How to study 12+ hours per day without hurting your

[leon1127]

This is how i studied when I was taking 31 credits.
Wake up at 0800
drive to school
class until lunch.
drive to other school and have my lunch, meanwhile I do mild reading for the afternoon class.
after class, I study at library for a little.
I go play pool for an hour.
Drive to starbucks and continue my study.
go home and do some bed time studying.

Have you tried go different places to study during a day? Sitting at the same place for a long time is not a very good environment to study.

Now being in grad school, my reading has gotten more intensive and yet study at different places during the day is still a very sufficient way to study for me.

 

[PowerIso]

Hmm I guess I just don't see a real point in 12 hours of studying known information. It just seems like you are trying to jump the gun and get ahead really quickly. Slow down and turn some of that study time into research time. I can promise you that if you spent your time researching a topic, it will prepare you better for a future career in academics and challenge your brain more than doing problems with known solutions. Talk to a professor for some easy research ideas. Research it, write an abstract and present it.

Not only will you grow as an academic, but you will also improve your status as a serious learner. No one can really see if you study 12 hours a day, but people can see if you have done research. Use your time wisely.

 

[mathboy]

I am doing research, for my current level. I'm only in first year university where only Calculus 1, Linear algebra 1, Analysis 1, Physics 1 are offered to me. Right now I'm studying the Linear Algebra 2, Calculus 2, and Topology, which is pretty much research to me because no one in my classes knows those stuff.

 

[cristo]

I'm amazed that one can find enough time in a day to study for 12 hours, let alone have the drive to do so. The only time I was ever spending anything like that amount of time on studies was during exam periods, and then I had to cope with hardly any sleep. I just don't understand how you can study for 12 hours, having only one 15 minute break for lunch. I mean, what about breakfast, or dinner? What about random afternoon breaks for tea, or watching your favourite TV show, or chatting on the phone, or in person, with friends. If I planned a 12 hour day of study I would probably actually get around 7 or 8 hours done; and I'd be pleased with that!

Many people have said this, but you don't really seem to listen: it's your prerogative. But, at least for me, university is not just about learning your subject, but it's also about learning things about yourself. It's about increasing your social skills, and maybe trying things that you will never have the chance to do again. After all, if you want to get a "real" job, then you will need some social skills. How will you answer questions at interviews without them? Whilst top grades are important, so are other things. I will guarantee you that whatever job you will go up for there will be candidates whose record is as academically sound as yours but who have other, extra curricular things on there. Who do you think will get the job?

 

[Substance D]

If you want a good stretch that will help you after sitting for awhile and you can do it using a chair...

stand up, and put your left or right leg on the seat of the chair (doesnt matter how high the chair is, but your flexibility level could prevent you from doing this on a higher chair), keep both your legs straight, keep your back as straight as you can and try and touch your toes on the foot that's on the chair, make sure you bend from the hips. This will stretch out your hamstrings and your butt muscles really nicely. Then switch feet. I hope this description makes sense :)

 

[JasonRox]

I reviewed the thread and realized there were only a few posts that bugged me. It seems these few posts set the atmosphere for me in this thread. I'm sorry if I gave the wrong impression.

I was also bugged that it seemed like posters here were persuading the OP to change his lifestyle. I think it makes sense for the OP to ask a research math professor how much time he or she spends on math every day, as well as a doctor concerning the health issues. I have no problem with advice stated here, and I think it can be valuable, but I don't think he should make his decision off of this thread alone.

I will take some time to criticize one post that followed my own:
"If you need to study 12 hours a day to get a 4.0, that is NOT good. That is mediocre. You ain't smart if you need that much ****ing time. Get real."

This post makes the faulty, rather shallow assumption that he's only studying to get a 4.0. Does this poster not understand the idea of studying for the purpose of learning and doing math? He could in fact be studying materials outside of his classes. He could also be doing problems or chapters in his textbooks that his professors doesn't assign, There are also situations where a student gets permission from the dean to take more than the maximum number of credits allowed in a semester, and hence has an unusually heavy course load. In fact, the entire persuasive power of this post (which merits none) lies in its obnoxious attitude, which combined with a few other posts in this thread could fluster the OP and affect his decision without any good reason. It could also make him feel unwelcome on these forums. IIRC, he hasn't posted in this thread for a while, has he?

I assume someone is going to say that my post had a similarly obnoxious attitude. But 1) my post was not devoid of content like that above and 2) there were only a few people whom I was reacting to in my post, and I apologize to those who felt targeted but were not meant to be targeted.

My post was in response to others about what it takes to get a 4.0 and how the rest of us have mediocre averages.

My post does merit credit. It's a common mistake happening all too often, especially starting in high school. If you studied like mad in high school, there is little chance you can handle the course load of university and maintain that average. From my experience, you will fail because the university course load requires more time than high school. Hence, if you're already maximum out your free time studying while in high school, you don't have the extra time university would need. All those students who are doing well in university, I found, are generally those who did very little in high school in terms of COURSE work.

I will say what everyone is dying to say...

Seriously, you need a life. A balanced one. Currently, you do not have one (balanced life nor life). That will just create problems just like a those who don't have balanced diets... they get fat. What happens without a balanced social life? Hmmm... depression is probably on the top of the list. How effective will you're studying be when you're depressed? Probably not effective at all! So, are you better off studying 10 hours a day for 4 years and going depressed for 8 years (not studying at all) or studying 4 hours a day for 12 years? You do the math.

Note I: Depression can also last for less periods of time, but it's quite common for depression to last a long time and periodically return throughout ones life and possibly even shortens ones life.

http://www.hdlighthouse.org/treatment-care/care/hdltriad/spirituality/updates/1249social.php

Also, social interaction can help prevent Alzheimer's. So literally, all this studying is meaningless if you'll forget it all!

Note II: A balanced life should be taken seriously in all respects and not only through social activity and dieting. Also, a balanced life can NEVER be achieved through the use of drugs for depression or losing weight or anything else.

 

[leon1127]

I am doing research, for my current level. I'm only in first year university where only Calculus 1, Linear algebra 1, Analysis 1, Physics 1 are offered to me. Right now I'm studying the Linear Algebra 2, Calculus 2, and Topology, which is pretty much research to me because no one in my classes knows those stuff.

I used to be like you. I studied many high level mathematics when I was in undergrad. Yes it feels superior when you go to actual class later on. However, doing better on something that everyone else doesn't know about is not as important as doing better than what everyone else is good at.

I changed my attitude toward that when I met a group of problem solvers (world level) who can use very elementary technique to solve problem that I spend so much time using high level mathematics to tackle. This is the beauty of mathematics you should pursue instead of doing routine calculation. Moreover, learning is not just sitting at the same place and do problems all day long. Go to the nature and try to apply the mathematics that you know is also a process of learning. Try to find a hobby that apply your mathematics to it you will find that mathematics is more than just 12+ of doing problems.

Back to the point, in this forum most of us have gone through what you are about to experience. If you ask for our opinion and experience and yet not humbly listen to it, we can't help you any further.

On one hand, I studied very hard and finished my bachelor in 2 years. On the other hand, I have lost a lot more than I accomplished in terms of health and social life. Other people are right about life style. What can high mathematics do to you when your world consist only one unhealthy person (yourself).

Think about what we suggested and if you decide to continue your 12+ hours meaningless study, get yourself a good chair and table to work. They are necessary condition for efficiency.

 

[mgiddy911]

I'm curious as to what the OP's life goals are.
He has informed us he is a first year university student.
Mathboy, are you planning on going to grad school? are you trying to graduate early?
you mentioned doing research... but what it seems to me is you take that to mean researching on your own time, alone. Are you doing actual research with a professor? or merely researching topics not covered in your classes, or topics that will be covered in future classes.
You should note that at some point if not during your undergrad career then certainly in grad school or in the work place, you will need to be able to work with other people. Doing research will not always be a solo act. You will work with a team which means you need to be able to interact socially with them, get along with them. If they feel you are condescending, it will not result in a pleasant experience for them and possibly will adversely affect your work.

what do you plan to do with all the knowledge you gain form your 12 hours of studying?
is it sheerly to get a leg up on other students. Is it because you just have an inherent passion for knowledge? if the later is the case, perhaps as someone suggested earlier, take up music or another subject. If you can study for 12 hours, then surely you can double major. Try double Physics and English, minor in Philosophy, and study a foreign language. That would certainly look great on an application, that is until you have to go to an interview and have to interact with people.
I strongly recommend you to take heed to all the advice given to you. College should be some of the most fun times in your life, make it so.

 

[PowerIso]

I am doing research, for my current level. I'm only in first year university where only Calculus 1, Linear algebra 1, Analysis 1, Physics 1 are offered to me. Right now I'm studying the Linear Algebra 2, Calculus 2, and Topology, which is pretty much research to me because no one in my classes knows those stuff.

My first presentation was on some neat results and extensions on the first derivative test, and second derivative test. It just takes some creativity with what you know and see how much of it you can apply to other things.

 

[mathboy]

I'm curious as to what the OP's life goals are.

I'm still too young to know for sure what I want to do for the rest of my life (though becoming a mathematician seems to be the most enlightening to me right now). All I know is that I have a intense passion for learning new maths (only math, because I simply don't have any interest in anything else, though I seem to like relativity just a little bit). So I'm studying it to quench my intense urge to learn more math. Right now, I'm not thinking about grad school. I don't even think much about grades actually; I'd rather get average grades and learn a lot of math than to get high grades but not learn much math. If for some reason I couldn't finish university and became a grocery clerk, I would still study a lot of math after work. I simply want to learn more new stuff. That's all.

 

[dotman]

Back to the point, in this forum most of us have gone through what you are about to experience. If you ask for our opinion and experience and yet not humbly listen to it, we can't help you any further.

QFT

Leon's whole post is worth reading twice.

 

[john16O]

I do not know the age of the gentlemen who is studying for 12 hours a day. But I would like to commend him for that. I am assuming that he is still in college, and right now at this point in his life, friends will get him nowhere(don't mean to sound harsh) and being successful in his academic endeavors will get him places, a good paying job maybe. Since I am assuming that he is still in college I am also assuming that he is around the age of 20 years old. HE STILL HAS HIS WHOLE LIFE TO MEET PEOPLE. IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD IF HE IS NOT MR.POPULAR IN COLLEGE AND DOES NOT GET LAID EVERY NIGHT. But he does have only ONE shot at college so he is taking advantage of that and doing the best he can to become successful, and for that I admire him, for studying 12 hours a day is something that I cannot do. So keep up the good work, receive good marks, for you still have plenty of time to meet women, make friends, etc...

As for you hurting your bum, well I can offer no other advice that has not already been offered in this thread. GOOD LUCK TO YOU...

 

[TMFKAN64]

Ad loc, ad hoc, and quid pro quo, so much to do, so much to know...

 

[leon1127]

I... I am also assuming that he is around the age of 20 years old. HE STILL HAS HIS WHOLE LIFE TO MEET PEOPLE. IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD IF HE IS NOT MR.POPULAR IN COLLEGE AND DOES NOT GET LAID EVERY NIGHT. But he ...

School is a very good environment to learn social skill because you can, in principle, can 4-5 new groups of people every semester. This is seldom the case when you go to work unless you change your job every few months. We are not suggesting that he should not study at all and get paid every night. However if he is going to relinquish his entire normal life to study maths, we suggest that he would lose much more.

Moreover, getting a good job demands much more than good marks. More specifically, many geniuses work at a very low level job because no one wants to work with them. Many morons held high position just because they can impress their boss. I do agree that learning is important, but we also suggest to learn in multiple directions.

 

[john16O]

Do you think the social skills necessary to acquire a job can only be learned in the college environment? Although college may be a good place to meet new people, maybe he feels if he puts some emphasis on the social aspect of college he may lose sight of the reason he is there in the first place.

 

[TMFKAN64]

No one suddenly wakes up with the ability to socialize with people. It is a skill that is learned over the course of many years, mainly when one is young.

If you don't develop *some* social skills by the time you are in college, yes, I think you are going to have real problems in the workplace.

I'm not saying the OP should go hang out in bars and get drunk a lot, but joining a few professional organizations, clubs, or study groups would be a much better idea than just studying alone in his room for 12 hours a day.

 

[john16O]

I totally disagree with you. Allow me to give an example. My father works for Northrup Grumman a defense contractor. Well, he had to interview a student from MIT. My father said that his attire was poor, he was not wearing a suit. The only thing he brought with him to the interview was a laptop. After a few minutes of conversation my father said the guy was not very personable and did not have very good social skills. But once the guy opened his laptop and showed my father what he had accomplished, which he did not tell me of course, he had no choice but to hire him. I mean was he going to let this guy go and have one of their competitors such as Lockheed martin hire him. Hell no, he wasn't. What he lacked in social skills he made up for in his resume. It is all about what you can do for the company, people will have to learn to work with you if you are THAT good at what you do, so let's not put a great emphasis on social skills. Now, if you work at a Mcdonalds than yes you do need good social skills..lol

 

[cristo]

I totally disagree with you. Allow me to give an example. My father works for Northrup Grumman a defense contractor. Well, he had to interview a student from MIT. My father said that his attire was poor, he was not wearing a suit. The only thing he brought with him to the interview was a laptop. After a few minutes of conversation my father said the guy was not very personable and did not have very good social skills. But once the guy opened his laptop and showed my father what he had accomplished, which he did not tell me of course, he had no choice but to hire him. I mean was he going to let this guy go and have one of their competitors such as Lockheed martin hire him. Hell no, he wasn't. What he lacked in social skills he made up for in his resume. It is all about what you can do for the company, people will have to learn to work with you if you are THAT good at what you do, so let's not put a great emphasis on social skills. Now, if you work at a Mcdonalds than yes you do need good social skills..lol

But that's one example; does an example prove a rule? The majority of jobs require social skills, whether it be interacting with customers or work colleagues. If you don't have them, then the job will go to those that do!

 

[dotman]

... people will have to learn to work with you if you are THAT good at what you do, so let's not put a great emphasis on social skills. Now, if you work at a Mcdonalds than yes you do need good social skills..lol

No, they won't "have to learn to work with you". People in those situations either move on or stop caring. Either way, its not the kind of dynamic you want on your team. But more important is the fact that there are a whole lot of really bright people out there. Bright people with great social skills. Quite simply, if you don't develop these, you're crippling yourself in the future.

I can't stress this enough. You will have to compete against people with high marks -and- great social skills.

Lastly, there's nothing wrong with working at McDonald's. That kind of elitist comment just underscores how naive the entire previous posting is.

 

[fizziks]

But that's one example; does an example prove a rule? The majority of jobs require social skills, whether it be interacting with customers or work colleagues. If you don't have them, then the job will go to those that do!

I seriously agree. Unless you can name a job where you have little to no contact with people that pays a mediocre salary, please let me know. Remember working as a group is by far more progressive and better than working alone.

If that proves something, let me give you an example with my mom's friend's son. He graduated from Caltech with a B.S. in EE or AE (don't recall) with a 4.0; top of his class and finished on time. He achieved his perfect GPA via constantly locked up in his room studying for long periods of time. He never came back home for Winter Break or Spring break or during any summers when he was not taking classes. Instead he stayed in his apartment reading books, articles, and surfing the internet about his studies.

The day he graduated, he arrived home and my family and I went over to his house for a X-mas party. The kid did not know how to talk or deal with people. Hell, he even had a hard time communicating with his own parents. He would always look down on his feet when speaking to someone and had a very hard time answering the guests' or my questions about college. Since I was about to attend college myself at that time, I was curious about it. His level of shyness was past the limit of infinite.

Now, I'm not very social myself. I have a small group of friends that share my interest (mainly World of Warcraft and comics). But hell, at least I know how to talk to people in a personable manner beyond basic human to human communication. A WoW player is one of the lowest level of life a human being can go , don't try to surpass it.

That was 4 years ago.

Recently (last month during my graduation), I've a conversation with his brother. His brother was completely different. A complete opposite. He had a worse GPA (3.1ish) and took him 5 years to complete college. But he was more extroverted and outgoing. I talked to him about his experiences in college and how his brother was doing. About four years from the day I met his brother, he is still home with his parents... unemployed. I wasn't surprised. Some of the companies he applied for were NASA, Lockheed, Intel, AMD, Microsoft, and a bunch of other techie companies. He landed interviews for AMD, NASA, and Microsoft (don't remember); however he didn't get any job, but I am pretty sure why. I believe he's still looking for work at the moment.


College is a one-time experience. Don't blow it by imprisoning yourself in your room. I've meet some of the greatest friends and people in college. In the long run, they are the best investments one can give yourself.

 

[vincebs]

I agree 100% with what fizziks is saying. You can't forego a social life in college and hope to learn social skills afterwards.

Social skills are learned in stages through experience. If you miss a stage, then people aren't going to hold your hand and teach you what you missed. Your date may forgive your bad kissing and date etiquette when you're both 13, but not when you're both 25. You will look like an outcast. You will have to learn the social skills you missed by studying people and asking people, which will make you socially anxious and shy.

Skipping social life in college to study and expecting to learn social skills when you're 30 is like skipping calculus in high school and hoping to pick it up by taking a college class in E&M.

 

[mr_coffee]

vince,

Nicely said!

Gota mix it up!

I've saw some shows about people who just stay locked up in their rooms and they don't even know how to eat properly. Its like they went backwards or something.
These people where also very dedicated to their studies and very smart. But had no idea how to deal with anything social. I think it was on TLC.

 

[proton]

The day he graduated, he arrived home and my family and I went over to his house for a X-mas party. The kid did not know how to talk or deal with people. Hell, he even had a hard time communicating with his own parents. He would always look down on his feet when speaking to someone and had a very hard time answering the guests' or my questions about college. Since I was about to attend college myself at that time, I was curious about it. His level of shyness was past the limit of infinite.

lol, I'm a nerdy loner, but I'm not anywhere NEAR that awkward! I've never heard of anything like that before

 

[pgb]

ok, I study for much greater than 12 hrs a day, and sit on a wooden chair. So, all u have to do is to get fat like me so, that will be a cushion for u (not joking)
And I appreciate ur love for maths. Forget about what the others are saying.
Intellegence is the greatest gift on earth.
Good wishes!

 

[mathboy]

ok, I study for much greater than 12 hrs a day, and sit on a wooden chair. So, all u have to do is to get fat like me so, that will be a cushion for u (not joking)
And I appreciate ur love for maths. Forget about what the others are saying.
Intellegence is the greatest gift on earth.
Good wishes!

Are you just saying that to make me feel better, or are you really serious? (If so, how many hours do you study per day?)

 

[fizziks]

Are you just saying that to make me feel better, or are you really serious? (If so, how many hours do you study per day?)

I don't think someone telling you to get fat is being serious. You'll die of a heart attack before you get your bachelor's degree.


A rocking wooden chair with soft pillow cushions is better than your own fat buttocks.

 

[pgb]

yo, fizziks, u think u know everything, don't u?
Well mathboy, I am very mich serious- I just meant u grow healthy- I study in college and recently stood first in a tough exam-DON'T ask me the details!
And when in 12th standard I used to study for 16-18 hrs a day and continue it even today.
U all know what- I'm getting better and better in studies(I never was bad at it in the first place!)
OK, now for all others I also have xtraa-curricular activities- and lots of them.
Being a meritorious student doesn't mean u can't socialise- just that's not so IMPORTANT.
Any body anyone can socialize- a genius can learn it in minutes if she/he wants to.
And for ur information I am studying electronics and physics and preparing for a tough national level exam-(they say this is tougher than getting admission in Harvard).
So, be cool ,eat healthy food by lots, concentrate, have a little exercise after 2 hrs(for 10 minutes) , keep a clean mind, only mix with bright people(there are few), respect ur parents and urself, study for 15 hrs+, and whoaaaa, sucess will be kocking on ur doors.
[most importantly, I think u don't know this- keep a pure body and soul- as that increases ur intellegence- and socialization murders this]
So now, are u satisfied mathboy, or have I posted all this for nothing?

I LUV MATHS AND SCIENCE.

 

[JasonRox]

Any body anyone can socialize- a genius can learn it in minutes if she/he wants to.

You have to be kidding me.

This is not true. If anyone thinks is true, I want to meet them. I'll play a game by going random places and ask you to create random events in a social atmosphere. Let's see if you make it happen. Bring it on. Seriously.

 

[fizziks]

yo, fizziks, u think u know everything, don't u?
Well mathboy, I am very mich serious- I just meant u grow healthy- I study in college and recently stood first in a tough exam-DON'T ask me the details!
And when in 12th standard I used to study for 16-18 hrs a day and continue it even today.
U all know what- I'm getting better and better in studies(I never was bad at it in the first place!)
OK, now for all others I also have xtraa-curricular activities- and lots of them.
Being a meritorious student doesn't mean u can't socialise- just that's not so IMPORTANT.
Any body anyone can socialize- a genius can learn it in minutes if she/he wants to.
And for ur information I am studying electronics and physics and preparing for a tough national level exam-(they say this is tougher than getting admission in Harvard).
So, be cool ,eat healthy food by lots, concentrate, have a little exercise after 2 hrs(for 10 minutes) , keep a clean mind, only mix with bright people(there are few), respect ur parents and urself, study for 15 hrs+, and whoaaaa, sucess will be kocking on ur doors.
[most importantly, I think u don't know this- keep a pure body and soul- as that increases ur intellegence- and socialization murders this]
So now, are u satisfied mathboy, or have I posted all this for nothing?

I LUV MATHS AND SCIENCE.

Ok... like anyone would of taken that seriously.

Learn to use proper grammar and spelling and maybe your half-ass post would make a little more sense. It looks like a 12 year old dropout wrote that.

 

[john16O]

^^agreed^^, The spelling errors and poor grammar used in your post down-plays the credibility of it. If you are as smart as you say you are, I highly doubt that you would write a post in that manner. Although I could be wrong

 

[john16O]

O yea, I forgot to mention, I am looking forward to your response to my previous post!

 

[creepypasta13]

what is the minimum level of socializing that is required in order to be considered 'healthy'? i was similar to the OP for my 2nd yr in college, in that i didnt want to go outside and instead studied all the time. i realized that it was a mistake so i forced myself to meet people and socialize more during my last years in college, and though i broke out of the painful shyness, i still struggled with shyness, especially in group conversations. other than talking about classes with my peers, i usually had difficulty with socializing.

i did join one study group with physics majors in my classes, but we broke contact with each other once we didnt share the same classes anymore. also, since i got the best grades amongst them, they probably just saw me as someone to study with, not someone to hang out with. once i made friends with other physics students as we started having lots of classes together, we never formed a study group since they all preferred studying alone

i tried joining clubs on campus but didnt stay in any of them since i felt like i didnt fit in due to my studious nature

as for social skills and finding a job, i found a internship at a defense contractor this summer despite my below-average social skills

 

[Choppy]

Hi Creepypasta13,

I don't know that there's a universal minimum. I think socialization is one of those things that varies considerably from person to person. Some people are natural introverts. However, humans are social animals. We all need a certain level of socialization.

Perhaps the real question is whether or not you are happy with the current amount of and type of socialization you engage in. If not, there are ways to increase it. The first step is to figure out what kinds of social activities you enjoy - and this is often done through trial and error.

 

[angak001]

no matter what you need to socialize with people if you don't like that then music will be a great help. music is everything when i study for my exams music helps me concentrate. Do u like any particular kind of music?

 

[creepypasta13]

Perhaps the real question is whether or not you are happy with the current amount of and type of socialization you engage in. If not, there are ways to increase it. The first step is to figure out what kinds of social activities you enjoy - and this is often done through trial and error.

sometimes i go thru life being content with my situation. while sometimes i get into a deep depression. the only social activity i really like is playing certain sports, but its a pick-up sport, so i often have to play with strangers'

i can definitely say i lack interest in things most people enjoy, such as watching tv, movies, listening to music, and drinking alcohol. sometimes i try to keep up with those things so people won't think i live under a rock

 

[JDStupi]

Well, for the irrelevant area: Get some god-damned friends, your going to want them at some point I assure you, and they are fun. Fun is good. What does the Oracle say?..."Know Thyself" "Everything in Moderation" the two are complementary, if you know yourself you can find the perfect balance for the moderation. And, did you ever think about taking walks for periods of time?...Not just for your ***'s sake, but for your head's. I'm not saying "Whoa dude, your studyin hard youur head must hurt" I'm saying that if you are studying 12 hours a day when are you THINKING? Purely Thinking?...Take a walk, ruminate over the information you just studied, think about the process in your head, imagine it playing out, think of it from different perspectives, tihnk of ways to apply it to other problems, think of the logic behind it and how the person who figured it out, figured it out...So that your not just a computer full of information, but you are a creative entity...A human being if you will...the people who are the smartest and who figure things out are not only smart in studying, but they also imagine things...How about you do an exercise where you take the knoledge you have think about it and kind of think about the next thing you are to learn and try to put together the pieces you know and figure out/ get an idea of how what you are going to study works before studying it and then juxtapose your logic and thought process with that of the new skill...oh yea, and start looking at things from a new perspective..not just "So I HAVE TO take 3 hrs out BUT THEN I CAN STUDY MORE MATH!" enjoy other things...oh and don't just listen to only the advice you like (pgb)..I mean seriously the guy sounds like a friggen poster-boy for following all the rules and social guidelines, and I have to question somebody who speaks with a mind so close to that of pre-drawn lines..."Keep your mind healthy, only socialize with bright people"..good advice, but have some fun and hell maybe some "not so good" people can teach you things about other things...I'm not sayin hang with homeless drug-addicts, but get some variety.."socialization murders intelligence", you've made it abundantly clear you like math, but how about you go take a psychology and sociology class...Socialization is a necessary process for gaining intelligence...I'm going to be cliche here, very cliche...GO READ A FEYNMAN BIO!..and listen to what he has to say..

 

[TheDoorsOfMe]

I think a good example of someone with a lack of social abilities is Christopher Langan. For those who don't know who that is, he is considered the smartest man in America by some. He has no formal education but was given the title do to an extraordinary IQ and self study. Now as smart as he may be, he is anti-social. Not in the typical sense but definitely with higher education. He looks down on it. He probably could be one of the most successful people in the world had he developed more social skills. Instead he let his fear of such things limit him.

And I really like JDStupi's post. I personally feel like I a have come to a much higher level of understanding of a topics through letting my mind wander with it. You can memorize all the material when you're reading but you also have to develop that imagination and creativity.

 

[Choppy]

sometimes i go thru life being content with my situation. while sometimes i get into a deep depression. the only social activity i really like is playing certain sports, but its a pick-up sport, so i often have to play with strangers'

i can definitely say i lack interest in things most people enjoy, such as watching tv, movies, listening to music, and drinking alcohol. sometimes i try to keep up with those things so people won't think i live under a rock

I don't think there's any problem with a lack of interest in more common things. Take television for example. It's rare that I find a show these days that interests me. And it's not like I'm ever going to be lying on my death bed wishing that I'd watched more TV. On the other hand, when you have odd interests, sometimes finding a kindred spirit can be tough.

Personally, I usually like to have at least one activity on the go that has nothing to do with the advancement of my career. As I said before, the best way I know of to find activities you like it trial and error. You may absolutely hate some things you try. But even those experiences can lead to positive things in the future.

 

[JG89]

Surely there must be a point (before 12 hours) where if you continue studying it's counter-productive...

 

[hagopbul]

how old are you

 

[DukeofDuke]

We'll I eat dinner between by 12 hour study period, that's my 15 minutes break, yet my bum still hurts. As for a social life, my best friends are my textbooks. Socializing with so-called "friends" have gotten me nowhere in the past.

So everyone is saying that the only solution to my problem is to cut down on my studying time? My brain only gets tired after 12 hours, and if I don't study during those 12 hours (which I really love doing), I feel I'm wasting precious time. I'm being serious here.

As a man with friends, I take offense!


I'm of the opinion that your time is being wasted no matter what you do, if you want to get technical about it. Rather, your time is never wasted in the proximate, not ultimate, sense so long as you don't think it is. The only value we can find is that which we create. So, if for you, friends are a waste of time, and studies aren't, I suppose you are right.

But that can't be healthy...

 

[DukeofDuke]

s...Socialization is a necessary process for gaining intelligence...I'm going to be cliche here, very cliche...GO READ A FEYNMAN BIO!..and listen to what he has to say..

Yeah I think this proves my point.

 

[ephedyn]

Now, I'm serious about this but there was once when I had to average 14-16 hours of study every day over the course of 3 weeks.

What I did was to find some spot in the airport, sometimes observe the people around me; and at the dead of night, when I got bored/tired/stumped, I would run backwards across the span of the arrival hall for as long as I dared (less than a minute), before going straight back to work. Also, buy a bunch of bananas from the convenience store.

 

[Choppy]

Now, I'm serious about this but there was once when I had to average 14-16 hours of study every day over the course of 3 weeks.

When I did this it was called final exams.

 

[Bourbaki1123]

I think some experimentation is in order: you must determine whether or not you are getting diminishing returns as you go through the day. You have indicated that you can get through 1 section a day and do all of the problems in that section, but that is not necessarily the most efficient way to grasp the subject. I think that the first thing to do is distinguish between knowing facts and understanding their connection and consequences(to a reasonable degree, some consequences are very subtle).

You should try various methods of getting through sections, maybe only do one problem of each type in the exercises and then move on to the next section. If there is a subsection that deals with an application that does not interest you, don't do it and don't do the problems for it. Your best bet is to look at some course outlines for universities on the subjects you are interested in and follow them after obtaining the book(s) used. Following the daily regimen for several extra courses at once may prove to be more useful than forcing your way through one entire section and all of the problems every day.

Talk to your professors to make sure you have picked the best book for you. t is often the case that starting with a more intuitive and less rigorous approach can speed up your results. Once you have the key intuitions then the rigor falls into place.

I know when I first started getting into math I studied for 8 hours a day to get from the level of a decent student in high school algebra to being the best student in my calculus class in three months(the summer before college, they let me take calculus because of my SAT scores). I continued to study outside of class and even tried to decipher Rudin's analysis before I had my first proofs class (I barely managed to get through the first chapter) and I still study outside of class. I have found that my extracurricular study has made studying for my actually classes predominately redundant, I don't need to anymore. I have the framework to pick up new concepts quickly now. I am taking my first graduate course as a first semester junior. I will probably be ready to tackle Hartshorne's Algebraic Geometry within the year ( I am doing independent study courses with an algebraic geometer).

I have not studied for more than a few hours a day since the summer before college. I have found a way to study efficiently that works well for me, you just need to do the same. Try new approaches, study interesting but somewhat tangential topics (I find that analytic philosophy gives me deeper insights and fresh approaches to my studies).

I have found friends that add to the quality of my life; they are intelligent and they have diverse interests. I often learn something new when with them. Try expanding your desire to learn to other fields, try meeting new people that actually add something to your own ideas.

To those like John: I have very little motivation to earn more money than what would be necessary for me to be relatively comfortable. If I have a kid I suppose that (assuming my wife works at a professional level), an assistant professor's salary should suffice if need be. Working on mathematics for me is not about its marketability; if I come up with a highly profitable innovation, then great , if not I will not be concerned. I would most definitely choose the opportunity to do research I love on a prof's wages than to pound out algorithms for a bank for six figs. Maybe I'm a foolish idealist, but at least I know what I want in life.

 

[theman408]

life is only once dude.

 

[creepypasta13]

I have found friends that add to the quality of my life; they are intelligent and they have diverse interests. I often learn something new when with them. Try expanding your desire to learn to other fields, try meeting new people that actually add something to your own ideas.

diverse interests such as? do they mostly study all the time?

 

[DukeofDuke]

diverse interests such as? do they mostly study all the time?

Film-making. Ever tried it? Its actually a lot of fun.

Another friend of mine likes asian chicks (fetish-ly), opened up some pretty interesting discussions on beauty, attraction, sexuality, etc.

One of my friends likes working out a lot, pulled me into it and I can say confidently that my quality of life has increased. Same with running, I can now run a mile without having to catch my breath at the end of it (though I sweat a lot) and its definitely helped me on occasion.

One of my friends got me interested in reading GEB, which is so far a pretty good book. Another friend reinforced my wish to read a book called the End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs. Don't underestimate the value of smart friends and their reading lists.

Another friend hates the Nieztsche I've come to appreciate, and its forced me to learn him even better in order to defend (some) of him.

Another friend got me listening to Muse. Epic band.

My friends have often been benchmarks for my own progress in Physics, and have often helped me on concepts I've had a difficult time with.

Good company certainly builds depth of character and being, as well as the intellectual and academic benefits they sometimes give.

Oh, and I'd like to see you go through a breakup without a good friend to vent to. Trust me, it'll be a lot worse than otherwise. Of course, if you're studying 12 hours a day, you won't have this problem

Oh and early morning coffee runs are far superior when done with friends.

 

[Bourbaki1123]

diverse interests such as? do they mostly study all the time?

One friend of mine has an encyclopedic knowledge of American and European history and a pretty solid working knowledge of comparative religion. He is also interested in film and literary analysis. We have interesting discussions concerning politics, history and films/books. I don't know if you could say that he studies. He reads for several hours every night, if that counts.

One friend is an engineering student. He is published. I don't know how much he studies, I don't think its much, but he will graduate suma cum laude with publications nonetheless.

One friend is a mathematics student who shares similar interests to me and we discuss math for the most part.

This is not really relevant to you I suppose. In high school I spent 6 hours a day during the school year and more during the summer working on guitar and music theory. As a result I became a very versatile and technically proficient guitarist. All I wanted to do was develop my skill at guitar and my ability to compose music. I think I understand where you are coming from. Is learning math the first object of obsession for you? Have you had others before? I have had a few. Art, then music, then philosophy then mathematics. I still pursue the last three fairly regularly. Each of these areas were objects of my obsession for a few years at a time. I made them the focus of my life and had little social life during middle and high school. As a result, I am very good/well versed in them (although I'm still working quite a bit on the math). Before college I did not have much of a social life, now I have found a balance. I work on mathematics a good 3-4 or so hours a day and tinker with my philosophical interests on a regular basis while maintaining good rewarding friendships. Maybe you need to work out your obsession to its end and take the fruits it provides for you.

 

[Thymo]

If you have money, buy a whiteboard that you can stick on your wall. That way you have the opportunity to stand and walk while doing maths, physics or whatever! I do this and think heavily whilst walking in circles - this makes me feel like I'm doing things like Einstein did! It's fun, try it out! :D

And... Social activites are only for people whom like it. I (and apparently Mathboy) don't, and we have the same fun as you guys have with socializing. And I couldn't have wished for anything else, I love doing what I do, contrary to many people's ignorant assumptions! It's kinda annoying when people think you're sick if you don't like what they do... Just mentioning it... ;)

~ Thymo