Learning how to study can be a daunting task. Some students enter college with firm studying habits, but if you are like me and many others, it is a skill that needs to be learned. I started freshman year by only re-reading notes and briefly looking at Quizlets. These skills performed well in high school but were not necessarily enough to carry me through all of my exams.
In searching for studying advice, one of the problems I faced was everyone has different habits that work best for them. As a novice studier at the time, my friends would tell me what they did, and I would pick and choose what worked and ignore their habits that didn’t. So, if you are like me and struggle to find habits that work for you, or just want some studying inspiration, here are studying habits from four different Florida State University (FSU) students!
Her Campus: How many hours a week do you spend studying?
Laura Silva (LS) (Biology Student): I spend about 20 to 25 hours studying, depending on if there’s a quiz or an exam that week.
Jimmy Wood (JW) (Real Estate and Finance): I spend about five hours a week.
Sam Morgan (SM) (Pre-Nursing): I would say that I study around 30 hours per week.
Jen Studstill (JP) (Psychology): I typically spend 10 to 15 hours a week studying.
HC: What methods do you use to study?
LS: To study I like to go over my notes, make flashcards and go over the class PowerPoint slides. Depending on the class, I also do practice problems/exams.
JW: I like taking notes and summarizing information to try and help retain information from writing it down.
SM: I like to review the content we are going over in class so that the information being presented is familiar and easier to follow, which in return makes studying for tests much easier. I also find that making and using Quizlets is very helpful, especially the learning feature. Also studying in groups helps me solidify material.
JS: I really enjoy rewriting notes and making flashcards. I find they’re the more helpful methods for me.
HC: How early before an exam do you begin preparing?
LS: For stem classes I begin prepping about three days before but for other classes I can usually start studying one to two days before.
JW: I typically study two to three days before an exam.
SM: I usually start studying about five days before an exam to avoid cramming.
JS: I’m very bad with procrastination so I typically start preparing about a week before.
HC: What subjects do you find the hardest to study for?
LS: For me, the hardest subject to study for is math because it requires a lot of memorization of different formulas and applying them to different problems.
JW: I’ve found history and accounting to be the hardest to study for.
SM: Personally this year, I’ve found myself struggling the most to study for anatomy due to the immense amount of information presented in each class.
JS: Biology and natural/organic sciences are the hardest subjects for me.
HC: What do you do to help you focus?
LS: Lo-fi music is usually what keeps me focused when studying. Keeping my phone away also helps but I also like to take breaks every hour or so, so I don’t mentally drain myself.
JW: I put myself in an environment with as few distractions as possible. My desk is up against a blank wall, and I take all the other stuff off my desk.
SM: In order to focus, I like to find a quiet spot and make sure to put all distractions (my phone) to the side.
JS: I like to listen to classical music! Lyrics usually make it hard to focus.
HC: What is your favorite studying location?
LS: Club Strozier.”
JW: I like the Honors building!
SM: My favorite spot to study is in Strozier both inside and outside.
JS: Libraries! Libraries are my favorite place to study! Preferably the more lenient floors where light talking can happen.
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