I’ve got only three more days before my midterm tests. I feel like this is the time I get the most DMs, mostly for advice. Stuff like…

Hey Jonna, what are the best study methods? Jonna, how many hours should I be studying? How do I get started, Jonna? This is hard.

You know what? I think it’s time for my study break anyway. So, let’s get to the bottom of these and other study questions. This is KN Explains: the secrets to studying.

The brain can be a little mysterious. How exactly does it do what it does? I spoke to an expert in neuroscience to help me understand a few basic concepts.

Everything that we think, do, feel, and the memories we create, are because of our brain. It has 171 billion cells in it! That’s more than there are seconds in 5,000 years!The brain is a spongy storage machine. It files everything we learn first in a place called the hippocampus, then in another place called the neocortex. Among those 171 billion cells, there are pathways that go to and from the neocortex.

When we study, we strengthen those pathways, making it easier for us to retrieve those memories. It’s the repetition and practice done while studying that makes those connections in our brain stronger.

There can be a lot of challenges when studying. Like distractions.

Hey Jonna, how many hours should I be studying? How do I study smart, not hard? Jonna, is there an app for this?

Distractions can come from any and everywhere. Oh … my favourite YouTuber just posted! And another streamer just went live.The best thing to do is to make study time distraction free. And, a lot of times, that just means turning stuff off.And you know what? Once you’ve done that, there might be more hurdles to overcome, like procrastination. That’s when you delay an important task, even if you know there are going to be consequences. Then there’s multitasking. That’s trying to do more than one thing at the same time.Splitting your focus can make it really hard to study. Some people think it’s a flex to do many things at once. Spoiler – no, not at all!

Time management is deciding the amount of time you should commit to doing something and sticking to it. Poor time management can lead to cramming, trying to cram as much information into your brain as fast as possible to be ready for that upcoming test.

All of these things can lead to burnout. It’s like your brain crashing into a wall, leaving you physically and mentally drained. Challenges can be overwhelming.

People have been using study methods for a long time. And some of them are old! Like memorization, highlighting, using flash cards. Some study methods that are current and trendy have also been around for a while, like blurting. That’s when you write down all the information you can remember about a topic, and then go back to your notes and fill in everything you’ve missed or gotten wrong. Active recall. This one is my favourite. Instead of rereading my notes, I make practice questions and quiz myself.Mind mapping is a visual way to organize information around a central topic. This one is really popular and it can be really fun.

Then there’s Studytok. It’s a community of influencers and users on TikTok who share study techniques and tools. Tools? Yes, there are a lot of digital tools. Some are simple, like the time that you see on this video.Others are AI-powered. They can summarize and create quizzes tailored to what you are studying. These are helpful for active recall, but you need to be careful. There is still a lot of debate on how reliable AI can be as a study partner.

It’s easy to fall in love with Studytok, but watch out for those sponsored ads. Brand experts, influencers, and apps might promise you the ‘keys to studying.’ ‘This app got me into the university.’ ‘This is how you get 100 per cent on your next test with this hack.’Buyer beware. Be critical about what you see and hear. No single app or hack will give you great grades, but there is one surprising and simple truth to successful studying.

Sleep. The expert we spoke to told us that sleep is an important part of how your brain strengthens the memories you’ve made while awake. So, make sure you’re getting enough of it.

Studying doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. It doesn’t have to be boring or hard. There’s no one thing that will make you a better student, but patience helps.

Hopefully, understanding a little of the science and a few good study behaviours can make you more confident in that test that is only three days away. I’d better go. Please wish me luck.

For CBC Kids News, I’m JonnaKae Hoskins.
(End)

• Midterm (adjective): in the middle of a period of time (e.g. a school term).
• A DM (noun): abbreviation for direct message, a private message sent on social media.
• You know what? (idiom): said before giving a piece of information or opinion.
• To get to the bottom of something (idiom): to discover the truth about something.
• Mysterious (adjective): strange, not known or understood.
• Neuroscience (noun): the scientific study of the brain and the nervous system.
• Spongy (adjective): soft and able to absorb a lot of liquid, like a sponge.
• Storage (noun): putting and keeping things in special place for use in the future.
• To file something (verb): to store information in a careful and specific way.
• The hippocampus (noun): a part of the brain that is important for memory.
• The neocortex (noun): a part of the brain that is connected with intelligence.
• Among (preposition): as part of a group of things.
• A pathway (noun): a set of connected reactions that allow something to spread in the body.
• To strengthen (verb): to make something stronger.
• To retrieve something (verb): to find and return with something.
• A distraction (noun): something that stops someone from focusing on something else.
• A streamer (noun): a person who puts videos, music, etc. on the internet.
• Once (conjunction): as soon as, when.
• To overcome a hurdle (phrase): to deal with or manage a problem.
• Procrastination (noun): the act of delaying something that you need to do.
• A consequence (noun): the result of a particular action, often negative.
• Multitasking (noun): doing more than one thing at the same time.
• To split something (verb): to divide something into two or more parts.
• Focus (noun): your attention or concentration – the mental energy you direct at something.
• A flex (noun, informal): something you’ve done which you are proud of or happy about.
• A spoiler (noun): something which gives the most important information about something.
• To commit to something (verb): to dedicate or give time, energy, etc. to a particular activity.
• To stick to something (phrasal verb): to continue doing something difficult without changing.
• To cram (verb): to do many things in a short period of time.
• Upcoming (adjective): happening soon.
• Burnout (noun): extreme tiredness or illness caused by working too hard.
• Drained (adjective): very tired.
• Overwhelming (adjective): so large or powerful that you can’t deal with it.
• Trendy (adjective): modern and fashionable.
• A topic (noun): a subject.
• Recall (noun): the process of remembering something.
• A tool (noun): something that helps you do an activity.
• -powered (suffix): using something to work or provide energy.
• To summarize (verb): to express the most important information in a clear way.
• To tailor something (verb): to adjust or change something for a particular need or situation.
• Debate (noun): discussion about something, often with strong and different opinions.
• Reliable (adjective): can be trusted or believed.
• To watch out for something (phrasal verb): to be careful to notice something.
• Sponsored (adjective): paid for by someone.
• A key (noun): the most important part for doing or achieving something.
• A hack (noun): a good solution or piece of advice.
• Intimidating (adjective): making you feel frightened or nervous.

In this text, there are several examples of American English vs. British English grammar differences. The main differences between American and British English are pronunciation and specific words for certain things. However, there are also several differences in how grammar is used:

The present perfect and past simple: in British English, the present perfect (have/ has + participle) is used to talk about a past action which connects to the present moment. In American English, people often use the past simple instead when the action is finished. The differences are especially noticeable in the use of the adverbs just, yet and already.

Got and gotten: in British English, the past participle of the verb get is got. In American English, gotten is more common.

*Note that have got is common both in British and American English. Have gotten is not correct:

‘We’ve gotten to finish our homework tonight.’   ‘We’ve got to finish our homework tonight.’

Verb forms with collective nouns: in American English, collective nouns which refer to a group of people of things (e.g. team, class) are normally considered singular. In British English, a singular or plural verb can be used.

Have and take: in American English, the verb take is used with various nouns to talk about washing and resting (e.g. take a break/ shower/ holiday). In British English, either the verb take or have can be used with these activities.

Examples in the text:

• I’ve got only three more days before my midterm tests: have got is used here, which is correct in both American and British English (I’ve gotten wouldn’t be correct in American or British English).
• Oh … my favourite YouTuber just posted. And another streamer just went live: the past simple forms ‘just posted’ and ‘just went live’ are used here in American English. The British English forms would be ‘has just posted’ and ‘has just gone live’.
• … fill in everything you’ve missed or gotten wrong: the American English past participle ‘gotten’ is used here. The British English form would be ‘got wrong’.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/british-english-american-english

https://www.englishpodcastscollected.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CBC-Kids-News-Studytok-AI-Experts-share-some-surprising-ways-to-study-effectively.pdf

https://www.englishpodcastscollected.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CBC-Kids-News-Studytok-AI-Experts-share-some-surprising-ways-to-study-effectively.docx