How to Study Math: Tips and Resources to Help You Conquer Your Fear of Mathematics
I don’t think I’ve met a single high school student who isn’t afraid of math — and this is coming from someone who has always gotten very good grades in math and who’s surrounded by equally mathematically skilled students. Every math test, even if it seems easy, means that I’m going to stress out a bit more, my day is going to be at least slightly worse, I’m going to worry about my grade until the test results are out. Out of all the school subjects, math is the one that’s holding me in the biggest chokehold, and I know I’m not the only one.
Thankfully, over the past semester I was able to find some ways to not only get less anxious about math, but also prepare for math tests more effectively. Ever since I’ve started my journey to overcome math anxiety, I get a little less stressed with every upcoming test; my breath gets a little more stable and I worry a little less about the results. If your math class also keeps you awake at night and provides you with an unhealthy dose of anxiety, you’ve come to the right place: I’ve compiled my best online resources for studying math, as well as tips for studying and overcoming math anxiety.
Reducing math anxiety
Think about the way you talk to yourself
Negative self-talk is a big part of math anxiety, so be mindful about the way you talk to yourself. Reminding yourself that you are not stupid or doomed to fail may sound ineffective, but developing more positive self-talk can truly go a long way when it comes to being less anxious about your math skills.
Remember that you are not alone
I can assure you’re not the only person in your class who’s stressed out about math; many people struggle with math anxiety, even math teachers or tutors. Getting stressed out about mathematics doesn’t say anything about your intelligence or even your math skills, and finding people around you who struggle with a similar problem might help you feel less alone.
Don’t hesitate to reach out for help
There are many people willing to help you with your math struggles, from your friends to your teachers. Getting help by asking questions in class, for example, can make you more confident in your math abilities, allowing you to overcome your math anxiety. If your teacher offers office hours, make good use out of them. Remember, there’s nothing wrong or shameful about asking for help!
Practice as much as you can
I think it goes without saying that the more you practice doing math problems, the less anxious you’ll feel about your math skills. If you’re not sure how to study math effectively, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
Studying math
Listen in class
It might be a pretty obvious tip, but paying attention in class is crucial to getting through your math class fairly painlessly. It doesn’t mean you won’t be able to catch up if you happen to skip a class every once in a while, but listening to your teacher’s lecture will reduce the amount of time you’ll have to study later. If there’s something you find confusing in your teacher’s lecture, don’t zone out and get stressed; either ask your teacher for clarification or note down the thing you’re struggling with, so you remember to come back to it later.
Take good notes
Make sure your handwriting is legible, highlight the most important parts, copy down all formulas and examples of concepts you’re discussing. If it makes organizing your work easier for you, you can try having two math notebooks: one for “pretty” notes with all the information and one for practice problems, which can often get messy (so much of my math notebook is just big X’s over entire pages!).
Practice, practice, practice
In most cases, remembering a formula or a definition won’t be enough to ace a math test; you have to know how to use this theoretical information in different scenarios. Find as many practice questions and past papers as you can, whether they’re from your textbook, your teacher or some outside resources. You don’t have to do a full review session every day — the most basic way of practicing is just doing your homework.
Remember that consistency is key
A lot of topics in mathematics depend on each other, so it’s important you review all the class material consistently, especially if you’re going to have a final exam from the class. One of the most popular ways of reviewing material over long periods of time is challenging the Curve of Forgetting, which describes how we retain information we take in. I know that consistently reviewing topics you’ve studied earlier in the semester seems exhausting and pointless, but the future you will thank you when final exams roll around.
Identify your weakest points and spend a lot of time on them
I know it’s nice to only review the material you understand very well and are generally good at, but it’s much more important to work on the topics you don’t excel at. Studying is all about getting out of your comfort zone, and it’s no different when it comes to math, so make sure you challenge yourself and do the practice problems you don’t feel the most comfortable with.
Resources
Khan Academy is an amazing resource when it comes to studying math. It covers a lot of topics from K12 math classes; some of their courses are designed specifically for certain math classes, such as AP classes. It’s truly one of the best math resources out there, providing you with videos and practice problems on many topics in math.
Cheatography is an excellent tool for creating your own cheat sheets. It can be used for a variety of subjects, but when it comes to math, it’s useful for creating cheat sheets with formulas, which is a great way to review for any math tests or exams.
Google might sound like a pretty obvious resource, but it really is my #1 place to look for practice tests. Searching for things like “(chapter title) practice test” or “(chapter title) practice problems” goes a long way; if you want to look for PDFs, add “filetype:pdf” at the end of your search.
Good luck studying!
Written by Magdalena Styś
Wave Learning Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free, live seminars, tutoring, college application help, career mentorship and more. If you would like to learn more about Wave Learning Festival, check out our website or contact us at hello@wavelf.org. Please consider contributing to Wave’s mission of making education accessible to all.