Study Tips Inspired by the Founding Fathers
By Mahira Ahmed
During midterm season, students at George Washington University find the study habits that work best for them. Education is a long-standing institution in the United States and some of our founding fathers were also once students studying for exams. Read more to learn about modern day study tips that reflect the work habits seen from founding fathers.
George Washington
Although this university is named after the first United States president, he actually did not receive a formal higher education. After the unexpected passing of his father, private tutors and possibly a local school in Fredericksburg provided the young man with the only formal instruction he would receive.
Nevertheless, George Washington learned subjects on his own terms and became a large advocate for education since he did not receive one similar to other founding fathers. He said, “I am conscious of a defective education, and want the capacity to fit me for such an undertaking.”
During his schooling, Washington copied the Rules of Civility into his notebook, which instructed students to practice consideration and respect towards others by paying careful attention to body language, dress, and speech. Washington’s dedication for youth development are essentially affirmations to practice in the real world. To make a productive study session, one must create realistic goals by making them descriptive and commit to them by writing them down.
Everyone knows about SMART goals, which account for making goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely. However, when feeling overwhelmed it can be difficult to complete tasks in lieu of the spontaneity of life events. By keeping a digital or physical planner, a to-do notepad, or a sticky note of tasks that you need to complete throughout the day, you will be able to better keep track of homework and events.
If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of workload you are carrying, remind yourself why a certain class or paper needs to be completed. Write the reasons why you need to complete a course or finish an internship application, because you might feel more secure when acknowledging the reasons why you need to complete an assignment.
Alexander Hamilton
Famous for his musical, Alexander Hamilton attended King’s College (now known as Columbia University) and was active in the politics of the American Revolution as a student.
Associating yourself with organizations that are similar to your major helps better grasp your priorities and what your future career might look like. Hamilton studied law, but also learned more about politics through the real life events happening around him. The same can apply to students today, especially during the current 2024 election.
For instance, with majors associated with the humanities, some clubs that practice certain styles of writing– such as a law journal or blog– can equip you with real writing experience for future jobs. Joining professional organizations can allow you to connect with students that might have classes similar to you and provide advice on the best way to take advantage of your education.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson attended Willian & Mary college, where he was said to be a keen and diligent student, and according to family tradition, he frequently studied 15 hours a day. This amount of time dedicated is more than the modern average student can have time for.
When studying at such length, study breaks are necessary in order to maintain your health. The Pomodoro (Italian for tomato) study method can be good to complete tasks without feeling burnt out. To orchestrate this technique, first you need a timer. Set the timer for 25 minutes, and focus on a single task until the timer ends. After the first session, mark off one Pomodoro and record what you completed. Then, have a five-minute break. After four pomodoros, take a longer, more restorative 15-30 minute break after each study session. This technique can be flexible based on the break or session time, but the method will allow a person to take breaks after extensive amounts of work.
During a study break, it is best recommended to not go on your phone as it can have high mental costs. A study with undergraduate student participants said that students on their cell phone experienced much higher mental depletion than peers who took a break on a computer or on paper. Instead, CornellHealth says taking a walk, having a snack, or organizing your workspace can be productive activities to de-stress after or in between studying.
Benjamin Franklin
Last but certainly not least, Benjamin Franklin, a man with diverse accomplishments interestingly did not have a formal education. Franklin was actually self-taught for most of the subjects he made a breakthrough in.
For Franklin, I believe his ambition to teach himself will resonate with the students that need to self-study those hard subjects at university. Thus, learning methods such as active recall can play a critical role in memorization and help to truly comprehend the subjects you are teaching yourself. One way to practice active recall is through flashcards. Whether through physical index cards from CVS or an online version like quizlet, testing yourself can be useful to assess your knowledge. Making up practice exams or questions can also be a great way to assess knowledge. For example, by carefully using ChatGPT, the AI can create practice problems based on a subject and then check to see if your answers were correct. Utilizing active recall is important in order to capture those complex subjects. If Franklin could create electricity without formally going to school, you have the power to ace that exam!