Video summary

How to Study Effectively as an Engineering Student

Main summary

Key takeaways

Wellness and Self-Improvement

Key study & wellness/productivity strategies (Engineering student)

1. Repetition + consistency

  • Repetition = doing the same skill repeatedly
  • Consistency = doing it periodically over time

How to apply in engineering

  • Revisit lecture material soon after class:
    • Highlight key information
    • Add extra notes for later revision
    • Collect essential formulas/tables/graphs/definitions into “lists” (e.g., formula/important reminders list)
  • Revise throughout the semester (from week 1 to finals) rather than cramming:
    • Each week, pick a few concepts covered earlier
    • Re-read lecture slides and repeat relevant practice questions
    • Use this to “test yourself” and keep concepts fresh without reteaching everything from scratch

2. Make tutorial question solutions clearer (3-step method)

Because exam questions often build directly from tutorial/problem-solving questions.

Three-step process

  • Capture: during tutorial/teacher walkthrough
    • Write what the teacher writes
    • Add verbal tips the teacher emphasizes
  • Comprehend: after the tutorial
    • Re-solve the problem without looking at the solution to confirm understanding
  • Consolidate: for easier later revision
    • Create a clean, detailed solution copy with:
      • Formulas written before using them
      • Definitions of variables
      • Necessary tables/graphs for values
      • Related lecture definitions/concept explanations placed next to the relevant steps

3. Time planning using a course assessment list

Instead of weekly “hours targets,” plan by looking ahead.

Course assessment list approach (week-by-week)

  • Use the university academic calendar to list each week
  • For each course, add assessment items with:
    • Assessment name
    • Weighting (marks)
    • Due date
  • Identify “tough weeks” early (weeks with many due dates)
  • Start big projects earlier to reduce end-of-semester stress

Pro tip: big projects and final exams often overlap—start projects early so you have more time to study for finals.

4. Organize notes for easy retrieval

Use a consistent structure + store everything in one synced place.

Example system (mentioned)

  • Lectures: insert lecture slides into OneNote, annotate directly on top or beside
  • Tutorials: paste the question at the top; write the full solution underneath and continue to the right as more questions are added
  • Single-location storage: keep everything in OneNote for:
    • Clear page naming
    • Accessibility across phone/computer via OneDrive sync

5. Be resourceful (don’t stall when stuck)

If lecture slides aren’t enough:

  • Search the concept on Google and read articles
  • Watch YouTube explanations

Leverage the idea that many others have struggled with the same topic and found clear explanations—your job is to find them.

Use people around you

  • Message/call friends for explanations
  • If needed, contact professors:
    • Email to request a Teams/Zoom call or office time
    • If allowed, go in person to office hours

Presenters or sources

  • Presenter: Not explicitly named in the subtitles (single speaker; likely the video creator)
  • Sources cited: Google, YouTube, OneNote, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, OneDrive (tools/platforms mentioned, not content authors)

Original video