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Ask Slashdot: How Can I Improve My Memory For Study?
First time accepted submitter Sensei_knight writes "How serendipitous! Today I see Slashdot also has an article linking caffeine to long-term memory, but I digress. Recently I returned to college in my 30s, after battling a childhood sleep disorder, and I now discover staying awake might be the least of my troubles. Now that I failed a few classes I'm trying to analyze and overcome the causes of this recent disaster. Two things are obvious: First, it takes me way too long to complete tasks (as if suffering from time dilation) — tests take me approximately twice the amount of time to finish [and the amount of time it takes to study and do homework is cumulative and unsustainable]. Secondly, I just can't seem to remember a whole lot. I know sleep and memory are very closely related, perhaps that's why I have never been able to commit the times tables to memory. My research on the subject of memory has not been very fruitful, therefore I want to ask for input into which angle/direction I should look into next. As for cognitive speed, I have completely drawn a blank."
1. Have you gotten treatment, as an *adult*, for your sleep disorder? (e.g. overnight sleep study, etc.)
2. Do you follow all the best practices for sleep -- e.g. sleep routine, e.g.only use sleeping area for sleep, avoid caffeine, no TV in bed, etc.?
It seems to me you need to address the sleep issue first if it's still ongoing.
but I forgot.
First see your physician for a a checkup and make sure it's nothing like Thyroid, diabetes or something phsycial. Then see a psychologist (your doc probably can refer you) and see if they have some advice - and they may refer you to a psychiatrist for medical treatment.
You could have a number of issues from undiagnosed dislexia or depression - depression really screws with learning and memory and being depressed doesn't ncessarilty mean you are bed ridden crying your eyes out.
Nootropics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nootropic
Not sure if it's the right band-aid for you. Treat the sleep disorder first.
Memorizing stuff is pretty central to schooling
Yep. This level of memorization is indeed "schooling"; what it isn't, though, is education.
There are plenty of chemical/herbal compounds that you can take to improve cognitive abilities. However, aside from sleep with respect to controllable factors the absolute most powerful contributors to cognitive abilities are your diet and exercise. Both eating low quality (unhealthy) food as well as a sedentary lifestyle degrade cognitive performance immensely.
My advise to you would be to ditch McRotten and visit your local gym regularly. As a side benefit you just might find yourself sleeping better too.
Two of my imaginary friends reproduced once
This is hogwash. Education has nothing to do with memorization. Memorization is not understanding. Two entirely different beasts.
I have a similar issue with not being able to sleep and not being able to focus on the task at hand thus taking much longer to finish things and for me it boiled down to the following 1) Get your body clock in order. Sleep and eat at fixed times as much as possible. Also, rest plentifully throughout the day 2) Eat the correct kind of food like fruits etc. Eating fast food for me has caused havoc on my stomach thus leading to sleep issues. Also, I reduced my sugar/candy/soda intake a lot. 3) Exercise. This is right up there with eat and sleep. 4) I realized that I was not finishing tasks because on some level I was not really interested in doing them. This you need to just do some thinking on what your goals are and are you really interested in doing what you are doing etc. 5) I also realized that I wasn't doing fun things enough that I would then be able to do my mundane work items. So on a daily or maybe at least weekly basis, participate in a fun/hobby activity. It is very refreshing. I am planning to buy a PS4 or XBOX for this soon. 6) I find that blocking out external noises and stimuli while working helps me focus on things. This along with making a log of what I am doing (learning Emacs org mode for this) helps me remember things much better. I bought noise cancelling headphones and turn off most notifications that are not important to me during the day as much as possible. 7) Most importantly, I realized focus/concentration is not something you build in a day or week. It takes a lot of time. It is literally like developing a muscle. You need to feed it right and work hard on it to sharpen it. Remember, you need a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. There is a lot of interest recently in mindfulness you can take a look at that. Hope this helps.
Educational Psychology department at the local U about study strategies/study skills. Usually these are geared toward teachers (how to help their students to develop strategies) but sometimes they're even geared toward students at said U (how to study in college, and so on).
These aren't classes about how to improve your brain, or about theory. They're very meat-and-potatoes: ways to organize note-taking, ways to organize reading activity and coordinate it with note-taking, ways to prepare for exams systematically and so on. What seems a problem of recall may be a problem of cognitive data architecture—not "it's not in there" but rather "you're not putting it in there in a way that lends itself to retrieval later on."
I don't know your case or just how hard it is for you, but it's not uncommon for a broad cross-section of students to have many of the same complaints, and often the remedy is to learn differently (i.e. different, time-tested, sample-studied methods for effectively acquiring, organizing, and storing information) rather than to try to "do mental exercises" or improve some immanent property of themselves.
And it's not common sense—they get down into things like how to lay out a page of notes, in geographical regions of the page; how to key words to paragraphs; how to note pages and where, etc. Very mechanical, technique-style stuff. You may find it helpful.
STOP . AMERICA . NOW
Follow Joe Dragon's lead and go to a school where basic literacy isn't required.
I'm in a similar situation only older . Here is what is working for me (going from D's to A- and B+'s)
You're older - it will take longer to assimilate information. Plan accordingly - that means studying on the weekend in advance of the class not night before. Ask the professor to point to any large blocks of information that you should commit to memory at the beginning of the semester in preparation.
You are not a sponge - all night-ers are not going to help. Give yourself at least two nights of rest and then test your recall.
Taking twice as long on tests seems on the long end - I take about 1.5x the time of traditional students on tests. Realize that some of them don't know the material either so are just turning in what they can. That said get a learning disability test to see if you do need special considerations (it may just be using a quiet area to take a test with no people around is all you need to focus).
Usually (depending on field) the lower division courses are memorization and the upper division courses show how parts work in systems which is the important aspects.
Try and see your study material in an applied setting. Putting pictures/experience to terms that need to be memorized is vital.
Good luck.
Beware of those who profit off the docile and persecute the unbelievers.
Understanding is the key to an efficient and well organized memory system. Unprocessed data takes more effort to store, the more you understand and can interconnect what you know the more stable and long lasting the connections.
Don't complain about syntax, grammar, or spelling. There is no.hell like input on android.
Bullshit. I teach at a university and frequently have students that have trouble with their exams. What the OP should do is go see the Accommodated Services department (or equivalent) at his/her university and see what accommodations can be made. I frequently have students that are able to write exams in separate rooms, on a computer (if it helps them to type rather than write), and with extra time and breaks in the middle of the exam. If someone wants to do a university degree, there is no reason they should be unable to do so.
As a person who has gone back to school in his late 20's, I have struggled with some of what you describe. I'm going to just list out a few things I have done or ways I act to help improve my cognitive performance and memory.
Firstly, memory is learned, not innate. Many of the world memory game finalists and champions are ordinary people who started practicing the Method of Loci (Memory Palace, other names as well) as a memorization technique and a couple years later are placing in memory games. I cannot possibly overstate the importance of this technique. With it, I pass hard memorization classes like Orgo and Physiology with straight A's. Without it, I fail. Curiously, I found that once I started using this technique, my overall memory improved considerably.
OK, now a laundry list, in no particular order.
*) Take less classes. If stuff takes more time, allocate accordingly.
*) Nutrition is important. If you are deficient in B12 (many adults are slightly or moderately deficient in this) it will severely affect your cognitive ability and memory. Try daily supplementation with cyanocobalamin for a month. Also vitamin C, as well as eating a balanced diet. Vitamin D supplementation can help quite a bit, and some people (including myself) experience benefit from CoQ10 supplementation.
*) What you eat is important as FUCK. Whatever food you put in your mouth, will take blood away from the brain. Eat simple, nutricious, easily-digested food for breakfast and lunch. If you have bacon and eggs for breakfast, that''s going to suck all the blood out of your brain and you won't be able to think. Try yogurt or smoothies instead, add raisins and nuts. Similarly, if you have a ham sandwich for lunch, your body is going to be digesting that instead of your class material. Don't do that. Eat minimally through the day in order to maximize cognitive function.
*) Hunger is predatory. Being slightly hungry increases memory and processing speed, at least for me. Experiment.
*) Stay away from sugar. Sugar is a drug that makes you fat, dumb, and happy. Minimize sugar intake as much as possible. Also stay away from artificial sweeteners; as bad as sugar is for your brain, it is a lot better than aspartame / nutrasweet / phenylalanine.
*) Eat a well-balanced diet, minimizing processed foods and meats. Eat fruits, vegetables and beans. Some people find it is a good idea to stay well away from grains like rice and wheat. Experiment with your diet and find out what works for you. Universally, processed foods are bad, though.
*) Exercise! This is a huge boost for making your brain work better. If you walk for 20 minutes every morning, your brain will work much better all day.
*) This goes without saying, but stay away from marijuana. It takes several days for the effects of marijuana to fade from your cognitive faculties. If you smoke MJ, save it for academic breaks. (NOTE: plenty of people will disagree with me. No, I will not cite a source because I have none. But if you smoke MJ, stop for a while.)
*) Stay away from alcohol. This drug also takes several days for your brain to recover from. Again, no scientific source, just my personal experience. If you are young and dumb, EtOH and MJ can be fine every night, but when you need to maximise every iota of brain performance that is a different story.
*) Talk to your professors. Also talk to your school's psychiatric counselling. You may be able to get extra time to complete tests if you do suffer from memory or cognitive impairment. Unless you are planning to take the MCAT or GRE or something, most professors are more than happy to make lots of allowances for struggling students. Since you are an older student, I expect teachers will actually be even happier to help you. Most teachers really like having the maturity and motivation of older students in the classroom.
*) Stay away from TV and video games. These interfere with learning. If you spend the day in lectures then spend
Unless they are not bright enough to do so.
Which would pretty much cause all of the symptoms mentioned above too.
That's bullshit. I started out with similar troubles, and just had to learn better time management. Skip the time-consuming questions, focus on the fast questions, then go back and work out as much of the time-consuming questions as possible in the time alloted.
Few students do this.
Except that it has been found that one of the single largest predictors of success in the study of math specifically (and I do believe this translates to many other areas) has been whether a person believes in talent and abilities vs learned skills.
That is to say, it was found that people who believe math to be a talent perform worst than people who believe it is a skill that can be mastered with effort.
So if you really think it comes down to "abilities" then just go flip on the TV, you probably aren't going to find abilities in anything if you aren't willing to work at getting them.
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
It sounds like you may have an undiagnosed learning disability.
Many of the big universities and colleges in the United States provide accommodations for students with learning disabilities, such as being allowed to take 2x regular time to finish exams and quizzes, as well as some kind of support regarding the doing of homework and studying. To obtain such accommodations, you would have to go to your institution's "learning disability center" (unfortunately, there is no standardized name for it), fill out some paperwork and get examined/tested to determine if indeed you do have a disability, and if so, what accommodations would be appropriate/fair to be given you. They will probably also be able to advise you on the kind of medial treatment you might need.
This is almost exactly what I was going to post. If you cannot memorize the multiplication tables (generally considered a trivial tasks for adults) then you have some more-or-less serious problem that is dramatically impacting you intellectually. The only modification to the above would be to perhaps see a physician first (start with a general practitioner). You could have any number of treatable conditions that might respond well to medication or behavioral modification. This is especially the case considering your history of what you describe as a "childhood sleep disorder".
This is not to say that you are any less "intelligent" or "smart" than your peers, so please do not take this the wrong way. Your potential could be very high, you just might need outside assistance to reach it.
Believing "brightness" to be an intrinsic character trait is a psychological crutch for those who view their intelligence as their only redeeming quality. A large proportion of the variety of cognitive impairments can be overcome, many even cured, and people can and do get smarter. OP should be praised for embarking on a serious quest for self-improvement. If only those sitting on their laurels would do so as well.
Someone had to do it.
While there are a lot of funny posts to this request, there are some real techniques that help improve one's retention. In no particular order:
1) Get ample sleep and have a regular schedule for sleep
2) Increase the amount of exercise you do (improves blood flow to the brain).
3) Minimize use of alcohol and other recreational drugs
4) Take handwritten notes while in class and while studying (notes must be handwritten, not typed)
5) Drink caffeinated beverages, but not to excess -- too much has a detrimental effect (ADHD meds work even better than caffeine, but require a prescription to be legal)
6) Don't cram for exams, instead study every day at the same time.
7) Leave time to read novels (studies show that reading novels stimulate areas of the brain used for recall in other situations)
One thing that is fairly common in the above is consistency, whether with sleep, study times, etc. Shakespeare said "Consistency, what a rare gem, though art." When it comes to study habits, that is definitely true. Regardless of one's recall ability, the above suggestions, when used consistently, will improve one's capabilities.
There have been many memory courses and systems taught over the last couple of centuries. I personally liked, "How to Develop a Super Power Memory," by Harry Lorayne. It's old but good, and you only have to read it once. (!!!) http://www.amazon.com/How-Develop-Super-Power-Memory/dp/0811901815
There are many others: One of my favorites for studying is, "Brainbooster" by Robert Finkle. It helps organize your memory system specifically for studying. http://www.amazon.com/New-Brainbooster-Hours-Learning-Remembering/dp/0802773524/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389726169&sr=1-6&keywords=brainboosters
I have over thirty how-to books on memory and learning that revolve around mnemonics. They all teach pretty much the same thing,, and some of them may appeal to you more than others, so check around. The books by Tony Buzan are pretty good, and some of them teach skills besides memory that apply to study.
The book, "Find Your Focus Zone," by Lucy Palladino is terrific, and includes insights into how the brain works and how to make it work better. http://www.yourfocuszone.com/
A lot of people don't study well because they don't take care of their body. I highly recommend, "The Four Hour Body," by Timothy Ferriss. As for learning, His book, "The Four-Hour Chef" is more about learning than cooking. (Tim did a show for Discovery called, "Trial by Fire" which followed him while he learned martial arts skills (Yabasume) equivalent to 20 years' ordinary practice in only about 4 months. He has a background in neuro science, so he seems to have access to a lot of cool resources.) http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Body-Uncommon-Incredible-Superhuman/dp/030746363X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389726764&sr=1-1&keywords=4+hour+body+by+timothy+ferris
Again, the connection between brain and body; "Change your Brain-Change your Body" by Daniel Amen. This is very much about Brain Fitness, but also syncs the health and fitness connection. http://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Brain-Body-Always/dp/0307463583
For fun read, "Moonwalking with Einstein," by Joshua Foer. It is an overview of the culture of people who train their memory for serious competition. http://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-Remembering-Everything/dp/0143120530/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389726982&sr=1-1&keywords=walking+with+einstein
Good luck.
"The mind works quicker than you think!"
The three pillars of good health are:
1) Nutrition. Make sure you're giving your body energy.
2) Exercise. Keeps your body capable. Cleans out bad stuff.
3) Sleep. Gives your body time to rebuild itself.
Once you have those figured out, then the answer is practice, and it will improve. Personal anecdote: I used to have horrible memory skills until I memorized a workable vocabulary in another language. Now I can handle memorization no problem.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
To make such a statement is both cruel and more demonstrative of your own lacking than his. Anyone attempting to improve their lot in life by investing in themselves should lauded not ridiculed. Just because his path may be harder than someone else's doesn't mean he should give up, nor does it mean he cannot overcome present circumstance.
Two of my imaginary friends reproduced once
I teach at a university ... If someone wants to do a university degree, there is no reason they should be unable to do so.
I'm a car salesman ... If someone wants to drive a car, there is no reason they should be unable to do so.
Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool.
"as if suffering from time dilation"
I started having trouble in my 30s with concentration, memory, and can relate to the feeling of being trapped in some kind of time dilation field. I didn't experience it all the time, more frequently when I was under stress. Until one day the feeling became so bad that I went to the doctor. It was poor diet, I had low blood sugar {stress made it worse}. I cleaned up my diet according to the doctors recommendation and don't experience it any more.
There are any number of things that can effect memory concentration consulting with a doctor that can run tests is probably a better place to start than /. Since you have suffered from sleep problems it may not be as simple as a poor diet but still a doctor is the right place to start.
Memory and study technique are like all other efforts; they require regular training if you want to master them. There are no magic short cuts or pills that can remove the need of training. Some things like good sleep, exercise and not being stressed helps a lot, but you still need training.
The training will be hard and progress frustratingly slow in the beginning (think overweight ex-chain smoker taking up jogging or cycling; it is tough going in the beginning.).
Reading books is the key to success. You have to read regularly (like every day) and probably for more than an hour per day to make any difference (bed time reading excluded).
Memory is a complex thing, but for studying purposes I find it useful to distinguish between "passive" and "active" memory. "Active" memory is the stuff you can recall and talk about for some length. "Passive" memory is something where you can recall the meaning when you read about it again. Just reading a book usually just produce "passive" memory. Talking about the book (or movie, or show, etc.) afterwards converts the passive memory to active memory.
A good student is one that studies in such a way, that the most important stuff in the texts, are converted from passive to active memory.
There are several classic techniques to convert passive book knowledge into active; discuss the book afterwards with others, write you thoughts about the text down (making notes is useful even if you never look at them again), or use your inner voice to recapitulate what you have just read, or even talk aloud to a fictitious audience. The latter was a major technique for Roman orators because it improves rhetorical skills as well. It will improve your verbal exams considerably if you train the same way.
So try to start out with a small non-fiction book with a subject that you care for. Read a whole chapter, then reread it one page at a time, explaining to yourself with your inner voice using your own words, what was covered in that page and what parts were the important ones. Perhaps underline important passages.
Afterwards, try to recapitulate major points from what your read, perhaps glancing at the index as a memory aid.
Read another book on the subject in the same manner, and compare it underways (from memory only at first) to the first book.
The above will not just convert passive memory to active memory, but it will also help you to actually understand in detail what was written instead of just reading the passage on autopilot without comprehension, it will help you focus on what is important, and the comparison will spawn memory connection between both text, so that one passage from one book, opens up the knowledge from the second book.
The above is very slow and time consuming in the beginning, and it is hard work too. But don't worry, as time goes by, the speed will increase; you will develop your own way of committing the stuff to memory, and knowledge will make it easier to see what is important, and what is secondary.
The point is to learn how to learn in a slow, systematic and thorough way in the beginning, later you brain will do much of the stuff automatically, and the speed will increase too.
Read, recapitulate to understand what was read and to convert it from passive to active memory, try to identify what is key points, compare and connect the knowledge with similar subjects, read slow and thoroughly at first, and don't be afraid to reread stuff later.
Good luck.
If someone is sitting on their laurels, they've already improved themselves.
(name withheld by request)
I can sketch, but I do not have the fine motor skills or natural ability to replicate real world (or imagined) people, places, or things on paper. If I were to go to a university to study art, I too would take 2-3 times as long as anyone else, and produce work which was noticably less accurate/detailed than my peers. I could study harder, retake many classes, try all sorts of learning tricks, but it would always be an uphill battle.
It is easy for those of us in knowledge positions to think that success in technical classes is simply a function of hard work. That, while partially true, is not the sole criteria for success. A friend (and music notable) has said that nearly everyone can sing, and with practice anyone who can sing, can sing well. While that's true, it's only true in the sense that you could dedicate your entire life to singing and get good - good enough to enjoy it. But you would never have thevoice of Mariah Carey or Luciano Pavoratti or any of a number of naturally gifted people who also worked very hard.
I think the parent post is right -maybe college just ins't for this guy. At least not as a short term career choice. Speed and repetition, along with memory training may help. Or it may not. Choosing to become an artist out of desire, and finding that you cannot - with instruction - replicate basic actions is a prime indicator that art may not be the path which provides the greatest reward.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Lots of weed. Wait, what was the question again?
Nonsense. It's only one of my many redeeming qualities.
I really tire of the notion that people do not differ in intelligence. We know it about everything else, from sprinting speed, to artistic talent, to the strength of one's eyesight being inborn, but gods forbid we say that about brains.
Oh no, if we just spend enough money on schools, and feed little Johnny a federal breakfast, we'll find that everyone is smart enough to be an electrical engineer. Even all the little minority kids are geniuses but we lie and say they're not because racism. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. I'm sick of it.
I'm smarter than some people and dumber than others, and no amount of mental gymnastics is going to change that.
That I'm right, and you don't like it, doesn't mean I'm a troll.
Pushing boundaries and becoming more than you presently are should always be the foremost goal of everyone. Does everyone succeed in every endeavor? Of course not. But even the struggle of the journey itself bares fruit. To simply give up and accept only that which is easy would be a tragic waste so much potential.
Two of my imaginary friends reproduced once
That is to say, it was found that people who believe math to be a talent perform worst than people who believe it is a skill that can be mastered with effort.
Suppose math IS a talent. Then those without that talent would have tried and failed to get good at math. They would correctly believe that math is a talent.
Those who have the talent would have tried and succeeded, and since people tend to believe that their experience is common experience, they would assume that people who are bad at math didn't try. So they would incorrectly believe that math is a skill instead of a talent.
Your data is consistent with either conclusion.
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
arghhh... bullshit.
I used to, and still do, hear the same thing regarding artistic talents. My senior year in high school, I was spending 2 study halls, 1 art class, and my lunch, and any other classes that let us take a blow off day, in the art room, and I was spending hours at home on it as well. Yes, I could draw/paint/etc better than most others, but they spent somewhere between zero and 20 minutes a day, in an unconcentrated state, practicing.
I do 100% believe that there are predispositions to various activities, and if you enjoy something or, at least, easily stay focused on something, then it'll be easier to get better at said thing. I don't think those are talents.
I'll also admit that I think there *are* some naturally "talented" people, but the term "savant" fits better.
The vast majority of tasks, especially the 9-5 job ones, do not require any talent. Dedication, hard work, commitment, etc... sure, but you don't need to be especially talented, and most people are not. I also think anyone can learn just about anything (master is another question) if they really want to. It could be an uphill battle for some, and I think that's what the original topic is about... what are some ways he can make this easier? That's a valid question for anyone, and for each person, the answer will probably be a little different.
All that said, just as the "naturally talented" folks are the exception and not the norm, there will be some that simply won't be able to excel in some areas. If you have an IQ of 85, don't get your hopes up on joining the ranks of string theory experts. If you're over 400lb before college, you probably won't be joining the olympic-level marathons... but you could work up to a nice long jog.
I suffered a brain injury at the age of five due to head trauma. I've had several issues over the years including memory and other cognitive problems.
Over the years, I've developed various coping strategies (lists, mnemonic tricks, remapping tasks to take advantage of strengths and minimize weaknesses).
The most useful thing I've learned is that most people have to make up for deficits, and you are not at all unusual.
The advice on exercise and healthy eating make sense in general, but you will also need to create some unfair advantages for yourself. Rather than depending on your own, natural memory, spend some focused time on mnemonic gimmicks. They aren't the same as learning, but they will allow you to carry lists around in your head like the world's most ingenious cheat sheet.
I've had good results with an old copy of You Can Remember By Dr. Bruno Furst. There may be better courses I don't know about, but this one gave me a bag of tricks I use every day to function almost as if I had a normal to exceptional memory.
It's just a bag of tricks though, and only a doctor specializing in cognitive issues related to sleep disorders is likely to be able to help you with the root cause.
[-- Trust the Monkey --]
We know it about everything else, from sprinting speed, to artistic talent, to the strength of one's eyesight being inborn, but gods forbid we say that about brains.
For all those things (except maybe eyesight, but even that can be vastly improved with medical treatment), the variability based on effort is much more than the variability based on 'natural ability.'
Getting a marathon time from 3 hours to 2 hours might take some natural ability (whatever that is), but getting it from 15 hours to 4 hours is all effort (and knowing how to apply that effort).
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
Chuck Jones' illustration instructor told his class that "all of you have a hundred thousand bad drawings in you. The sooner you get rid of them, the better..." , While a hundred thousand is a metaphorically high number, if you worked hard and seriously enough, you would eventually develop the fine motor skills and the "ability to replicate real world (or imagined) people, places, or things on paper." In addition, you would in the process, develop a distinct graphic style, and be at an employable level of ability--probably better than most art school students, a good portion of whom are not willing to put real effort into improving their skills.
Similarly, with steady voice work, you can be employable in ensemble, chorus, or supporting work, which, while not at the level of a "named" star, still would allow you to sing for more than enjoyment.
Dogged determination focused on self-improvement may not get you to to the heights of ability, but it will generally get you to a practical level of competence.
You don't get points for finishing early, but you do get points for getting the correct answer. The elimination strategy (and going back to questions that you weren't sure about) is meant to improve your chances of getting the right answer.
Using up the allotted time in order to maximize your score is, in fact, a time management tool.
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
Very few people have been killed by others getting their diplomas.
Thousands of DOD-contractor engineers over the past 60 years would disagree with you. Highly-credentialed scientists have been responsible for millions of deaths in the modern world.
Hollywood, Television, has become the dream machine. We need to take that back; each of us is a Dream Machine
Young Man,
There are 3 things you need to do to become an exceptional college student and I will not charge you a dime for this extremely valuable information. Let us begin:
1. Begin a disciplined exercise regimen that consists of sustained aerobic activity every day. Cross-training is fine and even preferred. Run, bike, swim, walk, climb, engage in a bit of hanky-panky, etc. Read the book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" by John Ratey for inspiration. Sleep is a natural side-effect of vigorous exercise. Exercise is good for the brain.
2. Learn MindMapping (The Buzan way) and begin to take notes in this fashion. Mindmaps use a basic ordering idea and radiate out from the center. It is an efficient and very effective way to capture important points. More importantly, it helps to instantly cull away non-essentials. MindMap the textbook. Mindmap the lecture.
3. Cure your addictions. Whether it be nicotine, Alcohol or even processed sugar. Read Allen Carr's "EasyWay" to quit smoking/drinking/overeating. A 25 year old is resistant to the self inflicted poisons of youth (Beer, Cigs, etc) At 35, your body is spending a lot of it's precious energy dealing with toxicity and withdrawal. There is no morality play here. Simple Science. Alcohol, for instance, is a highly toxic poison. let that go. You will be much happier.
This will make you stronger, smarter, sexier and wealthier and will probably make you live longer.
Godspeed!
-badford
Second this. Most colleges will grant you exceptions/accommodations if you have a diagnosed learning disability. This is sometimes codified in state laws or guidelines. This is not to say that you will be given a free pass, but like the original poster said, most educators want their students to succeed. They cannot help you unless they are aware of your problem, and how it can be over come.
For them ROI of college will be limited.
Unless they learn to multiply. Then the ROI of college will be multiplied.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."