PRIMING

Are you ready for it?

What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone says priming? Well, the technical meaning is to tell someone something that will prepare them for a particular situation or the layer of paint put to prep the surface. The same concept applies to studying. Priming is allowing yourself to take a quick look at what you wish to do before you begin. It is there to give you a basic framework of knowledge that you will require to cover the specific concept. It is based on the focus on the concept that will make your learning later more efficient and easier. It helps a lot as it avoids you from being overburdened by a massive topic, in turn giving you bits of info already making it easier to flow through the chapter.

Priming should only take up roughly 20% of your time and cover the same percent of content. For a one-hour lecture, 20 minutes priming is more the enough. The trick is to leave large enough gaps to cover the whole topic in short. Don’t get sucked into the chapter, making very small notes and few gaps, this unnecessarily wastes time. To start off, read your content, map points that stand out; maybe a topic overly mentioned, or any topic you haven’t seen before and that’s priming.

Remember, priming doesn't need to be a complex or time-consuming endeavor. Keep it simple, create a structured approach, and use it as a foundation for your further exploration of the topic. By applying the principles of priming, you'll find that your learning becomes smoother, and your understanding of the subject matter deepens. So, the next time you embark on a study session, don't forget to prime the pump and set yourself up for success. Happy learning!