Studying for college is hard, meaning for classes and for finals and all. To give you a head start, here are some good tips for both.
Here is advice on how to study in college:
Rule #1: What color is your study style?
A visual learner might need images as well as words. If you're an auditory learner, hearing words out loud imprints them upon your cerebrum.
Rule #2: Fear the vampire.
We're not talking about the blood sucking. We're talking about students who sleep by day and emerge from their dorm rooms at sunset. Here's how collegians cross over from day-person to night-person: They stay up late because everyone stays up late and there are no annoying parents to say, "Go to bed already; it's midnight." The next thing you know, it's 4 a.m. The students sleep a few hours, then stagger off to class. Where they promptly fall asleep. Later that day, they're still tired, so they take a nap, then stay up late again. Soon the semester is over. Of course, at times, your workload/procrastination habits will make an early bedtime impossible. Unfortunately, the later it gets, the less cooperative your brain is.
Rule #3: Be a time manager.
Ah, the carefree days of a college student. Go to a class. Eat. Hang out. Eat. Take a nap. Watch nine episodes of South Park on your laptop. Eat. Hang out some more. Then it's nighttime, and wow, there is a lot of studying to do.
Rule #4: There's a study place for you.
Where to go for a productive study session? Some students swear by the library. Others are too distracted: So many people you know! One solution is to move far from the social whirl of the first floor. At lower or upper library levels, you may find quiet. Or move far from the library altogether. Then there's the dorm lounge. Good luck with that!
Rule #5: Keep up with the books.
It may seem fine to do required readings after class or the night before the midterm. Here's a radical thought: Do the reading before class. That way, you'll know what the teacher's talking about! Alas, reading can lead to sleeping.
Rule #6: Duly noted
Some students furiously scribble down everything the teacher says—especially on PowerPoint. You can even print out slides before class, then annotate them with the teacher's comments. Next, comes the question of what to do with those notes.
Rule #7: Spin a web of facts.
The thing about studying in college is, you don't just need to know facts. You need to put those facts into some kind of context. Bummer!
Rule #8: Group therapy
Study groups don't work for everyone. You can't work at your pace. If the group members are your good friends, you might end up not studying at all. Yet a study group can motivate and educate. A group can also get you out of a bind.
Rule #9: Avoid laptop temptation.
You bring a laptop to class to take notes. Or is it really because you want to check E-mail and troll around Facebook? Paper and pencil present far fewer temptations. In a similar vein, when you take the laptop out to type up study sheets or work on a paper—will you end up doing other stuff?
Rule #10: Quantity can lead to quality.
When prepping for a math or science test, the strategy is simple: Do sample problems. The more, the better. Take practice tests, usually available online. And as they taught you in first grade, do your homework!
Rule #11: Motivate yourself.
No one knows better than you what will keep your nose to the grindstone. When the timer dings, it's time for a cake break.
Rule #12: Do not fear your teacher (or TA).
A certain percentage of students stop by the professor's or teaching assistant's office during office hours. Others do not, lest the teacher think they're stupid. They are stupid—for not seeking help. Teachers are happy to meet with students. Really. They don't want you to fail. Your teacher may even tell you what to study. Professors may also be willing to look at a draft of your paper and give feedback.
Rule #13: Colleges will hold your hand—let them.
Professors (or TAs) typically hold review sessions before a test. Do not miss them! Some schools offer classes that help freshmen learn the art of paper writing. Can't hurt! There are study centers. Go to them! And free peer tutors. Sign up! If you get a tutor you don't like, go back and say the tutor's style isn't right for you. And don't think you're the only one who needs help.
Rule #14: Don't overdo it.
It's time to present a public service message from the National Council on the Dangers of Overstudying: Chillax! Oh, yes. And don't forget to study!
TIP- Make a study pact with a pal and alternate drudgery with sitcom emery: Put in an hour, take a break and watch an episode of How I Met Your Mother on DVD, then get back to the grind.
Here are 20 Study Strategies for Finals Week:
1. Create your own study guide.
While many teachers provide a study guide, creating your own can help you understand the material better. Outlining the important information you need to learn can be helpful, both in creation and to refer to during your studies.
2. Ask questions.
Your professors and TA’s are there to help! Ask them questions regarding the material and the exam so that you’re prepared when exam time arrives.
3. Attend the review session.
Review sessions offer vital information on exam format, what will be on the exam and key concepts you should be focusing your studies on.
4. Start early.
If you always start ahead of schedule, you’ll never be cramming the night before an exam. You’ll almost always perform better in doing so!
5. Organize a group study session.
It can be helpful to study in groups – sometimes. Evaluate whether or not studying with others will be beneficial to the subject as well at your learning process.
6. Study things not on the study guide.
Study guides aren’t always comprehensive – they’re just suggestions of the main concepts to learn. Use your study guide for its intended purpose: a guide. Be sure to fill in the blanks with related information.
7. Take breaks.
You won’t be able to memorize or comprehend all the material at once. Balance is key – ensure that you reward learning with break times to recharge and relax.
8. Stay well-rested.
There’s a lot to be said about a good night’s sleep. Make sure you're well-rested so that you can be fully focused during your exams.
9. Create a study schedule – and follow it.
Splitting the material into chucks you can actually achieve can be very beneficial. That way, you can keep track of what you’ve accomplished instead of looking at the big picture and getting overwhelmed.
10. Prioritize your study time.
Some exams will be more difficult than others, some you may find easier to study for. Some may be worth more of your grade than others. Make sure to evaluate all of your exams to consider and determine all of the involved factors so you can study accordingly.
11. Study for the style of exam.
If it’s multiple choice, you’ll need to know definitions and concepts. For essay exams, focus on your understanding of all the concepts presented, with examples in mind.
12. Quiz yourself.
If you think about and create actual exam questions, you will likely become more familiar with what you need to study and, in the meantime, familiarize yourself with the type of language that will be on the exam. Draft potential exam questions and quiz yourself so that you can set expectations of what you need to focus on.
13. Meet with your professor or TA.
Often times, meeting with an instructor, whether it’s a professor or a TA, can give you helpful hints for what to study and ways to prepare for the exam.
14. Reorganize your notes.
Evaluate and reorganize your notes into what’s important, outlining important concepts, formulas dates and definitions so they’re easy to understand.
15. Pace yourself.
Make sure you stay focused and don’t burn yourself out. A great way to do so is to pace yourself rather than opting for the dreaded all-nighter. You can easily pace yourself by following tips like starting early, creating a study schedule and taking breaks when necessary!
16. Teach classmates.
Learning by teaching is a method that really works! If you work with a study buddy and explain concepts to one another, you’re re-learning the material all over again. It’s a great way to reinforce what you’ve learned and help someone in the meantime!
17. Revolve your focus.
Switching up your subjects is a helpful way to learn everything for your exams while preventing burnout on one topic. Make sure to switch it up before your eyes glaze over! That way, you can keep studying for longer periods of time while maintaining your focus.
18. Color code it.
Create a system that allows you to color code material that’s going to be on the exam by what’s most important, less important, etc. This will help you focus on the most pertinent information and prioritize the material.
19. Visualize.
If you’re a visual learner, it can help to create mind maps or diagrams to visualize how the concepts you’re learning relate to one another. This is especially beneficial when learning concepts that build upon the understanding of one another, like in science courses.
20. Make it fun.
It’s easier to focus if you adapt to studying by quizzing yourself, creating acronyms or rewarding yourself for a job well done. Create a game plan – literally – that allows you to accomplish tasks and be rewarded for each.
For example, why not reward yourself with a piece of chocolate or a sip of your coffee after you’ve accomplished a new chapter or allow yourself five minutes of free time for every chunk of material you digest?
You can even add in fun factors like power-ups every time you learn a new definition and lose a life, which means you add another definition to your list, when you get an answer wrong!
