The age of information has made a lot of things easier, but in many ways, it’s made college quite a bit harder. With websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit taking their toll on our concentration, it’s harder than ever to stay focused.
Good study habits are essential if you want to succeed in college. Whether you’re just beginning college or you’re looking for that crucial senior year productivity boost, these study tips for college students will help you max out your GPA and get on that honor roll.
1. Good Notes = Good Grades
The correlation between good notes and good study habits is undeniable. However, taking good notes doesn’t come naturally to everyone. The trick is to record the key points of the lecture or textbook without writing down too much extraneous info. If you’re worried you’re missing important details, feel free to ask your professor during office hours. Many students also record lectures so they can listen to them later to verify their notes; just make sure you get permission from your professor first!
2. Stay Organized
Keep a detailed calendar with all your commitments, including classwork, social events and extracurricular activities. This way, you can block out time each day to study.
Organizing your class materials is also one of the most important study tips for college students. Use sticky notes to remember important textbook pages, keep your returned assignments, and make flashcards for key terms. You’ll thank yourself come exam time!
3. Unplug and Reconnect
This can be tricky, since most students use their computers for virtually all their homework. Still, the Internet is the worst distraction there is, and limiting time on it is one of the best study tips for college students. Try to set boundaries for yourself: for example, no Facebook during class or study time.
4. Don’t Cram
It’s definitely tempting to put off your studying until the last minute, but you’re much less likely to retain information this way. Good study habits come from pacing yourself. Try to study a little bit each day, rather than saving it all for the week before the exam. This will help you ward off exhaustion and remember what you learned.
5. Don’t Over-Study
For most students, “over-studying” seems (and probably is) impossible. But if you’re the sort of person who camps out in the library, you might be doing more work than you need to.
Among study tips for college students, time management is one of the most essential. Make sure you’re studying the key ideas of each lecture or textbook chapter, and avoid absorbing useless information. If you’re not sure, meet with your professor to make sure you’re practicing good study habits.
6. Find Your Zone
Everyone has their perfect study environment. For some, it’s a quiet reading room, while others prefer the bustle of a coffee shop. Some like to listen to music while they study, and some need complete silence. Try a few different kinds of environments and see what works for you.
7. Take a Break!
No, really, you’ve earned it! Take a ten-minute break every hour or so, and try to take a day or two off per week if you can. It’ll help you stay energized and at peak mental condition. Given how easy it is to become overwhelmed in college, this is probably the most important of our study tips for college students.
