In this article, you will learn the effective study tips for college students.
A college is an institution where students are trained to become leaders, innovators, creators and thinkers, who are capable of making positive impact in the society and nation at large. A college equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to create anything that is valuable.
How then can a student successfully graduate from college without having a study plan? How does a student combine social activities and learning without getting distracted or failing?
Thus, there is need for study tips to properly design a study plan.
Many students study but still find it really difficult to pass examinations, something is wrong in this case.
Such category of student are not getting something right or probably not doing enough to achieve the set goal, which is excellence.
Take a look at the table of contents below.
Table of contents
- Why Study In A College?
- 15 Effective Study Tips For College
- 1. Organization is a success key:
- 2. Change your environment:
- 3. Group study:
- 4. Create a Super-Study Space:
- 5. Study ahead of classes:
- 6. Prioritize Your Work:
- 7. Ask for Help:
- 8. Do not Cram:
- 9. Study smarter, not harder:
- 11. Get enough rest:
- 12. Equipping your study area with materials you need:
- 13. Keep record of assignments:
- 14. Overlearning Material Enhances Memory:
- 15. Examine yourself:
- Recommendation
Why Study In A College?
There are different reasons for studying in a college, some students just want to be regarded as graduates while others really want to build a career.
However, according to “nc plan for college”, there are 8 reasons why students go to college;
- Earn more money
- Break out of your shell
- Gain new skills
- Find your direction
- Live a healthier and happier life
- Expand your career options
- See the world
- Get involved
Whichever reason it is, there is one similar goal for college students, which is to graduate with outstanding results.
You should definitely check this out. Tips on how to study for finals | College & High School
15 Effective Study Tips For College
1. Organization is a success key:
There is general expression which states that, “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” .Thus, make sure you get a college planner.
This can be a planner with a creative design, a plain notebook, a wall calendar, or even a small dry erase calendar for your desk that changes each month.
A calendar is best for double-checking appointments, events and due dates while a notebook planner of some sort will be best for planning on-the-go, wherever you are. This planner will keep you in check when you’re in class or in a meeting with your advisor.
However, if a digital device works better for you, set up an agenda on your mobile device.
You can set up reminders for test dates, department events, study times and assignment due dates.
2. Change your environment:
A change in study environment could aid better academic performance in the college. Imagine leaving a noisy environment to study in a quiet environment, better result isn’t farfetched. This is because a studious student tends to concentrate better and assimilate quickly in such environment.
When looking at the walls of your bedroom, there is high tendency to be driven repeatedly into the arms of Netflix or Xbox. Instead, grab your laptop or your printed notes and find a quiet place to study.
One study skill for college students includes getting out of the house and experiencing a change of scenery.
This is one of the effective study tips for college students.
3. Group study:
A group study is an amazing tip that works, however studying on your own before joining a group study is more effective. It aids better exchange of ideas or knowledge and easy understanding of difficult courses.
Group study is a study tip which outstanding college students find really useful to tackle difficult or challenging courses.
Even if you cannot be together in person with your group study mates, you could opt for the option of forming an online study group. Find your colleagues online and set a designated time each week, to meet online and quiz each other.
Use a free service such as Facebook’s video chat option, Zoom, or Skype.
Another effective way to study with a friend or group of friends, is to become an online tutor to someone who’s taking the same class.
This will force you to review the work often, think about the material, and take part in question and answer sessions.
If you wish to attend nursing school, you should read this. 15 STUDY TIPS TO MAKE YOU EASILY PASS NURSING SCHOOL
4. Create a Super-Study Space:
What is it that helps you to concentrate while studying? Is it your favourite music, complete silence or snacks?
Find the things that help you focus and set up your own super-study space. Think outside the box to create a room that encourages you to study.
This could mean having teas or essential oils, such as rosemary or Ginseng, on hand to help you focus. It could mean bringing in your favorite blanket or pillow for comfort.
You could have soft music playing gently in the background or your own favorite band on autoplay. You could keep a stash of brain food, such as pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, oranges, or almonds handy to help get you through.
5. Study ahead of classes:
If you study ahead of classes and make it a routine, this will aid good retentive memory of topics which has been previously treated by your tutor or professor.
This will help you to be more prepared during the session, but there’s another perk, as well.
Listening to the information repeatedly will also aid better retention. If the lectures are live, record them so you can watch again during your designated study times.
Take notes during each lecture and then take a half hour afterward to either re-type them in a more cohesive way, or jot them down in a notebook, so they are neater and easier to follow.
This is one of the effective study tips for college students.
6. Prioritize Your Work:
Another effective study tip is to prioritize work from the most important to the least important.
As a college student, use this to your advantage by dedicating the bulk of your study time to the classes you find most challenging.
However, spend less time studying for the classes that come easier.
7. Ask for Help:
If you don’t understand a concept or find any course difficult, ask for help. Meet with outstanding students or the best in class, they could put you through the difficult part of your studies.
You could also stop by your professors’ offices during their office hours or send an email to them.
Some classes might even have a Whatsapp or Telegram groups, created to keep students engaged and ask questions outside of class.
8. Do not Cram:
If you make studying daily a routine, there would be no need to cram for exams.
While it may seem like a good idea to learn an entire semester’s worth of information in one night, it’s not an effective study habit, as it causes a lot of unnecessary stress.
Instead of cramming, study a little bit of information every day for at least 30 minutes.
You are likely remember more , feel calm and prepared when exam period approaches.
This is one of the effective study tips for college students.
9. Study smarter, not harder:
Sometimes, college professors reveal information about topics which will or won’t be seen on an exam, take this serious. They are sharing this information to serve as a guide while studying for exams.
With the tips given to you by your lecturer, serving as an area of concentration while studying, you can focus on the important points.
10. Take breaks while studying:
Reading for extremely long hours can be tiring and draining, thus making the brain to slow down. Breaks while studying gives you a boost of productivity, reset and prevent burnout.
Also, taking breaks can help you get the most out of your study time with the least amount of stress.
When you study hard, you’ll get better grades that will aid part-time college jobs. Learn about Killer Part-time Job Resume For College Students | Samples & Writing Tips
11. Get enough rest:
According to an article from University of ST. Augustine for Health Sciences, a recent study found a positive relationship between students’ grades and how much sleep they are getting.
However, getting enough sleep matters while preparing towards an outstanding performance during examinations. It doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be 8hours of sleep but getting enough rest is essential for the brain to perform well.
Besides, fatigue slows down effective assimilation while studying, thus getting enough sleep before you do the bulk of your studying is necessary.
12. Equipping your study area with materials you need:
Your study desk or table should be equipped with all the materials you might need to complete the assignment, e.g. stationaries, paper clips, stapler, dictionary, snacks, and liquid refreshments, etc.
For some assignments, you may require a calculator or other supplies. With your materials at hand, you can study without interruption.
If you have an answering machine, let it do its job during your study time. You can return the calls after you have finished studying.
Taking your snack food and drinks to the study location will eliminate those endless trips to the kitchen which could break your concentration.
This is one of the effective study tips for college students.
13. Keep record of assignments:
Put it down in writing, including the details and keep it in your notebook. Knowing just what you are expected to do and when you are expected to do it is the first giant step toward completing important assignments successfully and on time.
Also, take note of questions given in assignments, as it could possibly be an examination question.
14. Overlearning Material Enhances Memory:
Psychologists tell us that the secret to learning for future reference is overlearning. Experts suggest that after you can say, “I know this material,” that you should continue to study that material for an additional one-fourth of the original study time.
How did you learn it? Probably through recitation, which is the best way to etch material into the memory trace.
In order to have better assimilation of study materials, it is better to manipulate the material in many ways as possible by; writing, reading, touching, hearing and saying it.
In an experimental study, students who overlearned material retained four times as much after a month, than students who didn’t overlearn.
For better study, you will take notes in class. Learn How T0 Take Study Notes For Class
15. Examine yourself:
After studying, it is important to test yourself in order determine your level of assimilation. Therefore after reading, prepare potential test or examination questions, then set time and examine yourself.
This is an effective study tip which will yield an outstanding academic performance. It is not just enough to study, it is also important to examine yourself and determine how prepared you are for an upcoming examination.
As a matter of fact, doing series of tests builds confidence prior to an examination.
This is one of the effective study tips for college students.
References
- ncplanforcollege.org/– 8 reasons why college
- post.edu/– six proven successful study tips for college students
- goingmerry.com– study tips for college
- usa.edu/– study techniques
- csc.edu/– study methods
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