Coming into the second month of the semester, classes are finally starting to get into the swing of things and quizzes and exams will soon be starting. With this added pressure and stress, it's good to start getting yourself organized, on a schedule, and in the routine of some good study habits. Now, I am by no means the most perfect person to be handing out advice on these matters, because if there was anyone to be a master of procrastination it would be me. As a sophomore, though, I've picked up some good advice and habits that have really helped me get through the past two semesters and can hopefully help you too.
Go to class.
This is literally this easiest thing you can ever do to help your grades. All you have to do is actually remember how much you're paying for each class and when you're not going, or not paying attention, how much money you're just throwing away. Just go to class.
Use the syllabus.
A lot of people make jokes about everything being in the syllabus, but most of the time, whatever you need to know really is in the syllabus. When you pay attention to what the professor has mapped out then it's really easy to stay on track, plan ahead and stay on topic. Syllabi also usually have how many days you can miss in the class, what each letter grade is, how exams and assignments work, professor office hours, and how to get in touch with your professor; basically everything you need to know to survive the class. (Definitely print this out and save it to your computer.)
Your planner is your Bible.
I use my planner religiously and without it I would be absolutely lost and fail at college. My planner keeps me so so so organized, helps me remember when things are due, what I have going on that week/month, events, and basically my entire life in a book. The best thing to do at the beginning of every semester is to take the syllabus for every class and write in every single due date, test date, etc. so that you can't forget anything and have no excuse not to remember. Planners are also amazing to block out specific study days so that you can get yourself on a good schedule and actually stick to it. It also really helps to skip out on the *super cute* planner and go for the one that has enough space to write everything in and is durable enough to last the entire year.
Read before class and come up with questions.
This is a really big one that I struggle to stick with since I procrastinate and leave the reading until right before class. I promise if you actually get yourself into the habit of doing this, you won't regret it. You'll be prepared for class, know what you'll be learning about, and even if you don't actually ask the questions in class at least you'll know what to listen out for during the lecture and make yourself pay attention and actually learn something.
Don't overwork yourself and try to do a little bit every day.
Sometimes I get into the habit of trying to do all my work in one day so that I can have the rest of the week/weekend free and even though sometimes this is OK, it can also be a bad thing. When you try to cram everything all into one day, you tend to stress yourself out and fry your brain trying to memorize too many things all at once and you'll end up mixing things up and not learning anything at all. I've found that it's better to take a few days to study multiple things so that you're not overloading your brain and so that when you start to get overwhelmed or your eyes start to cross from looking at the same page for too long, you can take a break, take a nap, or just save it for the next day. Never overwork yourself when you're studying; remember, you're just a student, not a superhuman.
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Professors are here to help you learn, to teach you what you're paying for, and to help give you an education. Even though you're in college, you're older, and the classes are way bigger, you're still in school and it's still OK to ask questions. Never be scared or nervous about what anyone, peers or professors, is going to think of you.
Color code and actually take notes.
I swear color-coding works. It might just be me since all of the different colors keep me focused and help me separate the information, but you should definitely try it and see if it works for you too. Note taking is most definitely a life-saver for me. Even if your teacher hands out notes, it really helps to take your own or add little side notes. Note taking keeps you really focused in class, makes sure you pay attention, and if you actually take the notes you'll be able to remember information from the lecture better when you're studying.
I really hope these tips help you through this next year, and if you have any that you think would be helpful let me know! I'm always up for some extra help and organization; us struggling college kids have to stick together.
