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Wondering about how to study for exams? How many times have you found yourself on the brink of a deadline, desperate to eat up chunks of material for an exam or assignment? Too many to count! The tendency of procrastinating and leaving tasks to the last minute is a characteristic of student life that the majority of us relate to. In fact, many of us have had fantasies about inserting a memory chip into our brains somehow so that we could quickly grasp concepts. And as bizarre as this idea may seem, there are some realistic study tips for students that actually work. And we'll share two of these with you in this article. 

Remember that the beauty of learning lies in the fact that it never stops- 'the more you learn, the more you grow'. However, it can be tough to grasp some concepts at times, making you wish you knew how to learn fast. And the learning tips we are going to give you a peek into, come from none other than the business magnate- Elon Musk. Read on for study tips for exams to help you become a quick learner. 

Study Tips for Students #1: Build a tree of knowledge

Elon Musk was once asked on an interactive Reddit Q&A about how he learned so much in such short spans of time. He responded to the question by discussing his approach to learning and the structure he uses. The man of many talents said-

“Most people can learn a lot more than they think they can.” 

What does this mean?

You'd be surprised to know that Musk's approach on how to learn quickly is quite simple. He said to view knowledge as a sort of semantic tree. Confused? Well, let us explain further. According to Musk, the fundamental principles of any concept make up the big branches and trunks of the tree. The following details and intricacies are the leaves and flowers that sprout from the tree. The idea here is to primarily strengthen the foundational trunk of your knowledge tree. Doing this will make the process to learn much simpler. And those who don't set strong foundations are essentially giving the leaves and flowers nothing to hang onto. 

Now, what does this mean in terms of practicality for those wondering about how to prepare for exams, or how to retain knowledge? The answer is quite straightforward. It is- before you jump into the minuscule details of any subject, make sure your foundation is solid. After all, you can’t build a building on a weak foundation. So ensure that you have the best possible grasp on the “trunk” material before moving onto the minutiae of the branches and the leaves.

So how to study for exams?

You must agree to the fact that driven by our desperation to learn quickly in a short time span, many of us, unfortunately, end up compromising on the quality of the learning. We load up on periphery facts while never fully understanding how or why they connect back to the trunk. This outward-facing-in method leaves many of our brains overcrowded with misidentified and, ultimately, unimportant knowledge. This leads to rote learning, and not genuine learning.

So if you desire to be a quick and quality learner, then start up with the materials that make the trunk of your knowledge tree. Once your trunk is sturdy enough, complement it with intricate leaves and flowers!

Study Tips for Students #2: Forming connections fuel learning

Now it's time for the second tip on how to prepare for exams. According to Musk, you can’t learn what you can’t connect. In fact, many memory experts note that the best way to remember something is to associate it with something you already know. If there are no mental "hooks" for new knowledge to catch on, it tends to go in one ear and out the other.

This makes sense from a memorization standpoint, especially when wondering about how to retain all that you study and how to score good marks in exams. Take for example one of the most creative and common ways of learning and retaining the elaborate periodic table. This is a great example of how forming connections to something, no matter how unrelated, can make you a quick learner. 

Conclusion

The idea is to not rush into the advanced material but to make sure you understand the fundamentals first. And make interconnections to broaden your learning. In a nutshell, Elon Musk's study tips for students on how to learn fast is first building a strong foundational trunk, then adding intricate details. And the final advice on how to study for exams is to connect these branches together to expand your knowledge base. We hope that these 'how to prepare for exams' tips will help you unleash your potential! #BeUnstoppable

If you found this article interesting, then check out the following articles:

1. The 50/50 Rule of Learning - How to Retain And Remember 90% of Everything You Learn
2. Secrets To Remain Productive During Stressful Times
3. The rising tide of online learning: Remember, you are what you read!
4. Become a super learner with these 5 easy tips