I am really and truly not trying to brag, but I have made the deans list or chancellors list every semester that I have been in college, and I am currently taking on my fourth year. This by no means indicates that I am smarter than your average college student - actually I am quite the opposite. The only thing that sets me apart from the rest is that I am a try hard, and I have to give my Mom and Dad the credit for making me this way. Ever since elementary school, they would tell me, "apply yourself." And I never really understood what that entailed until I stepped into the academic battle field that is commonly referred to as college. I quickly adapted to the massive amounts of reading and writing, but only because I used all of the little tips and tricks that my parents had always told me. So here are the things that shaped me into the nerd I am today, and I hope that they inspire you to become a nerd too.
1. Learn to love learning.
Oh how I despised when I heard my dad say "you've got to learn to love learning." I just could not understand HOW I could ever learn to love learning about the periodic table - and then I went to college. I started taking classes like sociology and environmental ethics, and I actually found myself excited about going to class every day. The key is to find classes that truly intrigue you and then from there, find a major that incorporates all of these interests. That my friends, is how you will learn to love learning and also how it becomes easy.
2. Keep your schedule organized.
Everyone works differently in this department. For me, I like to have a wall calendar for important dates and a notebook for writing down immediate tasks I need to do for that day and that week. My system may seem weird to some, but it's what works the best for me. So, experiment. Try an agenda, a calendar, a phone alert reminder, try it all and figure out which system suits you.
3. Actually read the readings.
You will be surprised with how easy tests become once you have actually read what was assigned for homework. If you don't have time for 100 pages a night, then at least skim! Skimming, verses doing nothing at all, can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to exam day.
4. Always go the extra mile.
Extra credit is easy, and almost every professor offers it! It can seriously be a life saver when you bomb your final because you chose to go to a foam party - I mean, I don't blame you though.
5. Stop listening to Beyoncé while you are doing your homework.
Soon enough you will find yourself dancing to Partition and before you know it, it's 12 AM and you've read 2 out of 50 pages. If you want some back ground noise and you REALLY want to be productive, turn on some ambient sound or classical music.
6. Change your scenery.
It has actually been proven through studies, that people study more productively when they frequently change their study spot. So go find a cool place in the library or a neat little coffee shop down the street.
7. Study in 30 minute intervals.
Every 30 minutes, take a five minute break from your study sesh. This has also been proven to increase productivity!
8. Take some dope notes in class.
I literally write down everything that my professor says in class. This makes studying so much easier because the majority of the test questions, generally come from your professor's mouth, so write it ALL down!
9. BE CONFIDENT.
This is the BIGGEST and BEST tip that I will bestow upon you and here's why- Once upon a time, I was the silent girl in class that would never raise her hand and would give the most basic answer when called on. I never wanted to speak, simply because my peers sounded like they had already received their PHD's and were just attending these classes for fun. I felt inadequate, stupid, and like I didn't belong alongside these great minds. Then one day, I saw a video that literally changed my life. The video was a ted talk about body language and how this remarkable woman used confidence to become the top in her field. The greatest line from her video that has stayed with me ever since, is to "fake it till you make it." By this she was implying to actually fake being the confident person you want to be until you ARE that confident person. Ever since, I will walk into the classroom and will literally tell myself - "You are smart, you belong here." This positivity led me to become that girl that always had something provoking to add to the discussion. I highly recommend everyone to watch this video, because it has also helped me in all arenas of life, not just the academic one. http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_langu...
Now that you have all of these tips and tricks, I hope that you choose to really "apply yourself" this semester, because you can easily be a nerd too!
