Silly question about reading & education

@Ilyxo

Ideally the reading that you do should support your assignments, whether that’s providing you with the background to the topic, different points of view, or reading classic or core texts associated with the area.

Your lecturers were students themselves but will also have had years in your subject area. Their experience and repeated experience means they will have gone over things again and again, until it became second knowledge.

You might not be able to remember everything, but as long as you can understand the ideas or theories behind what you are learning, then that should give you a good foundation to build upon in time.

All the best,

Oluwatosin – 3rd year student – University of Huddersfield

Hi, I’m in 2nd year of uni & I’m doing more readings now as it’s important but I’m just thinking even if I do all my readings and understand them I forget them overtime as I don’t apply it to anything .For example people forget how to do maths if they don’t continue it after GCSEs . How can I gain knowledge and apply it at work when I leave if I’m going to forget it ? How do lectures remember and apply their knowledge? Thank you.

Hi, I’m in 2nd year of uni & I’m doing more readings now as it’s important but I’m just thinking even if I do all my readings and understand them I forget them overtime as I don’t apply it to anything .For example people forget how to do maths if they don’t continue it after GCSEs . How can I gain knowledge and apply it at work when I leave if I’m going to forget it ? How do lectures remember and apply their knowledge? Thank you.

Hi,

I completely understand where you are coming from on this point but here is some advice I've picked up along the way on this topic.

You will never be expected to remember everything you read or learn in lectures but as long as you remember the key points and theory behind what you are learning then you should be ok, Try not to compare yourself to your lecturers as they often have spent years and years studying on these topics and it will have taken them years of extra study to get to the point they are now at.

My best advise would be to try and revise topics you've gone over in the past to keep the information fresh in your brain. Also, if you are studying a subject such as nursing or accounting, you will be practicing these skills repeatedly as a student and once you qualify so the more you practice the skill the more comfortable you'll become with the topic and before you know it, it will be second nature to you.

I hope this is of some assistance,

Mary
London South Bank University Student Rep - 3rd year Children's Nursing

Hi, I’m in 2nd year of uni & I’m doing more readings now as it’s important but I’m just thinking even if I do all my readings and understand them I forget them overtime as I don’t apply it to anything .For example people forget how to do maths if they don’t continue it after GCSEs . How can I gain knowledge and apply it at work when I leave if I’m going to forget it ? How do lectures remember and apply their knowledge? Thank you.

Hi there,

I totally understand your concern. I am also in my second year, and I think about the same issue. The trick I found useful is to actively engage with the material. Don't just read it, but discuss it, write about it, and try to connect it to real-world scenarios or your own experiences. As for remembering the knowledge, regular revision helps. You don't have to remember everything at once, but revisiting the material helps cement it in your memory. Lastly, remember that the goal of education isn't just to memorize facts, but to learn how to think critically and solve problems. So, even if you don't remember every detail, you're still gaining valuable skills.

Take care,
Ilya 🙂

Thank you

Hiya

That's a totally valid question. Most readings are only supposed to help us with assignments and understanding the concepts. I don't think you're expected to remember everything you read but if you're interested in a certain topic, the information is more likely to stay with you for longer.

I have found that theory and practical aspects vary massively and what you study at university isn't really geared towards practice (at least in my course i.e., law). That's why a law degree from a university isn't enough to qualify as a solicitor, you need to sit 2 more exams and do 2 years of work experience afterwards. So nobody would really expect you to remember anything from law school. This is different to a professor/academic's job though because their prime role is staying in academia so they read these articles multiple times. Also because they're interested in engaging in debates, the info stays with them for longer (as I said before).

Hope that helps

-Himieka