The way you study is crucial to passing your classes. As a fall semester freshman, it wasn’t easy trying to get used to the college environment and also get good grades. Spending some time to decide what worked out for me and what didn’t allow me to pass this semester. Here are a couple ways you could pass your next class:

1. Type your notes

Organization is KEY when studying. If your notes all over the place, it’s hard to figure out where each part of information belongs. I definitely prefer typing my notes overwriting them. Printing your notes and having them in front of you is easy for you to highlight them too. When you handwrite your notes, it may be hard to read your own handwriting sometimes. If you type your notes, it’ll be clear to read as well as understand.

2. HIGHLIGHTING is everything

But don’t highlight too much that your whole paper is a blob of color. Highlighting only the important material is important. When you highlight all your notes, sometimes it’s hard for your brain to read the material. When I highlight my notes, I tend to write a little summary of the information that really needs to be emphasized in the margins. That way, when I go back and review my notes, I won’t even have to read the highlighted information. All I have to do is read and memorize the important summarized info!

3. Watch videos

YouTube has a plethora of videos relating to any topic available. For visual learners like me, it’s easy to learn through YouTube videos. I mean who doesn’t love CrashCourse? Believe me when I say this: There are so many videos for LITERALLY every class. Sometimes watching someone explain something with pictures and examples is the best way to learn.

4. Write down vocab separately

Vocabulary words are important to know for any exam. Combining vocab words with your other notes just makes it look longer than it actually is. Writing vocab words on flashcards makes it easier to learn. I find that using paper flashcards instead of Quizlet is a lot better because I tend to get distracted while using Quizlet. Separating your vocab words also makes it easier to make up acronyms or ways to remember the words better.

5. Don’t crowd your notes

This is SO important and I cannot stress this enough. Crowded notes can lead to confusion while studying. Organization is key and when your notes are crowded, it can be hard for your brain to differentiate the information. This is even more important for those of you who are hardcore procrastinators! Staying up all night to study can be difficult because your body is losing sleep. Adding jumbled up notes just makes your brain not want to study. Try to keep it engaging and interesting!

6. Write down important people separately

If you’re studying for a history or science course, you’ll know that you have to know scientists or important people in history for your exam. Writing down these important figures separately will allow you to study them more in depth. I like to create “Happy Sheets,” which are basically separate sheets of paper that will have either important case studies, topics or people that I need to know for the exam. I like to use a lot of colors to make the sheets look bright and interesting as well as section off extra info or details into boxes to use for the summary at the end of my notes. Remember, studying can be fun if you make it fun!

7. Delete social media apps

Social media is your biggest distraction. Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook. The list goes on! There’s no way you will be able to actually sit down and study without checking your phone ten times. Deleting your social media apps won’t be the end of the world! Another tip is to put your phone on airplane mode. Putting your phone on airplane mode will disable all notifications including phone calls and text messages! Avoid as many distractions as you can!

8. Don’t eat junk food

Sugar and junk food will only drain your energy. Try eating healthy foods and lots of water. It’s easy to become dehydrated so make sure you have a lot of water next to you while studying. Although you might feel a kick of energy at first, known as a sugar rush, you will definitely feel horrible in a couple minutes soon after.

9. Textbooks galore

Even though they cost a ton, textbooks have a lot of information that will be good to know for your upcoming exams. Some professors make the textbook optional but I would definitely recommend getting the book for getting more information. My psychology class requires me to know some of the modules that the textbook talks about for the exam and I’m so glad I bought it!

10. Friends? I mean human cheat sheets

Your secret way to acing the exam! Having friends who have taken the class before is the best way to pass any class. Going into a class knowing nothing can be tough. Not knowing how the exams will be is even worse. Having some type of background knowledge about the professor or about the class is important. I mean it doesn’t count as cheating if you ask a friend for some help, right??

11. Do what works for you

My last tip is to do what works for you. People can give you a billion tips and ways to pass a class or ace your exams, but the only person who knows what’s right for you, is YOU! Try to experiment with different ideas and customize it to fit your lifestyle and your way of thinking. I wish you all the best of luck on your exams and here’s to finishing another year!