- Begin
with basic level courses of the subject. Don't skip
prerequisites.
|
- Take
good notes. Instead of trying to write everything
down, be concise and sum up lecture material in your own
words whenever possible. Write down unfamiliar terms.
Review your notes as soon after class as possible. You
can fill in details that you missed and review the
material while it is still fresh in your
mind.
|
- Participate.
Asking questions for clarification and maintaining eye
contact with your professor can increase your involvement
and enhance concentration of the class
discussion.
|
- Talk to
your professor. If you are struggling in your class,
He or she may be able to assist you or send you in the
right direction to get the resources you need. But don't
wait until the last minute. Most professors have little
sympathy for students who become concerned about failing
during the last few weeks of the semester.
|
- Exchange
phone numbers with one or two students from class.
You can get the notes from them in case you are
absent...or even form a study
group.
|
- Establish
a routine time and place to study for each class. For
every hour you spend devoted to your class, you will
probably need to study two hours outside class. Study
your syllabus daily to see where you are. Be sure to do
reading assignments, and read ahead whenever
possible.
Your study place should have a desk, comfortable chair,
good lighting, all the supplies you need and be as free
of distractions as possible-- on a bed or by the TV are
not good choices. It should be a place that you associate
with studying-- not where you routinely do other things.
It's helpful to have a place to study off-campus as well
as on.
|
- Set
specific study goals. You can't tell if you've
achieved something unless you set a goal to begin with.
Instead of saying, "I'll read some Psychology tonight,"
rather you should say "I'll read 15 pages of Psychology
from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m." Make sure you set goals that you
can accomplish: 15 pages of Psychology reading in an hour
is realistic, 200 pages is probably not.
|
- Do as
much of your studying in the daytime as you can. For
most people, what takes an hour to do during the day can
take an hour and a half at night.
|
- Study
the hardest subject first. Work on your hardest
subjects at a time when you are fresh. Putting them off
until you're tired compounds the problem.
|
- Schedule
breaks. Take a ten minute break after every hour of
study. If possible, avoid long blocks of time for
studying. Spread out several short study sessions during
the day.
|
- If you
are faced with an overwhelming amount of work, break it
down into smaller pieces. If those pieces still seem
too big, then break those down, too. Keep doing that
until you have a long list of tasks-- each of which you
could start now and realistically finish in an hour or
so. This will help you overcome procrastination, help you
see real progress, and make you feel more in
control.
|
- Make use
of study resources on campus. Find out about and use
labs, tutors, videos, computer programs, and alternate
texts. Get to know your professors and
advisors.
|
- Enroll
in a study skills course if one is offered at your
school. SBCC offers ENG 104G, a 1.0 unit study skills
module both fall and spring.
|
- Remember
the concept of balance. Don't study 24 hours a day,
but don't forget your courses due to excess social
activity. It's very easy to slip into either trap. Start
off by making a commitment to study when it's time to
study, and then really enjoy your free time.
|
- Be good
to yourself. Studying on four hours of sleep and an
empty stomach or junk-food diet is a waste of time. Avoid
food and drink containing caffeine just before
studying.
|
