpful.
Thanks for the comment!
Ok that’s actually insightful.
Thank you for the comment!
Bro i feel like this applies to literally all subjects coming from someone who does EIGHT but I always thought I was the only one. Like the only reason I'm pretty good at French/Spanish compared to the rest of my year is cuz i could NEVER jus learn vocab and phrases and then "piece" them together to suddenly speak and write fluently, which is expected even from the most well-regarded and experienced teachers.
The only times I acc liked studying was when i'd spend tht extra 2-4 hrs tryna grasp a topic or speaking abt stuff purely becuz it interested me (French/Spanish/Irish).
The time restraint is insane though like what do you mean i have 5 tests every week to study for with 3 hrs daily commute and no energy when i come home all in the hopes of getting some stupid points for some course in uni idk if i even want. the hustle culture has just created NEW problems for me like i'm now 100% convinced tht litterature/creative subjects'll never be for me all cuz the intense and rigid education system jus magically expects me to write, think and analyse so friggin sophisticatedly with so much flowwww without acc practicing or LEARNING.
Anyways, thx for listenin to my rant lol, i apologise in advance
Thank you for your rant! No need to apologize as well! Comments are always welcome :)
Just do what works for you the best 🙂
Totally agree! Thank you so much for your comment!
That was remarkable i did think the same way you did maybe we humans are born to explore every aspect of life lets dont take it as more philosophical but my intend to say is that sometimes we must experience the bliss of happiness as it all going to be okay eventually maybe not as we predicted but okay . I remembered a quote from hxh that sometimes things that are more important than what you're hunting for could be found by the side of the road. The conclusion is embrace the journey and explore as much as you can.in case i dont see ya good morning , good night and good afternoon😅
Thanks for the comment!
@@TimmyTangents glad you replied have a nice day
love this nuance
Thank you for the comment!
great video. so well said
Thank you for the comment!
cant even tell you hoe perfectly timed this video found me, cannot believe you have less than 1k subscribers, unreal acc
Thank you so much for the comment! Means a lot!
4:49
immediately subscribed
Thank you!
how do you even start enjoying studying in the first place?
I can only say what works for me. I guess I always just repeat my mantra. “If a patient ever comes to me with a disease or issue, I’m not going to show them my transcripts or grades, I’m going to apply the knowledge that I’ve learned.” Also, there’s beauty in everything. The little ingenious mechanisms of biology and physics never fails to amaze me. I would say, have the courage to be curious :)
@@TimmyTangents but how do you enjoy the rigorous cramming up and also in biology we have to memorize what the body does and then we are given basically bullet points which you have to memorize to do in that situation, there is no usage of the brain, its all cramming aint it?
@@manitbhat7270 interesting and completely valid point! Although I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have any better insight than anyone else, I personally try to ignore the metronome of academia and set my own pace. In comparison to many of my colleagues, I may be “behind” with the exposure of information (as many typically cram the mentioned bulleted points), but in depth, I find myself typically ahead (and I’m okay with that disparity). Taking the extra time, whenever your curiosity compels you to, to draw out and create a narrative of various pathways, drugs, and physics, helps me see the beauty in it all. I definitely think that curiosity is something that can be neglected in prioritization of grades (which in a “practical” perspective can get you where you want to be in life but can also lead to this bastardization of learning and a lack of fun in it all.) I guess in sum, it takes a step of faith to “go slow.” Perhaps, analogous to the tortoise and the hare, you might find your slow self “outcompeting” your “efficient” self and you may even start to have fun with it all. This is just my answer, once again, and I do believe there are free resources, education experts, and teachers at institutions that can provide perhaps more concrete and evidence-based data than the results my own prejudices and experiences :) Either way, I wish you luck in finding a fun way to study while also getting great grades!
A freakin movie
A freakin comment 🫡🫡 thanks!
Thank you for making a content which is makes us ponder over the concept of ‘efficient learning’. I always felt that I’m ‘less efficient and smart’ just cause I can’t do Pomodoro And other study methods as I LIKE to be in a flow when studying, my dyslexia doesn’t help either.
I honestly am in a slump wherein I have so much to do but I feel paralysed. I’ll try to get out of this and score good marks in my upcoming exams. Much love!
Thank you so much for your comment! I hope you can find a way out of that slump and I wish you luck on your upcoming exams!
Hi, I'm from Bolivia, and I couldn't understand your video well, so I would like you to explain it to me, since I saw that you made reference to many RUclips channels of study techniques that I used to follow and I would like you to explain it to me a little better
Hello! So essentially, I think it is good to use those study techniques to be more efficient BUT I worry that people are trying to get faster at studying because we are “not supposed to” enjoy studying. I’m just hoping that, every once in a while, we can embrace learning in a slower way and enjoy the process :) hope that explains it better!
bro you look like 20 years old no joke ur not old man
Haha thanks for the comment! You’re one of few who have guessed I’m 20. I typically look like a high schooler to most