"Studying always seems like such a daunting task. It is one of the most dreaded additions to being a university student, but it doesn’t have to be that way. And yes, while barricading yourself in the library a day before an exam seems like the best way to go, is it worth all that stress?
There are so many steps you can take to achieve success, let's walk through them.
Start EARLY:
Procrastination gets to us all but starting early, even a few days in advance can improve your grades by a lot. The more time your brain has with new information, the more it can adjust to it. So make sure you space out your studying.
Show up to your classes.
It’s justified to hate that 8 a.m. class that you thought would help you become an early bird, but in reality you just don’t show up. No one’s judging you, but understand this: if you went to class and paid attention, you wouldn’t have to spend all that time catching up on lectures.
Active vs. passive studying.
There are so many ways you can go about studying. From reading your notes to re-doing old midterm tests, every little bit helps. But did you know that there are two methods of studying? One is passive, where you are just letting the information pass through your brain. Active learning is when you are engaging with the material by placing information piece-by-piece into your brain. Passive studying is much easier and does not require a lot of brain power but by studying actively, it will allow you to understand the knowledge in a much more in-depth way. Here are a few examples of active studying to get you started:
- Answering questions from old midterms
- Teaching others and explaining concepts
- Creating mind maps/visuals
Make a study plan and stick to it.
Having concrete goals is key to keeping yourself on track and holding accountability. When making a study schedule, think about everything that must be done and break it down into little tasks that are realistic. Instead of telling yourself that you will study for ECO101, think about the specific chapter that you want to go over. The more specific, the better!
Lastly, take care of yourself.
You are more than just your grades, and not everyday is going to be a productive day. Sometimes taking a mental break and catching up on your favorite netflix tv-show is the best thing to do for yourself. Find a balance between your school and social life".- Elizabeth Shechtman
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