By the time most students ask how to study, they’ve already been studying for years. That’s the irony. They’ve spent their evenings highlighting textbooks like medieval monks illuminating manuscripts – delicately, diligently, and almost entirely ineffectively. They’ve made notes that would impress an archivist but not, alas, an examiner. They’ve watched videos and read handouts and nodded with what felt like understanding, only to freeze in exams as if the page had turned to stone.
So how should you study? Let’s start not at your desk, but in the classroom.
I. What to Do in Class: Notes That Think
Most students write down what teachers say. Better students try to capture what teachers mean. But the best students don’t just transcribe – they interrogate. A good set of class notes is not a court stenographer’s transcript, but a record of thought. Not everything your teacher says is equally important. Your job is to decide what matters.
Here’s a trick: divide your page into two columns. On the left, write what your teacher says – briefly, selectively, and in your own words. On the right, write what you think about it. Questions. Links to other topics. Objections. Weird analogies that help you remember. If your teacher says, “Plato thought democracy was a bit like giving the rudder of a ship to the drunkest passenger,” you might write:
In other words, make your notes alive — not just in ink, but in thought.
II. What to Do After Class: Summarise, Don’t Parrot
You’ve come home with a few pages of handwritten scribbles, arrows, and half-legible Plato quotes. Now what?
Within 24 hours (yes, really), turn those notes into a one-page summary. Not a prettier version of what you’ve already written – but a distillation. Imagine you’ve got to teach a confused friend the key ideas in ten minutes. What would you say?
Use bullet points, diagrams, or flowcharts. If you can express a concept simply and clearly, you’ve probably understood it. If you find yourself copying sentences word-for-word, beware – you’re probably memorising without meaning.
Cogito can help here. Search for the tutorial on the same topic and use it as a benchmark. Do you understand what the tutorial explains? Could you add its key points to your summary? Or spot something you misunderstood?
III. Before and After Lessons: Making Cogito Count
Most students watch revision videos after they’ve forgotten the topic. But Cogito works best when you’re still in the process of learning. Here’s how to use it before and after a lesson.
Before the lesson:
Watch the relevant Cogito tutorial. Don’t worry if you don’t grasp every detail.
Focus on recognising the core concepts. It’s like skimming a map before a walk – it helps you notice where you are when you get there.
Write down 1–2 questions you hope the lesson will answer.
After the lesson:
Watch the same video again. You’ll notice more – like rewatching a film after reading the book.
Pause and try to explain each key idea aloud (yes, really aloud). If you can’t, rewind and watch that bit again.
Add any new insights to your summary notes. Make the learning yours.
IV. In Summary: Think, Condense, Return
Studying isn’t a linear process – it’s a spiral. You encounter an idea in class, think about it, try to summarise it, revisit it with Cogito, rephrase it again, and eventually, if all goes well, own it.
The best learners aren’t those who know the most facts, but those who revisit key ideas in the most thoughtful ways. That’s why your class notes should be active, your summaries condensed, and your use of Cogito tutorials woven through every stage of the process – not just tacked on when panic sets in.
Learning is not about remembering everything. It’s about remembering the right things – and understanding them so well you can think with them. That’s what good studying really is. And that’s something anyone – with a pen, a bit of discipline, and a Cogito login – can learn to do.
