What to do on a weekend?

Within the couple of last months, I’ve been digging into the theory of learning, trying to find out more on core principles of how our brain obtain new information. There is a specific person whose lections have pushed me into that direction, a Russian one, so if you are up to 90 minutes’ lecture in Russian I encourage you to check this video of Tatiana Chernigovskaya.

For those who are not that far into Russian yet I’ll share several brief points. So, how can you learn more efficiently?

1. Try to use the language on daily basis, no matter how deep and long. So switch your phone and laptop into Russian and enjoy the new level of security you'll get as a bonus. Or shall I suppose that your roommate speaks Russian as well?
2. Our brain is a champ in sorting and erasing whatever does not make much sense for him. So, take extra effort and if you want to remember the new topic you’ve just learned just do a homework.
   My sincere apologies for advising something that’s not very cool, and I’ve resisted this point for numerous years. But really, doing homework is the simplest way of repeating.
   One class a week with no homework gives no progress, with one class and a homework you’ll see the difference soon.
   Think economically: if you forget that new topic, you’d have to learn it again – and pay for the lesson again. Homework is free.
3. If I can ask that much: do your homework before the day you have a class. Brain converts information from short- to long-term memory only while you sleep, so doing all work on the same day you overload short-term while push just the same volume in long-term.
4. When you’ve learned a lot of new stuff the most important is to have a good night sleep. Preferably longer than 4 hours you’d have between a party and a school/work. That point sadly makes Friday night the best time to study.
5. The brain is lazy and does not simply builds new neuron connections, while your progress depends on a weakest link – the less developed connections. In practice, pay attention to run different types of activities, especially those that make your brain squeak and you to switch to checking your Facebook account within couple of minutes.
   So switch back from Facebook the moment you realize you are there instead of doing a planned exercise.
   Don’t make me wrong: you shall enjoy learning the new language, just spend 10% of your time on something that’s hard.
6. Our learning styles are individual. Even the scientists have no slightest idea how the model of the language in any brain looks like. Do you really think that the official grammar of your native language has something in common with how it’s coded in your brain?
   So, on top of core principles, listen to yourself, how does learning works for you?
   To give an example, here is the thing that works for me: after one lucky occasion, each time I learn new grammatical structure I write down by hand a number of examples. Re-reading, re-telling, hearing again and again does not have the same efficiency and take soooo much more time.
   You might have completely different boosters - but you have them, so save your time by using them.