It’s the start of a new quarter so naturally, every Bruin’s first thought is to make this one better than the last. And if you’re anything like me that might mean reconstructing the way you study from the ground up. You see, I take on this challenge every quarter and promise myself that I will be a totally different person by the end of it, but the truth is I may be doing a little too much reconstruction at the same time. So, rather than following a thousand different tips that I definitely will drop at the end of Week 2, I’ve narrowed my list down to three study tips that I plan to stick with:
- Use The Down Time In Between Classes
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Schedules aren’t perfect and more often than not we are all left with a weird hour or two in between classes. I had convinced myself that this wasn’t enough time to finish an assignment, so I would usually walk aimlessly around campus or try to find a friend. This quarter I’ve decided to use this time as much as I can, no matter how insignificant it is, even if it means just reading the outline or requirements of an assignment. That way, I’ll be more prepared to start when I’m actually ready to sit down with it. This minor change productively allows me to free up later time and might even help me complete smaller assignments early rather than rushing minutes before they are due.
- ALlOt Non-Study Time
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I’m the kind of person to say “I’m studying all day today,” but in reality, I will probably be focused for about two of those hours. And this is usually because I get distracted chitchatting or daydreaming about the long list of other things I would much rather be doing. So, this quarter I’ve decided to give myself a chance to create time where I am not studying and use it to do the things I actually enjoy. Then, when the time comes to start studying, I can really focus on my work. This may seem a little counterproductive since, rather than planning to study, I am intentionally planning to not study, but I’m sure this will help me avoid burnout as well as keep my attention in one area.
- Take Good Notes
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I don’t mean good notes in the sense that they are detailed (although they definitely should be), I mean good notes in the sense that they are pretty. I’m convinced that once I start taking beautiful notes, I won’t want to look away and will eventually just absorb all the information. By putting effort into the notes I’m taking, I will be able to retain information as I am writing it down, making studying much more efficient. I believe a simple change in the format of my notes, adding headers for different topics, and overall being more involved in the note-taking process will definitely help my grades this quarter.
Remember that just because it’s the start of a new quarter, that does not mean you need to change everything about the way you approach school. Even tiny tweaks that may not feel like anything are going to help in the long run. By focusing on a few things you want to improve, you’re opening yourself to more success and have a better chance of it sticking.