Pomodoro

I've upgraded my Windows 8 to 8.1 and had to re-install and readjust many things on the PC. Took about 2 hours of work but I'm glad I upgraded! I really like the little things they've done with the OS. Anyway, I took it upon myself to fix my up study location to be geared more for studying than before.

• I re-positioned the monitors so that they are both facing me
• I started using the Pomodoro app more now and the results have been fantastic.

It's nice to have a little app on the side of your screen telling you to focus for 25 minutes; it's almost as good as having someone nearby you cheering you on and telling you not to give up. I've used it for 5 sessions today and have made some decent progress in my notes for Kaplan Step 1. I would like to continue this trend of solid work  and get better at working faster!

I've also realized something about Medical School. It's not really about memorizing EVERYTHING that you've learned in the years you've been here; it's more of knowing everything you need to know for a test and let it show as proof that you learnt it, at least for that exam. People are going to forget a lot of what they know I suppose, unless they have an established method of keeping most of it in long-term memory. 

Maybe that's it.

Maybe it takes a lot more dedication to put things into long term memory and, in turn, those people do the best. They review yesterdays notes, make notes for today, review notes from last week, review their new notes, make more notes, etc.

Reviewing puts things into long term memory, as well as making new notes of stuff you've already made notes for but putting it into a different format. Like, making concept maps on notes that you've made in the past already.

That's brilliant! I'll have to keep this in mind.

V