Hey Danielle, I am a medical student so I know a little about studying! The first rule of studying is to figure out what works for you. Some people soak up lectures like a sponge, others have to read it, others have to do something hands on. Figure out an efficient method for you for any given class and do it. For me reading the material at a reasonable pace and then answering questions cements it.
As for spending time studying, it sounds to me like you are overdoing it. I never studied like that in college taking 18-22 credits per semester, and I don't study like that in medical school. Try this (works for me). Go to class consistently, then read over the material for understanding. Then go on with your life. If you're in college, that might average three hours of class and four hours of reading per weekday, leaving you lots of free time. Then several days before the exam go on lockdown and read, re-read, practice, and do everything to master every detail. The added pressure will keep you moving.
People will tell you you will not remember a thing doing this. They're wrong. The key is really understanding as you go and then mastering right before the test, leaving yourself plenty of time to enjoy life in the meantime. That got me through classes with a solid GPA and ended with me scoring high enough on the MCAT to teach every section for Kaplan.
Oh, and the most important tip (which I hope you already know): love what you're learning. If you are learning something you really enjoy it will be so much easier, and incidentally it will take less time. Good luck, PM me if you need any tips!
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