It’s time to get back to business now that break is over! As we adjust ourselves to get back on the study grind, here are a couple of tips for effective studying that could help you this quarter. Regardless of how you performed last quarter, there is always space to try some new study tools for effective studying! So here’s how you can achieve your academic goals this quarter!
1. Reviewing notes after class.
I don’t know how many professors and teachers I have heard say this but reviewing notes after class or even reworking problems can help you solidify certain topics or questions in your memory. The more you see it, the better you’ll remember it! Reviewing notes at the end of class is great because while the information is fresh in your mind, you can go over what you understand and what you don’t so the next time you see your professor, you know exactly what questions to ask then, instead of waiting until right before an exam when everyone else is also cramming and freaking out. It puts less stress on you too!
2. Have one set of notes.
Instead of having one set of notes from lecture, one set on the readings, and maybe another set from CLAS, you should try to combine it all into one set. This way, instead of having to go through multiple sets when you are studying, you can combine them all together and just study one set! This will save you a lot of time. You can also color coordinate your notes so you know where you got certain notes from and if you have any questions, you know exactly who to go to for answers. (Plus, who doesn’t like to see nice and colorful notes?! It’s just so satisfying to look at!)
3. Actually do the readings!
I asked one of my TAs what he recommended for studying to be successful in the class and this is what he told me: “read the assigned readings because not many people do.” You definitely know that awkward moment when the professor or TA asks a question and everyone is just sitting there staring because no one did the reading. To save yourself, you can try doing the readings – yes they may be tedious but you can make it easier by just reading a couple pages a day! Also, as you do readings, you can try taking down notes of the most important points from the reading which could help you when you’re being picked on in section or even on an exam or a surprise pop quiz.
4. Try drawing things out.
I don’t know about you but at least for me, I am an extremely visual person so I don’t do very well with conceptual ideas. One helpful thing is drawing diagrams out or even getting a modeling set (super helpful for organic chemistry). Instead of sitting there trying to imagine these things, you can see them in front of your eyes and understand how it can do what it does. Even if it’s not molecular models, you can try doing a bubble map where you have one general idea and then you get more and more specific which can help you create associations so you can access the information easier! Also, if you like to draw, you can draw a small picture of what your notes are about. For me, doodling small picture motivates me to continue taking notes; it actually helps me remember information about what I am studying as well.
5. Print out practice tests and try them.
I know it’s a lot of work to do tons and tons of book problems but remember to set aside time to try a test. Doing book problems and questions are great for studying but when you are under pressure things definitely do change! Sometimes the questions you are given in class are in a much different format than what they appear to be on the exams. Seeing that this often happens, you should definitely try to allot enough time for yourself to take an old test of your professor’s (if possible) and try giving yourself a mock test. This will help you familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions you may be presented with to make you more prepared for the exams! It’s also a great way to test yourself to see if you know the material well. If you miss anything, you can go over it again and ask questions to get clarification so you won’t miss it again where it counts against you. Don’t pull a Spongebob!