Did you know that you can study with your iPad efficiently and effectively?
The iPad isn’t just a device for games, movies, and surfing the web. It’s a powerful, multifunctional tool that will level up your study game.
If you’re a paperless student with an iPad, or someone interested in going paperless, then this blog post is for you.
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing with you 6 Ways you can Study with your iPad. As a paperless student, these are the six iPad study tips I swear by.
Let’s get straight to business!
1. Creating and using digital flashcards
If you need to memorize a lot of course material, then flashcards are the way to go.
The act of creating flashcards will start the consolidation of core concepts, and by practicing your flashcards, you’ll start to ingrain these concepts into your memory.
To create flashcards on your iPad, I recommend using Quizlet and/or Anki, both free on the App store!
With Quizlet, you can play study games with your flashcards, helping you remember content in a unique and active way.
2. Annotating and Highlighting
Let’s be real: we all have those times where we are too tired or lazy to study.
That’s why when I’m tired but want to squeeze some more studying in, I will highlight and annotate my notes or any material I’m studying from.
And luckily, doing this on the iPad is stupid easy and convenient.
You can annotate, highlight, and write over pages with the GoodNotes application.
If you have a paper handout from class or studying from a class textbook, you can easily scan it with your iPad using GoodNotes (or the Notes app) and annotate it with your Apple pencil, leaving your original copy pristine and unmarked.
3. Create mindmaps
I never really understood the significance of mind maps until I tried it out. I was honestly blown away.
Not only did I retain information, but I actually started connecting the dots between different concepts, helping me understand the bigger picture.
As opposed to taking linear notes straight from the textbook or from a lecture, you’re actually mapping out information, connecting it with other things you learned.
You are working with your mind instead of against it.
When I study on my iPad, I create mindmaps in my digital notebook.
To mindmap, put your main central topic in the middle and draw branches of concepts that fall under that central topic. You’ll then create more branches with keywords.
Feel free to use different colors and images for your mindmap.
4. Illustrate concepts on your iPad
In high school, if there were confusing and complex concepts I struggled with, I would turn them into a comic or a story.
I remember taking an AP US History class. I was always overwhelmed by everything I needed to remember — all the dates, timelines, and names.
To overcome this, I would create simple, quick, and fun drawings to help me remember these concepts.
Because I liked drawing, studying became a lot more enjoyable.
I started to piece together the material while having fun at the same time.
With my iPad, I would draw quick comics with a narrative with my Apple Pencil.
I use Procreate, but you can use any free drawing application, such as Notes or Autodesk Sketchbook.
If drawing isn’t your thing, you can create mnemonics, write songs, create study games, and more.
Find a smart way to combine your hobbies with your academics.
5. Create Presentations and present it to a friend or family member
Another method that helps me memorize and understand concepts is to create presentations and then present it to a friend.
It’s been shown in studies that teaching things to someone else helps you learn the material and understand it better.
Creating mini-presentations and then presenting it is a great way to study because one, you’re taking your notes and reformatting it, and second, you’re teaching and presenting it to someone else, further ingraining the course material to memory.
You can easily create presentations on your iPad with the Keynote application that comes with your iPad. Alternatively, you can use Google Slides or Powerpoint.
The iPad is portable too, allowing you to casually present it to friends or family on the go.
6. Retake and reorganize notes
Last, but definitely not least, I recommend re-taking and reorganizing your notes in a unique and different way.
Ever since high school, I would retake all or just certain parts of my notes before every single quiz or exam.
Rather than re-reading my notes passively, I would re-take my notes in an innovative way.
In the last two points, I talked about reorganizing your notes in a presentation format and a drawing format, but there are other equally effective ways you can do this!
Some unique ways I re-took notes were:
- Summarizing the main concepts and ideas
- Re-organizing my notes in a chart format
- Designed my note pages to look like a publication page
- Reformatting them in a children’s book layout
- Outlining my notes
Doing this helped me actively remember the material I was studying, better preparing me for quizzes and exams.
When re-taking notes on my iPad, I set up my screen using the dual-screen function.
If you’re confused on how to do it, here is the step-by-step:
- Open the App you plan on using
- Put it in your doc
- Hold and drag next to the screen you’re using
- Adjust the window sizes by dragging the middle divider to the left or right
I would have my old notes on one side of the screen and a fresh new note other.
My digital notebook is key to helping me take high quality and effective notes.
If you want to have an organized notebook with all the pages you could ever need, I designed a minimalist, intuitive, and comprehensive digital notebook that you can find in my shop. There is both a grey and pink option.
It comes with a variety of different pages. I personally use the Cornell note page to retake my notes and rephrase it in a way I actually understand.
The hexagon grid pages will especially be handy if you’re a STEM student.
Level up your Study game with a Plan
The key to acing your exams is to plan ahead. This enables you to stay on top of your academics, even when you feel like you have a to-do list filled with hundreds of tasks.
Without a plan, you’ll eventually get side-tracked and waste your time and energy.
What helps me stay on top of all tasks and assignments is using a reliable digital planner.
Our latest digital planners are designed for the diligent and excellent student. It’s a weekly academic digital planner for top students, currently available in both grey and pink!
This planner will help you efficiently plan out your weeks so you can excel as a student and ultimately, in your life!
There are pages to create a study plan, track your assignments, projects, and more. Your planner is like your coach — it will keep you on track, as well as look after your wellness and goals.
Whether you’re a paperless student or not, the iPad is an indispensable study tool.
Take action today so you can reap the rewards. You got this!
