Warning: The "study hack" that made me drop out was actually working against me

I thought I was being smart using flash card apps to memorize everything for my biology midterm. I spent like 40 hours on that deck, got an A, and then realized I couldn't explain a single concept to anyone. The trick wasn't the app, it was that I was just gaming short term recall. I dropped out 3 weeks later because I saw no point in memorizing my way through $12k in tuition. Has anyone else found that certain study methods actually hide that you don't understand the material?

2 comments

2 Comments

irishenderson2d ago

@pviolafox I get what you're saying about flash cards being proven, but that's kind of the problem. Proven for what exactly? If the only thing you're proving is that you can pass a test without actually getting the material, that feels like a trap. Dropping out wasn't about the cards, it was about realizing I'd been fooling myself for months.

violafox5d ago

Flash cards are a proven tool for learning, not some trick. If you can't explain a concept after memorizing it, that's on you for not testing your understanding during study time. Dropping out over a study method issue sounds like an excuse for a bigger problem with motivation rather than a legitimate complaint about the technique.