Study Helper: The Best Way To Actually Remember What You Study (Most Students Don’t Do This) – Use This Simple System To Learn Faster And Stop Forgetting Everything
Study helper not working? Switch from passive rereading to active recall + spaced repetition with Flashrecall and let the app handle what and when to review.
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So, You Want A Study Helper That Actually Helps?
So, you’re looking for a study helper because you’re tired of reading the same notes 5 times and still forgetting everything on test day. The fix is to stop passively rereading and switch to active recall + spaced repetition using a good flashcard-based study helper app. This works because you’re training your brain to pull information out (recall) right when you’re about to forget it, which is how long-term memory is built. Start by turning your notes into questions and answers, then review them on a schedule that gradually spaces out over days and weeks. An app like Flashrecall does all of this for you automatically, so you just open it, review what it tells you, and trust the process.
What Is A “Study Helper” (And Why Most People Use The Wrong Kind)?
When people say study helper, they usually mean one of these:
- A friend who shares notes
- A YouTube channel
- A notes app or planner
- Some random website with summaries
- Or just…highlighters and sticky notes
The problem?
Most of that is passive. You’re reading, watching, or highlighting, but your brain isn’t being forced to work. And if your brain isn’t working, it’s not remembering.
A real study helper should:
1. Make you actively recall information
2. Repeat it at the right time (before you forget)
3. Be easy to use daily
4. Keep everything organized for you
That’s why flashcards + spaced repetition is still the gold standard. And that’s exactly what Flashrecall was built for.
Why Flashcards Are Still The Best Study Helper (When Done Right)
Flashcards work because they hit the two most important learning principles:
- Active recall – You see a question, your brain has to dig for the answer
- Spaced repetition – You review things right before you forget them
But doing this manually with a shoebox of index cards? Painful.
That’s where a modern study helper like Flashrecall comes in:
- It handles the scheduling (spaced repetition)
- It tracks what you know vs what you struggle with
- It reminds you when to study
- It lets you create cards super fast from almost anything
So instead of wasting time figuring out what to review, you just open the app and start.
You can grab Flashrecall here:
👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
How To Turn Flashrecall Into Your Daily Study Helper
Let’s make this super practical. Here’s a simple system you can copy.
1. Capture Everything You Need To Learn
With Flashrecall, you can make flashcards from pretty much anything:
- Text – Copy-paste definitions, formulas, key points
- Images – Diagrams, slides, textbook pages
- PDFs – Lecture notes, handouts, study guides
- YouTube links – Turn videos into flashcards instead of just watching
- Audio – Great for languages or lectures
- Or just type cards manually if you like control
Instead of hoarding screenshots and random notes, you’re turning everything into questions and answers your brain can practice with.
Example for biology:
- Front: “What does the mitochondrion do?”
- Back: “It’s the powerhouse of the cell – produces ATP via cellular respiration.”
Example for languages:
- Front: “How do you say ‘I’m studying’ in Spanish?”
- Back: “Estoy estudiando.”
Within one session, you’ve turned your messy notes into a clean, test-ready study helper.
2. Use Built-In Active Recall (Don’t Just Read The Cards)
The magic isn’t in having cards, it’s in how you use them.
When Flashrecall shows you a card:
1. Look away from the answer.
Flashrecall automatically keeps track and reminds you of the cards you don't remember well so you remember faster. Like this :
2. Try to say or think the answer before flipping.
3. Then rate how hard it was.
This is active recall. Flashrecall is designed around this, so you’re not just skimming; you’re training your memory like a muscle.
If you’re unsure about a concept, you can even chat with the flashcard inside Flashrecall to get more explanation, examples, or context. That’s like having a tiny tutor built into your study helper.
3. Let Spaced Repetition Do The Heavy Lifting
Here’s where most people mess up: they either cram everything in one night or review randomly.
Flashrecall uses spaced repetition with auto reminders, which means:
- New cards: you see them more often at first
- Known cards: they get spaced out over days, then weeks
- Hard cards: they come back sooner so you don’t forget
You don’t have to think about timing at all. The app handles it. You just:
- Open Flashrecall
- Tap your deck
- Do the reviews it gives you
That’s it. Your study helper is literally scheduling your memory training in the background.
4. Set Study Reminders So You Actually Use It
Even the best study helper is useless if you forget to open it.
Flashrecall has study reminders, so you can:
- Set a daily review time (e.g., 10 minutes at night)
- Get a nudge when it’s time to review
- Build a simple, low-stress habit
10–20 minutes a day with spaced repetition beats 3 hours of last-minute panic every single time.
Why Flashrecall Beats Basic “Study Helper” Apps
There are tons of “study helper” tools out there—note apps, to-do lists, random flashcard sites. Here’s why Flashrecall stands out:
1. It’s Built Around How Memory Actually Works
- Active recall baked into the design
- Spaced repetition handled automatically
- No need to manually track what to review or when
Instead of just storing information, it helps you remember it.
2. It’s Fast And Modern (Not Clunky Or Confusing)
Some flashcard tools feel like they were built in 2005. Flashrecall is:
- Clean
- Fast
- Easy to use on day one
You can be making and reviewing cards within minutes, not watching tutorials for an hour.
3. It Works For Basically Anything You Want To Learn
You can use Flashrecall as your study helper for:
- School subjects – math, science, history
- University courses – law, engineering, psychology
- Medicine – drugs, conditions, anatomy
- Languages – vocab, grammar, phrases
- Business – frameworks, terminology, interview prep
- Certifications – IT, finance, anything with a big exam
If it has facts, concepts, or processes, you can turn it into flashcards.
4. It Works Offline
No Wi‑Fi in the library or on the train? No problem.
Flashrecall works offline, so your study helper is always with you on your iPhone or iPad.
Simple Example: Using Flashrecall As A Study Helper For An Exam
Let’s say you’ve got a big exam in 3 weeks.
Step 1: Day 1 – Build Your Deck
- Import your lecture PDF into Flashrecall
- Create 50–80 cards from key points (definitions, formulas, dates, concepts)
- Keep each card simple: one idea per card
Step 2: Days 1–3 – Daily Reviews
- Spend 15–20 minutes a day reviewing
- Mark easy cards as easy, hard ones as hard
- Flashrecall starts learning what you struggle with
Step 3: Week 2 – Deeper Understanding
- As you hit confusing cards, chat with the flashcard to get explanations
- Add extra cards for tricky topics
- By now, most basic stuff feels familiar
Step 4: Week 3 – Light Maintenance
- Reviews are shorter because spaced repetition is kicking in
- You’re mostly reinforcing, not learning from scratch
- On exam day, everything feels weirdly familiar
That’s what a good study helper should do: make the exam feel like you’ve already seen it in your head a dozen times.
How To Make Better Flashcards (So Your Study Helper Isn’t Useless)
A study helper is only as good as the cards you put into it. A few quick tips:
1. One Question, One Idea
Bad:
> “Explain photosynthesis including light-dependent and light-independent reactions and where they occur.”
Good:
- “Where do light-dependent reactions occur?”
- “Where do light-independent reactions occur?”
- “What is the main purpose of light-dependent reactions?”
Shorter = easier to review, easier to remember.
2. Use Your Own Words
Don’t just copy textbook sentences. Rewrite in language you would actually say. That makes recall way easier.
3. Add Images When It Helps
For anatomy, diagrams.
For geography, maps.
For chemistry, structures.
Flashrecall lets you add images easily so your study helper isn’t just walls of text.
Turning Flashrecall Into Your All-In-One Study Helper
Here’s how to make Flashrecall the center of your study system:
- Lecture today? Turn key slides into cards.
- Reading a chapter? Make cards for bolded terms and key ideas.
- Watching a YouTube explanation? Pause, add 3–5 cards for the main points.
- Confused about something? Chat with your flashcard and add follow-up cards from the explanation.
Over time, you build a personal, searchable brain outside your brain—one that reminds you what to study and when.
Ready To Try A Real Study Helper?
If you’re tired of:
- Highlighting everything but remembering nothing
- Re-reading notes and feeling like it’s not sticking
- Panicking before exams because you “knew this yesterday”
Then it’s time to switch from passive studying to active recall + spaced repetition with a proper study helper.
Flashrecall makes that super easy:
- Creates flashcards from images, text, PDFs, YouTube, audio, or manual input
- Uses built-in active recall and spaced repetition
- Sends study reminders so you don’t fall off
- Works offline on iPhone and iPad
- Free to start, fast and modern to use
You can grab it here and turn your phone into an actually useful study helper:
👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Use it for a week with just 10–15 minutes a day and you’ll feel the difference in how much you remember.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fastest way to create flashcards?
Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.
Is there a free flashcard app?
Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.
How do I start spaced repetition?
You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.
What is active recall and how does it work?
Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.
Related Articles
- Revision App: The Best Way To Actually Remember What You Study (Most Students Don’t Know This) – Stop rereading notes and start using a revision app that does the hard work for you.
- Online Study App: The Best Way To Learn Faster On Your Phone (Most Students Don’t Know This) – Turn your notes, screenshots, and PDFs into smart flashcards that actually stick.
- Study Card Maker: The Best Way To Remember Anything Faster (Most Students Don’t Know This) – Turn notes, screenshots and videos into smart flashcards in seconds and actually remember them.
Practice This With Free Flashcards
Try our web flashcards right now to test yourself on what you just read. You can click to flip cards, move between questions, and see how much you really remember.
Try Flashcards in Your BrowserInside the FlashRecall app you can also create your own decks from images, PDFs, YouTube, audio, and text, then use spaced repetition to save your progress and study like top students.
Research References
The information in this article is based on peer-reviewed research and established studies in cognitive psychology and learning science.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380
Meta-analysis showing spaced repetition significantly improves long-term retention compared to massed practice
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378
Review showing spacing effects work across different types of learning materials and contexts
Kang, S. H. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19
Policy review advocating for spaced repetition in educational settings based on extensive research evidence
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968
Research demonstrating that active recall (retrieval practice) is more effective than re-reading for long-term learning
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27
Review of research showing retrieval practice (active recall) as one of the most effective learning strategies
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58
Comprehensive review ranking learning techniques, with practice testing and distributed practice rated as highly effective
Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. New York: Dover
Pioneering research on the forgetting curve and memory retention over time

FlashRecall Team
FlashRecall Development Team
The FlashRecall Team is a group of working professionals and developers who are passionate about making effective study methods more accessible to students. We believe that evidence-based learning tec...
Credentials & Qualifications
- •Software Development
- •Product Development
- •User Experience Design
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