Gillian
How can I enhance my study skills while I'm in college?
I rarely study in high school and I know I need better ways to study when I get into college . #studyskills #college #personal-development
2 answers
Furgencio Herrera, MBA
Furgencio’s Answer
Hey Gillian, I believe the information that Bryan provided is really good, especially from a micro-level. In the broader view, I recommend you have in mind three things: 1) Attitude! Always look as homework as something fun that you can learn and find in any situation how it can relate in real life, from a calculus problem to Shakespeare literature. Fun + Learn. 2) Have a study group, and by that at least one more person. Have your buddies to go dine with, others to go to gym with, your everyday buddies, and also have your buddies to study, environment is key. Don't bank on your everyday buddies to provide the environment you need for everything! 3) Baby steps. Don't feel rushed or overwhelmed to get anywhere or that you need to study a certain style or amount of time. Just ask yourself, did you do better today than yesterday, this week than last week and this month than last month. This helps to not feel overwhelmed, it's not a race, and remember, make it fun and there's no real meaning to learn skills if believe they won't be relevant. Hope this helps!
Bryan P. O'Donnell
Bryan P.’s Answer
- Bryan
studytips studying
Key Points:
Chunking - Split topics you’re studying into smaller parts – it makes it more digestible and you can focus on the subject matter that is most challenging rather than everything in the material. Attend class and make headlines or titles of your material – this is a way to draw attention to specific types/groupings of material.
Anchors – If you need to memorise something, using acronyms is a good way to go about it, as long as it is intuitive and easy to remember. I’d steer away from this if you need to “apply” the thinking in your exam – acronyms are good for memorisation but not great for understanding the “why”. Using flashcards with these acronyms helps reinforce the memory – have a friend test you on them and make a game out of it.
Proactivity – Try your hardest to break procrastination habits. Waiting longer to study will be a short-term plus (get to do other, more fun stuff) but will hurt you in the long-term. Think about studying as investing in yourself, learning something that you need in order to be successful. You may not always like the stuff you’re studying but if it is necessary to get to a certain place or achieve a certain goal, it’s worth it!
Experience – The best way to actually learn something is to either (1) experience the subject matter yourself or (2) teach the subject matter to someone. This may not always be possible but the truth is you learn best by experiencing it yourself (https://www.joe.org/joe/1994august/a6.php). Look for those opportunities and dive in (learning about taxes? Volunteer for a tax preparation program. Learning database management practices? Build one yourself. Learning organisational development? Join a club or organisation and take a leadership role.). Also talk to your professors or grad assistants about the material – if there’s something you are unfamiliar/uncomfortable with, they are there to help you understand it, use this resource as you should!
Pacing – You need to prioritise your health and wellbeing. You will not do well in school or life post-graduation if you are burnt out constantly or unhealthy. When you study, take breaks, study normal amounts, drink water, eat healthy and make this a priority! Coffee may be necessary but don’t overdo it or be super-caffeinated latenight. Use f.lux to dim the blue light on your computer so you can fall asleep after studying at night.
Organization – Put important exam/homework/assignment dates on a personal, digital calendar that you can access anywhere and get alerts. Work backwards from exam/assignment dates to give yourself enough time to study/prepare. This will help ease your mind and know how much time you should take for studying – cramming is self-defeating.