Thoughts on studying

A few days ago I received a magazine from the National Student Nurse's Association (of which I am a member).  I came across an article containing study and wellness tips from nursing school graduates.  I pored over the article, hoping to find something helpful to keep me organized and on-track with my studying.  Don't get me wrong, my current study practices are getting me some very good grades, but if there is an easier or more efficient way to go about it, I'm all for it.  Here are some of my reactions to the article:

1.  What is the deal with notecards/flashcards/drug cards??  It takes me a lot of time to prepare these cards, and I never look at them again!  They obviously work for some people, because they are commonly recommended - but I don't buy.  Until if is a mandatory requirement for my clinical rotations.

2.  Studying immediately after class - I like this idea.  However, most of the time when I leave a class I find it hard to focus on the same subject for any longer.  Four to five hours is a lot!  I may try to implement this strategy however, maybe later in the evening instead of immediately after class.

3.  Studying with friends/classmates seems like a good idea, but honestly I find it more of a distraction than anything.  I like to spend extra time on the things that I don't understand, and I know it will not always be the same information as another person.

4.  Recording lectures is not something I ever really considered until now because I have always been able to rely on my memory.  However, with the incredible amount of information I am being presented with, I think that maybe this is not a bad idea.  One person suggested listening to recorded lectures while crocheting, driving, or doing another activity - which is really appealing to me.  Does anyone know a way to get a recorded lecture onto my iPod?

5.  A lot of people recommend studying with an NCLEX review book.  Any thoughts on this?  It seems like I have so much to read already...

I welcome any thoughts you might have on this subject.  I have been getting by with an iPod or Pandora radio, green tea, frequent dog walks and lots of reading.  If I can stay on top of things and read the material before class, the results are alway better and less stressful!