A Love Letter to Flashcards

2 hours ago

The author initially viewed flashcards negatively, associating them with rote memorization and inefficient learning, especially in STEM fields.
Their perception changed after taking a 'learning how to learn' course, which emphasized spaced repetition as a valuable tool for deep understanding, not just memorization.
Due to poor memory, especially in math, the author adopted Anki for spaced repetition to retain knowledge over long periods, recognizing that deep fields like math require strong memory foundations.
Flashcards are used complementarily with traditional learning, focusing on creating personal cards for intuition and insights rather than relying on low-quality shared decks.
The author integrates flashcards with note-taking, adds images and source links, and uses them for recurrent tasks like reviewing past math mistakes to maintain a lightweight, sustainable habit.
Despite limited empirical evidence on Anki in STEM, the author finds the practice worthwhile, enabling continuity in learning projects after breaks and reducing forgetting.

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