[stared]

Well, I finished a mathematical physics PhD, without a hint of SRS.

During my undergraduate time I knew people memorizing instead of trying to understand theorems (especially ones with background in chemistry). Often they got good exam results... and almost never it helped to build a bigger picture, or do research in mathematics.

That said, I have ADHD and any small-dose-but-regular learning (typical for classes!) was painful to me (and not to effective).

YMMV.

[BeetleB]

> During my undergraduate time I knew people memorizing instead of trying to understand theorems (especially ones with background in chemistry).

As I pointed out in another comment, this is a false dichotomy. You can do both. I contend that one who attempts to understand and memorize will know the material better than one who doesn't. The thrust of my argument isn't that it is necessary. It's that you will gain from it. Of course, if you make that your only tool in the toolbox, you will suffer.

And I never claimed that not memorizing will prevent degrees. I'm sure while in grad school you came across plenty of less capable people than you who nevertheless still got a PhD ;-)

[wkey]

I would be curious as to any techniques you used to overcome this painful regular learning. I find certain 'plain' tasks (for lack of a better word) excruciating.

[stared]

Read "Driven to distraction" https://www.amazon.com/Driven-Distraction-Revised-Recognizin..., you may resonate with some of these points (even if you don't experience a full-blown ADHD).

In my case, well, if something really needs to be regular, the only way to go is external pressure (external deadlines, people meeting at a given time with the goal to learn) and bringing some intensity (instead of 1h learning, a day focused on that).