A lot of students avoid studying for a wide variety of reasons, such as thinking that it is boring or takes up too much of their time. Some even believe that they do not have to pace their studying throughout a semester. Instead, they cram about a week before the exams and feel this is more effective because the pressure forces them to “think.” However, students who do not take advantage of studying now while still in school are robbing themselves of truly meaningful learning experiences. If you ask any adult, they would most likely say that they barely have time to read history, literature, and other rich sources of knowledge because of work and family responsibilities. In order to become an effective learner, and this includes being able to create an efficient study planner, you must establish a strong foundation for learning. The concept of studying lies in the desire to learn. It is not truly about passing tests and getting grades. Teachers and institutions only give tests and grades as a way to measure the effectiveness of their teaching strategies. The real purpose of studying is to expand your knowledge on a particular subject to prepare you for specific tasks in the future. If you cannot determine exactly how you might use this knowledge, just think of the studying as sharpening your mind. In this book, you will find various memorization techniques to aid you in retaining important information for exams. Finally, you will find exam preparation strategies to greatly boost your study skills.