When I found out that I only had to go to class a couple hours a day in college, I was ecstatic. But nobody told me that I would be using all that extra free time to study. I actually had to learn How to Study in College.
Courses in college are supplementally instructed and mostly self-taught. And it took quite a while for me to adapt to this system. But now that I have adjusted, I actually love the freedom and flexiblity that it provides.
With three years of college courses under my belt, I have finally mastered the ins and outs of studying and I am here to share my study guidelines with you! Here are the tried and true tips for acing your college courses.
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Find What Works for YOU
College is all about finding a balance- and that holds true for studying too. The most important tip for succeeding in the classroom is to pay attention and figure out how you learn and study best. My first semester, I was just SO excited to be in college and learning that I would sit at my desk and just… read my textbook. For fun.
Safe to say, that didn’t last long. By the beginning of my sophomore year I figured out that I had to get out of my house to really focus and learn. My new go-to was a coffee shop. I was absolutely useless if I tried to stay home and get things done. I finally had to tell myself that opening my laptop while watching TV was, in fact, just watching TV.
Another thing that I learned was that I retained more information when I would study one subject for long periods of time, rather than switching back and forth. I had always been told that studying like this was detrimental to grades and “bad for your brain.” But for me, that was how I learned best.
I went through a lot of trial and error (and I still am), but I’ve realized that there is no “one size fits all” way to study. Every person learns differently and how you learn is also subject to change at any time. So, the best thing you can do is be aware listen to yourself. Find out your optimal learning system.
Set a Schedule
Let’s be honest, no one would choose to study over binge-watching a Netflix show. Self-motivation can sometimes be the largest obstacle in your way.
Setting aside time specifically to study is actually the hardest part of studying. I've tried many different routes with this tactic.
I used to not allow myself to watch TV or lay in bed until I was done with my assignments for the day. Which quickly led me to say, "Oh that doesn't really have to be done today."
I also tried the option of treating school as a 9-5 job as an attempt to free up my evenings. But, that didn't work for me either because I was constantly burnt out and felt like I needed to take a nap all the time.
Both of these ideologies for staying on top of school have been proven to work, just not for me. Which falls back on the basis that finding what works best for you is the most important step to succeed.
My current study schedule is to work hard during the week and get ahead for the next week's assignments so that I can completely relax on the weekends. I don't have a set schedule for every single day. I can nap freely or take a break when I need to. I've found this to be my optimal process because it allows me to decompress and forget about everything on Saturdays and Sundays.
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Find a Study Buddy
Okay, this changes everything.
Having a friend or group of friends to study with turns the boring task of reading a textbook into a social event. Just make sure you don't talk too much and get nothing done.
Bonus points! If you find a study buddy in your major because they'll be on the same testing/assignment schedule as you and you can bounce ideas off each other. But, I'm a STEM major and the girls in my study group are both finance majors. It actually works great for me because sometimes I need to hear about something besides organic chemistry.
My group and I usually grab dinner and find a place to study together every weeknight. Which sounds like a lot of time, but I actually look forward to that part of my day because it always ends up being fun.
Studying with other people holds you accountable to set aside time to stay on top of work! Plus, I tend to stay off my phone more when I feel like people are watching me.
Get enough sleep
Fun Fact: Teenagers and young adults need the most sleep out of any age group.
This seems counterintuitive, but sleeping is actually proven to help your memory and ability to retain information. While there are times were its necessary to stay up and grind through an assignment or study for a test, getting an ample amount of sleep is just as important.
When I get a full 7-9 hours of sleep the night before a test I always feel clear and level headed while taking it. Sometimes staying up late to try and cram that last bit of information in can actually end up hurting your grade.
During my sophomore spring, my two hardest finals fell back-to-back on the same day. Naturally, I freaked out and stayed up ALL night trying to prepare. I ended up acing my Organic Chemistry final, but I was so tired I actually fell asleep in the middle of my second final and bombed it.
Had I just trusted my knowledge from what I learned throughout the semester and gotten a solid night of sleep, I probably would have scored better on the combination of the two tests.
Make your study space your happy place
Whether it's your desk or a coffee shop- make sure you enjoy being there.
I personally feel like I get the most work done when I set an ice coffee next to my laptop and pull my highlighters out. I can't explain it, but I just think a little clearer.
My roommate loves to study in her room. She lights a candle and turns on instrumental music and swears she could stay there all night if she needed to.
Find what surroundings make you happy and motivate you to learn.
Conclusion
Everything about college is a trial and error based system. What works for your best friend might not be best for you. Finding and optimizing your learning system is the most important hurdle to tackle when learning.
College provides you with the freedom to set your own schedule which is so liberating as long as you don't fall behind on your workload. So try things out, make some mistakes, and then make some more because that's whats supposed to happen. No one gets it right on the first try, but hopefully these tips and tricks that I live by can help you understand how to study in college.