How to study effectively — even if you're not good atreading

How to study effectively — even if you're not good at reading

 

Not everyone enjoys reading.

Some of us open textbooks and sleep immediately.

But deep down, we all want to succeed — in WAEC, JAMB, university, or even job tests.

So how do you study when you don't feel like it?

Let’s break it down. 👇

 

1.First, understand this: You don’t need to read for 5 hours straight

Studying is not by volume — it’s by strategy.

Most people cram 100 pages in 1 night and forget everything by morning.

🧠 Smart students read in small chunks consistently — and they remember more.

📌 Rule of thumb:

1 hour of focused reading > 5 hours of distracted scrolling.

 

2. Use the Pomodoro method (study like a pro)

Here’s a powerful method that works even if you’re lazy or get tired quickly:

Study for 25 minutes

Take a 5-minute break

Repeat 4 times

Then take a longer break (20–30 minutes)

This technique boosts: ✅ Focus

✅ Memory

✅ Motivation

📌 Just set a timer and follow it — you’ll be surprised how much you get done.

 

3. Don’t read everything — focus on what matters

WAEC, JAMB, and uni exams are not mystery shows.

They follow a syllabus.

✅ Find out the exact topics required

✅ Study only what’s on that list

✅ Highlight frequently repeated areas

🎯 It’s not about “how much” you read — it’s about what you read.

 

4. Use active recall, not passive reading

Passive reading = reading your notes like a newspaper

Active recall = closing your book and trying to remember or explain what you just read

✅ Ask yourself questions

✅ Teach your younger sibling or friend

✅ Use flashcards

📌 If you can explain it, you understand it.

 

5. Turn boring text into something fun

Try this:

Use YouTube to watch explanations

Turn your notes into voice notes and listen while walking

Use colorful notes and diagrams

Make acronyms or silly rhymes to remember things

💡 Example:

KPCOFGS = Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species

 

6. Use ChatGPT or AI to simplify difficult stuff

Can’t understand integration in math?

🗣️ Ask ChatGPT:

"Explain integration to a 15-year-old with examples."

You’ll get a clear, step-by-step breakdown.

No stress.

✅ Use tech to your advantage.

You don’t have to suffer in silence.

 

7. Avoid distractions like your phone — or use your phone wisely

Put your phone on:

Airplane mode

Do Not Disturb

Or install Focus apps like Forest, Study Bunny, or Pomodoro apps

 

Or turn your phone into a study tool by: ✅ Watching educational videos

✅ Using PDF readers

✅ Setting timers for study sessions

📌 Your phone can either help you pass — or help you fail.

 

8. Start with the subject you fear the most

Stop postponing it. Tackle it first thing in the day when your brain is fresh.

✅ Even 30 minutes per day of focused study on that “scary” subject will work wonders.

📌 Confidence grows with consistency.

 

9. Study alone, but revise in a group

When you're learning something new: study alone.

When you want to test your knowledge: study with friends.

✅ Group revision helps expose what you missed

✅ Teaching others helps you remember more

Just make sure the group isn’t for gossip and noise.

 

10. Final mindset tip: Studying is not about liking it — it’s about wanting the result

You may never enjoy reading.

But you know what you want:

🎓 Admission

🧾 A certificate

💼 A job

💰 A better future

That’s what you’re studying for.

Let that vision push you.

💡 You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be consistent.

Even 1 hour daily can change your result in 30 days.

Don’t wait till exam panic hits.

Start now — and go step by step.

 

Your future self will thank you. 🧠📚✅