BY REMINGTON FIORASO
Your first term of university has just passed. Your final marks are in and, be honest, were you a little disappointed with the results? The adjustment to post-secondary from high school can be very difficult and it’s not uncommon for your grades to slip. However, all is not lost!
By following our tips, you can improve your academic standing this term and make mom and dad proud!
ATTEND! Skipping class means you might miss crucial concepts that were not in the textbook or on the lecture slides your professor posted online. While getting out of bed for 8:30am classes, or even 11:00am classes, can be a challenge, it is important to actually attend lectures and tutorial sessions. Often, professors will discuss their slides in greater depth, emphasize specific points you need to understand, and get the information in the text to actually make sense.
OFFICE HOURS! A resource that people, including myself, have overlooked completely within the first term is the office hours of your TA’s and professors! If you can’t grasp a concept, go in and get help because chances are, it’s going to be on the exam or expanded upon in future lectures. Remember, that’s what they are there for!
CLASSMATES! Do you have ‘connections’ in each class? If not, try to make friends in your courses so you can form study groups for quizzes, mid-terms, and final exams. You can go through notes, say the material out loud, and actually make it interactive. If you ask a question, chances are someone else will have the same one, and somebody in your group will have an answer.
READINGS! Clubs, volunteering, working, friends, and other commitments can all contribute to putting off your class readings until the last minute. Instead of doing this, put aside time each day to go through your readings and notes. The following lecture will be of more use to you because you will already have an understanding of it. It will also allow you to pay attention to other details the professor provides you.
LSS STUDY SKILLS! Learning Support Services (LSS) on the 4th Floor of MacOdrum Library offers study skills workshops on a variety of topics, a tutor referral service, and group study rooms. Take advantage of these services! They’re free and are useful for any kind of major or program.
DON’T GIVE UP! If you try your hardest, learn how you study the best, and remember to get help when you need it, this could be your best semester. While you might not have gotten the grades you anticipated last semester, it does not mean the same thing has to happen again.
Good luck!
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