There are tons of academic tips online. The list could go on forever. Which isn’t really helpful. At a certain point, the list just becomes a garbled code of words. So to get you started, I’m just going to give six easy tips. If you lay a good foundation, it’ll be easier to fall into your rhythm and routine. Here are some basic tips to set yourself up for the semester.
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Hold onto your syllabi.
I admit that they weren’t very helpful in high school, but in college, the syllabus is everything. You’ll need it throughout the year, and not just when it comes to studying for finals. The extent to which professors rely on syllabi is case to case. Some will only give a timeline of topics they’ll be covering and of course the dates of midterms and finals. Some will also include guest lectures, additional [make up] class times, and homework assignments. Note that your syllabus is subject to change though, so pay attention in class! Look ahead and come prepared for the next class. Compare the syllabi for all your courses together and you may notice a particular week will be especially busy for you. Perhaps you’ll need an extension. The earlier you let your professor know, the more likely they are to understand and give it to you.
Keep a weekly calendar.
Besides marking in your classes, also mark in lab times, TA sessions, and office hours. Marking it in doesn’t mean that you need to go to every TA session and office hour, but this way you have all your times in one place, and you won’t have to sift through your syllabus, Moodle, BiONiC, or your class website to find it. And while we’re talking about marking things in our calendars, it’d be helpful to keep track of when you have to turn in payroll as well. I personally never had a big problem with this, but I know that it can easily and often slip students’ minds, especially with so many responsibilities to juggle.
Schedule meetings early.
I admit that I’m not always the best with time management. Let’s say I have a weeklong project, or maybe a two-weeklong project. I’ll start with a vague idea that has potential, but then I’ll stop there and productively procrastinate by doing other work, and before I know it, the due date will be just a few days away and all I’ll have will be my vague idea. At that point in time, I’ll feel too embarrassed to meet with my professor about it, because my professor will be expecting a finalized idea and deliverable. So schedule meetings early and talk it out with your professor, and more often than not, they’ll help you through the rest and make the process so much easier. With early meetings, your professors won’t be expecting a refined idea, so you don’t need to put too much pressure on yourself.
Start early (in general).
Like, now! Review your syllabus to get an idea of how your semester will look. Got a book to finish in a few weeks? Spend your first weekend getting through as much of it as you can; you’ll only get busier. Got a group project coming up? Think about who you want to ask to join you; maybe even brainstorm topics if you’re ready to, or at least pay attention to potential project topics that might be glossed over in lecture. Bounce ideas off your professor early on, and they can steer you in the right direction.
Create outlines.
At the end of each class, take a minute to create an outline of what you learned. One minute. It may be one bullet; it may be five. This is a quick exercise, so don’t write any subheadings—just headings. This will make it easier to navigate through your notes when you’re looking back at them. It’s also a good refresher and can help you retain the new information better. Having a general outline especially helps me, because I’m the sort of person who needs to have context and see the big picture.
Ask for help.
Asking good questions and asking for help are underrated skills. You don’t have to get through the semester by yourself. Make friends! It can be intimidating to get buddy-buddy with a professor, so start by getting to know your peers and using them as resources as well. I personally learn so much from my peers! I think it’s easier to make new friends at the beginning of the semester than waiting until later when you need them. At the beginning of the semester, there are so many easy ways to get to know your classmates. For example, if you find a helpful resource online, you can ask the classmates sitting around you if they’d find it helpful and want you to send it to them.
May this be your best semester yet!