Over winter break, I found myself drawn to the world of Pinterest and its ideas. I was feeling increasingly nervous about the upcoming semester and my hefty load, so I turned to looking for study tips from a variety of sources. Here I compiled my top 5 tips I’ve read that have helped me thus far:
1. GO TO CLASS!
This one may seem self-explanatory, but you’d be surprised at the people who don’t take this seriously. That being said, it’s okay to take a break when you need to. Mental health is more important than a grade. However, there is a difference between this and slacking off. Resist the urge to snooze your alarm for your 8 AM class or to skip for some fun instead. You’d be surprised by what you could miss in class.
2. Observe Habits
I had a religion professor last semester who would frequently drop hints about tests. For example, he would give us a particular date or event and then casually confess that this would be on our next exam. This is important. Observe your teachers and their habits and try to piece together their decisions when it comes to building their tests or even handing out extra credit. This could mean the difference for your grade in the future.
3. Take GOOD Notes
There’s a difference between hurriedly scribbling everything that your teacher says and paying attention to what’s significant. If they spend an indicative amount of time on one topic or event then try to write down as much as you can on that particular one. Not only that, but try to absorb the words as they say them. The last thing you want is a scribble of notes that do not make sense to you when you’re studying.
4. Transfer and Repeat
Something that I read a while back that stuck with me is the idea that you should write your notes twice. The concept was that you would have a notebook to take with you to class that could be as messy and nondescript as possible, even filled with the doodles you love. Then take those notes and copy them down neatly and precisely in a new notebook that you’ll use to study. This will ensure that you memorize the material!
5. Make Friends!
It can be kind of intimidating on the first day of class when you’re surrounded by people you don’t know and you feel out of place. But I encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone. Introduce yourself and try to make friends. They’ll be extremely helpful in the future. They can tell you what you missed in the days you happen to miss class, you can form study groups, and you can have concepts you don’t understand explained to you.
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