[skishmonkey72]

Devonin: Yes, well said.
Reach: It often helps, but it really depends on your learning style. People access information in their brains differently. Learning while testing yourself and other engaging methods creates more (in some cases just different) connections to the same information that's in the brain already. "Passive" studying, as you put it, gets the information in your head just as well, there are just different connections to that information from other parts of your brain.

This is the same reason why different people learn better by speaking, reading, writing, hearing, even full-body activity when possible, etc. So yes, there is truth in your post, but I just felt I needed to add on to it.

Carbo: People study more effectively with different levels of noise. True, most people study better with quiet, but there are those that prefer differently. An example is a friend of mine who had always lived in a noisy house, then the family gradually got quieter (and siblings also moved out), and he needs to have at least a certain level of noise to concentrate, because that's what his mind has been accustomed to.

About listening to music you hate, I'm really not sure what you're trying to say. My guess would be that listening to music is often distracting to your studying, albeit often subconciously. I would add that it doesn't have to be music you hate (no music would probably be better, annoying music is too often distracting), it's just better to have music that isn't too high energy or too dynamic, both of which will distract you from studying, again with exceptions. Ambient and quiet classical (and sometimes trance) is acceptable.

Chewing gum... it's better to eat than to chew it to avoid cravings. Your brain will need the carbohydrates to function properly. But strangely enough chewing the same flavour gum while writing the test as when studying does help sometimes. It's the power of association, exactly the same principle devonin talked about while mentioning studying in certain physical positions.

Yes, sleep and water are probably one of the top two overlooked factors to proper brain function. You need both to think properly. You need to think properly to do well on a test or exam. End of story.

Amphetamines? Two problems: a) It's illegal, and b) you shouldn't have to rely on stimulants for proper brain function. Yes, it may enhance it in some ways, but unless you're going to keep your brain functioning in an enhanced matter every time you need to refer back to the information you study, you may have a problem. If you really need a stimulant consider a legal and safer alternative, such as caffeine. Whatever you do, don't take any depressants.

Some more things for the student in general to consider:
People learn better in different mediums. It doesn't even have to be video vs. paper, it could also mean typing out your notes or reading them out loud to yourself, or a combination. Often the more senses you learn with, the better you remember.

In most subjects, there is a certain amount of understanding involved. Make sure you understand the concepts before memorizing related terms and concepts. Not only will it be much easier to memorize somethign if you understand it, it is also completely and utterly useless and unhelpful to memorize something you don't know what to do with. Memorizing concepts you don't understand is like memorizing the number of earthquakes magnitude 3 and under that have occured in Russia over the past 5 years. You simply can't really do anything with it.

I just have a question: Could someone explain to me what English 1 H or E1H is?