Getting Started with AI Powered Learning

So I basically failed my ochem midterm. Like not actually failed but got a 67 (haha) which might as well be failing when you're pre-med. My advisor was like "you need to figure something out" which was super helpful advice...

I'm not even bad at chemistry usually? I just have literally zero time between work and trying to have somewhat of a social life. Also I'm pretty sure my professor's accent makes everything 10x harder to understand but that's probably not the main issue.

What I ended up doing

My roommate kept showing me this app called Crammi. I thought it was gonna be one of those things that costs money after the trial or whatever but I was desperate so I tried it.

Basically you just take pictures of your notes and it makes flashcards quizzes and exams. Which sounds kind of stupid when I say it like that but it actually helped? I took pictures of my notes from the last three weeks and it made like 50 questions.

The weird part is that I have complete control over what questions it spits out for me. All I had to do was put it in the special insructions tab. After I finished an exam i would just press the upload existing button and tell crammi to make specific changes based on what I needed to focus more on.

I didn't study that much more than usual I just actually knew what to study instead of rereading my notes and hoping I'd remember something.

Why I'm still using Crammi to study

I started having a structured study flow with Crammi. Right before a big test, I'd gather all the lecture note PDFS into one upload to make a flashcard set first. After I finished studying the flashcard set, I'd make a quiz. This quiz would give me feedback on all the questions I got wrong. Finally, When I was ready, I'd upload it into a practice exam. The exam is timed and feels like a real test. It lets me know what to expect when I do the real deal.

Most study apps are SO much work. You have to make all the flashcards yourself and organize everything and track your progress. I barely have time to do my actual homework.

This one you literally just upload whatever notes you have (mine are a mess, half typed half pictures from lecture) and it does everything. Takes like 2 minutes.

Also you find out immediately if you're wrong which is way better than studying for hours and having no idea if you actually learned anything. That used to drive me crazy.

The practice exams are timed which I thought I'd hate but it's actually helpful? I used to panic during real exams because I didn't know if I had enough time. Now I at least know what to expect.

Random things that helped

I started studying in shorter chunks instead of trying to do 4 hours straight. Like 30 minutes here and there between classes or before work. I can just log in on my phone so I can just do a quick quiz whenever.

Also I stopped trying to memorize everything and focused on actually understanding it. The app explanations are pretty good for that. When you get something wrong it shows you why instead of just saying "wrong try again."

Still not getting A's or anything but I'm passing and I'm not stressed 24/7 anymore so that's something.

Things it doesn't fix

You still have to go to class. I skipped a week of lectures once and even with the app I was completely lost. It helps you study what you're learning but it can't replace actually learning it.

Crammi's also not gonna make you magically care about the subject. I still think organic chemistry is boring I just understand it better now.

If you want to try it

Just sign up and upload notes from whatever class you're struggling with. Don't overthink it.

The best part? Crammi is so affordable. Some other study tools charge you $20 a month... Crammi is free but the paid tier costs the same as a medium fry.

Do a quiz and actually read the explanations when you get stuff wrong. That's the part that actually helps.

Try it for like a week and see if it's better than whatever you're doing now. Took me a few days to get used to it but it's pretty easy.

Worst case you wasted some time. Best case you stop failing. Seems worth trying.

I'm not saying it's perfect or anything but it's better than what I was doing before (nothing) (well not nothing but close to nothing).