As a sophomore, I’ve been around through this college-thing a full year already. My freshman year, I quickly learned that the academic rigors of college are much more difficult and require a great deal of effort and planning to truly succeed. It takes trial and error, and though I’m still figuring things out, my study skills have improved greatly since I’ve been at UW-Madison. And when you know how to study and absorb material better, you can translate that new knowledge to your exams to get that ‘A’ you deserve!
First, find a place to study that makes you feel comfortable but also enables you to focus and Get. It. Done. Personally, I love to study at the Historical Society at Wisconsin. It’s a gorgeous library with an antique feel; it has a vibe that makes it feel like a scene in Harry Potter. Wherever you can study hard, go there. I also like to mix up my study place a lot, as I find it more interesting, and it keeps me more motivated when I do my work in different places. Sometimes when studying for big exams, it helps to move to different libraries multiple times in a day to get the blood flowing and clear your mind.
Second, study with people. I find it so much more fun to study with others, especially friends, and when you have questions you have people right there who can explain things to you. Similarly, you can explain concepts to your study buddies to help you absorb information even further. Study groups allow you to be a student and a teacher and is a really good way to make time with your friends during a busy exam week.
Third, start studying early. This can be so hard in college. I often find myself saying I’ll study early, but then 10,000 other responsibilities have to get done first and there I am again, with a weekend left to study for an exam. It is a much better idea to study a little every day, starting a week or so before a midterm. It will leave you feeling less stressed in the end. Just do a little bit, it’ll add up. For finals, I think this is especially important because many of them are cumulative, making that A LOT of info to review.
Finally, BE a student. That might sound obvious, but it is crucial in college. Going through the motions can easily leave a student with mediocre grades and a shallow knowledge base at the end of the semester. Remember, college is about learning and preparing for a future career. Once Gen Eds are out of the way, you should be in classes you actually ENJOY and want to succeed in. If that’s not the case, it could be a sign to change up that major. So in class, listen, take notes, color code things, right little bits of information that will trigger your memory when you are studying later on, and be present. Pull out the important bits and fully understand why and how they relate to the course. Look up videos for confusing concepts so that you could explain all the information to someone else. And ultimately, find a passion for learning– it’ll make studying so much better.
So, there you have it: study tips to help you flourish and succeed during your time in college. The amount of time spent on school in college can be a shock to the system, but really can transform the level of perseverance and dedication in us. Let failures (because they will happen, and that’s okay) inspire you to improve, then put in the effort, and voila.