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I tried but I just got sleepy and hungry. Does anyone have an antidote to this? Does tea work?

Jtsummers 8y ago
Keep at it. I find it mentally draining to learn a new math topic that I'm less familiar with. It knocks me out better than anything I've ever found. I accept it as a fact. After a couple weeks of this (if I'm studying more days than not), the concepts and jargon start to become internalized. This is the source of exhaustion. When you don't know the thing you are actively exercising your brain to recall the terms, topics, definitions, etc. It's really, really hard. This is mentally draining. As the topic gets better intenalized the recall activity becomes easier. You actually know it. Some things can help here. One is to read a bit each day, I usually read the same chapter 2-3 times. Once rather briskly. A second time very carefully practicing each exercise and proof. And a third time where I'd only stop on the things that didn't seem familiar enough (almost as briskly as the first reading). I've become a major proponent of spaced-repetition. Make flash cards, put them in Anki. Study them. This allows you to set the topic down for weeks or even months at a time, and still be able to pick it back up where you left off. It also motivates me to continue when my math deck review gets short (I only have 3 cards to study this whole week?!?). Anki lets you use LaTeX which means you can make some really good looking math cards.
- senatorobama 8y ago
  How do you study after work.. especially when there's cooking and cleaning to be done?
  - Jtsummers 8y ago
    I get home at about 5:30. Two days a week I go to the gym, I don't study those nights because I'm too worn out once I get home. Monday/Wednesday I start some rice and eventually make a simple stir fry. Quick, easy dinner. But that's usually around 9pm. So I have 6-9 to study. Friday is usually a social evening. Saturday, I grab a book or whatever and head to the coffee shop down the street. Early Saturday and Sunday are cleaning and grocery shopping times. My girlfriend is in another country so, for now at least, my evenings before 9pm are almost always mine. After 9pm we're usually on the phone.

Keep at it. I find it mentally draining to learn a new math topic that I'm less familiar with. It knocks me out better than anything I've ever found. I accept it as a fact. After a couple weeks of this (if I'm studying more days than not), the concepts and jargon start to become internalized. This is the source of exhaustion. When you don't know the thing you are actively exercising your brain to recall the terms, topics, definitions, etc. It's really, really hard. This is mentally draining. As the topic gets better intenalized the recall activity becomes easier. You actually know it. Some things can help here. One is to read a bit each day, I usually read the same chapter 2-3 times. Once rather briskly. A second time very carefully practicing each exercise and proof. And a third time where I'd only stop on the things that didn't seem familiar enough (almost as briskly as the first reading). I've become a major proponent of spaced-repetition. Make flash cards, put them in Anki. Study them. This allows you to set the topic down for weeks or even months at a time, and still be able to pick it back up where you left off. It also motivates me to continue when my math deck review gets short (I only have 3 cards to study this whole week?!?). Anki lets you use LaTeX which means you can make some really good looking math cards.

senatorobama 8y ago
How do you study after work.. especially when there's cooking and cleaning to be done?
- Jtsummers 8y ago
  I get home at about 5:30. Two days a week I go to the gym, I don't study those nights because I'm too worn out once I get home. Monday/Wednesday I start some rice and eventually make a simple stir fry. Quick, easy dinner. But that's usually around 9pm. So I have 6-9 to study. Friday is usually a social evening. Saturday, I grab a book or whatever and head to the coffee shop down the street. Early Saturday and Sunday are cleaning and grocery shopping times. My girlfriend is in another country so, for now at least, my evenings before 9pm are almost always mine. After 9pm we're usually on the phone.