Like most people, I never studied in high school. Literally the only time I studied was in the class right before whatever it was I needed to study for. Then I got to college. There I was, sitting in "Dating, Marriage, and Divorce" on the second day of class about to take my first real college quiz (not including a syllabus quiz). Anyway, I read my assigned reading the night before and thought, "Hey, I got this." I thought wrong. On my first official quiz of college a scored a 60. A 60. While some people may be okay with a 60, most aren't. But let's get one thing straight really quick: scoring a low grade on one quiz isn't the end of the world, but it's annoying when you're not used to it. It's a difficult transition going from getting easy A's all throughout high school to getting slapped in the face with a measly 60 just upon your arrival on campus. Obviously angry, I thought, "How?? I did my reading!" As it turns out, just reading something once doesn't do much for you in college. Although it seemed like it would be a fairly easy five question quiz, it wasn't, because I didn't study what I had read. Aside from that, I didn't start the reading until about midnight, which clearly wasn't a good choice considering I finished around 2:30 am. I learned the hard way that just reading the material alone wasn't going to cut it. You have to read the assignments more than once, maybe even three or four times. And you can't just read. You have to make sure you're actually retaining the information you're reading, not just merely skimming through it. This is a hard realization for someone who has no idea how to study. However, it must be done. Prioritizing your time and making sure you are fully awake when doing homework is the first step in figuring out this whole "study" thing. Trying to read or study too late at night after a long day is a remedy for failure. Another important factor affecting your study habits is background noise. Some can study with music playing or people talking around them. For others, you need complete silence. If you are one of these types of people, don't force yourself to study with friends or other distractions just because you want to be around people. Nothing is wrong with going to the quiet level of the library and focusing or sitting in your room alone. You're grades are the most important thing in college and you can socialize with your when your work is done or on the weekends. Also, take advantage of study groups or tutor programs if you need extra help. Homework sucks, but in order to be successful you need to do it. Figuring out what study habits work best for you, whether it be group studying, isolation, flashcards, or anything else, is the key to success. Good luck.