We鈥檝e all heard of 鈥渂ody type.鈥� You (hopefully) know your blood type. But what鈥檚 your study type? Humans are naturally habit-forming, and we all gravitate toward certain behavioral patterns. At 国产主播, we鈥檙e focused on educating the next generation of nurses, business minds, and administrators, and we鈥檙e not just interested in what you study, but how.

Of course, each type has its pros and cons (we鈥檝e included a few to ponder). Whether your habits involve methodical practice, short bursts of learning, or creative use of material delivery (e.g., audio textbooks), you鈥檝e got your go-tos. Here are the 5 study types we identified. Which one sounds like you?

The 5 Types

1.聽The Multitasker

If your modus operandi is 鈥渄ivide myself and conquer,鈥� this is you. You鈥檙e not one to sit down with one subject for any length of time; instead, you鈥檒l topic-hop from subject to subject, taking 鈥渂reaks鈥� to make phone calls, do some cleaning, or return emails, and what have you. This type is actually a misnomer, because . No matter. You鈥檙e all about mixing and matching when it comes to productive work. You don鈥檛 sit down for an entree when you study 鈥� you order tapas!

• Pros: Studying multiple topics in one session may help you intuit connections between topics you might not notice when you take a more myopic approach.
• Pitfalls: While topic-hopping might feel efficient, it can actually since you have to reacclimate every time you swap subjects.

2.聽The Crammer

You know who you are. Here it is, the night before the big exam, and you鈥檝e got to prioritize study over sleep. (And we all know sleep is important.) Preparation can wait鈥� until it can鈥檛. You load up on your favorite source of caffeine and settle in for a long night, only bathroom breaks allowed. You鈥檝e got two tests to pass: the one you鈥檝e got looming tomorrow, and the stress test. This isn鈥檛 always all bad 鈥� everyone crams sometimes, and .

• Pros: Recency of learning can .
• Pitfalls: Stress and sleep deprivation are proven to .

3.聽The Incubator

You鈥檙e the opposite of The Crammer. You prefer to let your material gestate. You study in installments. You鈥檙e methodical about setting aside time to hit the books, and you keep to your schedule. You believe pacing yourself is better than last-minute panic. You鈥檙e on to something, because incremental study helps to understand concepts in a larger context, especially when you revisit and reinforce.

• Pros: Research supports that . In other words, you鈥檒l hold on to the material much better than cramming.
• Pitfalls: Taking a slower approach makes you run the risk of falling behind. Don鈥檛 mistake procrastination for pacing (though there is such a thing as positive procrastination).

4.聽The Study-Group Groupie

If you thrive on groupthink and lively, participatory learning, this is you. You love hearing others鈥� takes on the material and sharing your own. Everyone brings their own tips, tricks and flashcards to the table. Your study group members keep you engaged, and they make study more experiential and immersive. What can you say, you鈥檙e a people person!

• Pros: Studying with others helps hold you to account, and keep a set schedule
• Pitfalls: It鈥檚 easy to get distracted and do more socializing than studying

5. The Listen-and-Learner

You simply absorb information better by ear. You鈥檙e not alone. Even if you don鈥檛 have a learning disability like dyslexia, some people just profit from adding listening to their info intake. This can present a challenge in an education environment where learning from the page has become standard. There are solutions so you can ingest your material through audio: you can read aloud to yourself, invest in audio textbooks, or even use an to sound. Heck, that you literally learn better by ear, singular: your right ear.

• Pros: Listening , which can allow for greater enjoyment and engagement with material.
• Pitfalls: Material isn鈥檛 always available in audio format, and research says .

Move Out of Your Comfort Zone

Did you find yourself? Identifying with a type is fun and fulfilling, but if we may: Consider trying on another study type for size. If you typically study in isolation, try joining a study group. Crammers: buy an egg timer and test drive spaced-out study. While you might be set in your ways, some other habits might help you kickstart your next session, revitalize your interest in a topic, and keep your learning diet diverse.

Keep following our blog for more tips and advice on how to maintain healthy study habits.

Feel like talking types? Join us on or to share your study secrets and hear about other WCU students learning hacks!

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