Things to avoid while studying

There are quite a few posts here detailing some very useful study tips and tricks that will help you pass your exams, papers, and overall your classes! However, I would like to start a good thread on things to avoid while studying/taking notes in class~

I mentioned in another thread that electronics are big distractors while studying. Time and time again though, there are plenty of students who cry "I just do better studying when there's background noise!" and insist on their television and music being on in the background. Even though you might be capable of studying with this on, research does show that you simply won't perform as well with this background noise. You may still get an "A" while studying under these conditions, but will perform just that much better without these distractors!

Using your laptop to take notes is especially popular in a college/university setting. Students say that they can easily pay attention and take notes while also being on facebook and iMessages. The same rule as before still applies though. Information is retained better if written rather than typed and you will take better notes and have better comprehension of the material if you shut the laptop and open a notebook.

Reading your notes and book are good ways to understand the material initially, but poor methods of review. Rereading your notes and textbook are not necessarily bad ways to study, they're just not the best ways. One of the best ways to grasp the material is to quiz yourself on it. Study sites like Quizlet are good, but if you have little knowledge of the material or previous review, it's best to write out the flashcards yourself first before putting them up on quizlet. I know that's a lot of work, but that brings us to our next point.

Don't wait until the day before the exam to start studying. This is stressful and panic-inducing. You likely won't be able to cover the exam material in enough depth to do as well as you would like. I know that procrastinating is just common among students but studying a little bit every day in the days leading up to the exam is better for retention of the material, better than long bursts of studying the night before and day of the exam.

Can you think of any more "Not-to-do's" for studying? Post them here!