A lot of college students find themselves unsuccessful their first year of college not because they don’t want to study, but rather, they don’t know how. Here are ten tips to help keep yourself on track and avoid falling into the trap of going from a straight A high schooler to a strait C college student.
1. Write a study time into your schedule as if it were another class. Be just as dedicated about “attending.”
2. Make sure you have everything you need. Sure, you set aside two hours. But if that time is spent getting up frequently for drinks and snacks, how much time are you really spending?
3. Turn off your cell phone. This is work time, not text time.
4. Same goes for Facebook.
5. It’s okay to use your i-Pod. You may have read that you need a quiet space free from distractions, but some people really do learn better with music on.
6. Make a checklist. Write down what assignments you need to finish and when they are due.
7. Reread class notes. Study time is not just for homework.
8. Along the same lines, read your text book before lectures, not after.
9. Pace yourself. Nobody says you have to finish that five page term paper in one sitting.
10. If you’re feeling frustrated, it’s better to skip a study period and relax than it is to shove through with sub-par work. Just make sure not to make it a habit.