Alfiya Johar, Week 14- To Cram or not to Cram
Cram Session Cartoon | The Los Angeles Loyolan
There’s a test coming up. It’s time to “hit the books.” But how?
The first thing that comes to mind when a test is upcoming is beginning to study for it. However, while for some, studying may come naturally, for others, it may seem like walking into an unknown world.
I was, and am, one of the latter. Studying is like walking down a path that, by me, was largely untravelled up until ninth or tenth grade. That is not to say I never studied for a test before then. But in high school, I have had to start thinking more about how to study properly, whatever that means.
To me, there are two main methods of studying: cramming and spread out, and sometimes it's a hit or miss as to which one is the right option.
At first thought, spread out seems like the obvious right answer as it is more planned out and provides adequate time to internalize what is being learned. Spreading out studying over days or weeks boasts the benefit of long term commitment to memory. Meanwhile, cramming indicates a lack of planning and a last-ditch attempt to learn as much as possible before the test. However, I think cramming has a bad reputation.
Cramming in most situations has served as a reliable method for me to prepare for tests. Beginning preparation the day or a few days before the test has worked surprisingly well for me numerous times. However, that is not to say it is the best method. In fact, I have not used the other method enough to make a fair comparison. This is just to say that cramming is not necessarily a crime. It is important to consider one’s personal strengths and preferences.
Often this comes down to weighing the priority that a particular subject has at that time. If I have many assignments stacked in the same period as that test and my main goal for that subject is to pass that test rather than to have it committed to my long-term understanding, I would favor cramming as it provides me a method to keep that information in my mind well enough and long enough for it to be useful during my test. However, if I want to keep it long term and I have time for it, then spreading out my studying provides that benefit along with reducing the stress that comes along with it by reducing the cramming time restraint.
Overall, the key is assessing which method is appropriate for yourself and the specific situation it calls for. And while one method might work better for some than others, it is important to note that neither is inherently wrong and finding which one works for you is part of the journey as a student.
Hi Alfiya, This blog post is clearly relevant to us currently as we are being presented with plenty of work and many high school students find themselves lacking the time they need to complete all of their assignments while also providing time for other obligations. However this is also relevant to our futures. Many of us have aspirations to go to college and earn degrees. Here, cramming might be more consequential than while we are in Highschool. This makes sense, because your blog post could also be viewed as commentary on the School system in Fremont. If a curriculum is inviting us to cram and place long-term memory on the backburner, what lesson is it actually teaching us? I believe that cramming is a less effective option than "spread out" studying, but I also believe, in many cases, cramming is the most viable option.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how you applied nuance to this situation. Different subjects have different values to each student. For example. I cram in physics because I know this information will not be of substantial value to me in the future. The basics of each subject or topic I will attempt to know well, but for the subjects that are of less use to me, I cram. You also introduced your audience to your claim in an interesting way. By using a scenario as background, it puts your audience into the mindset of "I have to fix this problem." It also gives a reason why this post is important: we are currently being faced with the dilemma presented in your title " To cram or not to cram."
By connecting the claim and post to yourself, you are able to make yourself an expert on the topic as only you can fully understand yourself. Still, you manage to make the post relatable by having the situation surround a common issue faced by high schoolers. This allowed you to widen your focus from yourself to everyone. I also appreciate how in your advice, you do not specify High School students as the target even though they are your primary audience. This makes it clear that everyone can learn from this post and while I initially thought this was connected only to Highschool and college students, I now have a different view. For example, someone trying to learn a new system at their office might need to make sure they don't cram as they will be using that system for the foreseeable future. In this same situation, the person might cram for a presentation where they have to present their ideas to a higher-up. They might have a concrete idea in their mind, but struggle to communicate this idea in a way the boss will appreciate--so they cram to find a way to communicate and memorize the idea to their boss.
Hi Alfiya! I found your blog extremely interesting. I often also find myself choosing between spreading out my studying or cramming it all in one night (although I often end up pulling an all-nighter cramming all my studying the night before the test). However, I did try out spacing out my studying before but I felt it did not help me as much. Like you said, spacing out leads to long-term memory while cramming leads to short-term memory. Most of my quizzes and tests do not require me to look back on concepts or vocabulary words so cramming in this case helps. However, for AP exams, spacing out would definitely be the better option. It's fascinating how different study methods serve us in different contexts. What works for our regular quizzes might not cut it for the bigger exams such as AP exams. Finding that balance between short-term efficiency and long-term retention is definitely a trial and error. Overall, your blog was very interesting, good job!
ReplyDeleteHi Alfiya!
ReplyDeleteIn elementary and middle school, I often found myself able to get away with not studying for quizzes or tests as long as I paid attention in class. Yet, I found this strategy of not studying highly ineffective as soon as I reached freshman year of high school. I also found myself exploring different studying strategies for the entire first year of my high school career, as I never found an effective way to study all of the material before a test and pass with flying colors without compromising my sleep. Even as I tried to space out my studying, I would always forget the first half of the material I learned by the day of the test, as it had been such a long time. This was most likely due to my prolonged habit of studying shallowly, going over notes, and watching summarizing videos but never fully grasping the concept. However, as much as the people around me told me that cramming for a test was ineffective and highly affected my sleep schedule, even now I find my test scores better if I cram the couple nights before the day of the test. I truly agree with you when you say that it entirely depends on the kind of person you are and what helps you learn better in the long run.
Hey Alfiya! I was very intrigued by your exploration of studying techniques, both of which I do. Your distinction between cramming and spreading out studying really touches upon a topic that many students have to deal with, myself included. You make an excellent point about cramming not necessarily being a "crime." In fact, there are many circumstances where cramming can actually be quite effective, especially when you are short on time or dealing with subjects that require short-term memorization, such as history. You admitting that cramming has worked for you on numerous occasions really adds a valuable perspective to the common debate that cramming is not effective. However, as you have suggested, the long-term benefits of spreading out studying sessions can't be overlooked. Spreading out studying sessions helps with deeper understanding and retention, and it also aligns with the research that spaced out learning helps with memory. It's quite refreshing to see you advocate for the other side for once, recognizing that the best method really depends on the person. Maybe you should go further and learn how different subjects might benefit from different methods of studying. For instance, subjects that require a more conceptual understanding might require spread out sessions of studying, while subjects where memorization is key might benefit from cramming.
ReplyDeleteHi Alfiya! I really enjoyed reading your blog!! This is such a relevant topic considering AP exam season is approaching. I agree with your refreshing perspective that the effectiveness of studying methods can vary from person to person and the fact that despite its bad reputation, cramming can sometimes be a viable strategy for many. Your experience helped elucidate how this can work under certain circumstances, especially when balancing multiple commitments, and while I myself have not had the best experiences with cramming, your blog helped me gain further insight.
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