Introduction
College is an inspiring and life-changing experience. It may be the initial time you will be surviving on your own. It is a beautiful opportunity to make friends, meet different people, and learn about your interests, both personally and professionally. However, adapting to college life can be overwhelming – and choosing a solid study system is no exception! Take a glance at these study tips for college to help you succeed.
Create the conditions
Snack on healthy food: Coffee and candy will provide you temporary energy, but then you will have a blood sugar crash. Try healthy snacks such as fruits or nuts instead.
Listen to the calming song: You can listen to any music you want. Classical, instrumental, and make good background music for studying and can assist you to pay attention to the task. Songs with lyrics can be distracting.
Change your study environment: Studies show that shifting up your study environment can improve recall performance. Instead of studying at the house every day, try checking out a new coffee place each week or heading to your neighborhood library. A difference in scenery can enhance both your memory and concentration levels.
If you have a great place at home or a café that is undoubtedly a productive place for you, it does make sense to stick with this when you are under pressure.
Eliminate distractions: Eliminate distractions by silencing your phone and turning off the TV or radio. Agree with yourself to avoid checking social media until your study session is over.
Get a good night’s sleep: A positive relationship exists between students’ grades and how much sleep they are getting. However, this does not only mean getting a total of 8 hours of sleep before an extended examination. It would be great if you had adequate sleep for several nights before you do the most beneficial of your studying.
Realize the retrieval process into your study routine
When we believe in learning, we typically focus on getting information into students’ heads. Teachers might lecture, show videos, encourage notetaking and give review sheets. Students usually study by re-reading their textbooks, highlighting information, and studying their notes. In both conditions, the focus is on getting information “in,” with the hope that it sticks.
The difficulty is that these methods only lead to short-term learning. For most of the material covered earlier in the semester, you have misremembered most everything. This general situation arises because of an assumption we make about memory: when information comes to mind quickly and feels “fluent,” we have learned successfully.
Retrieval practice is a strategy in which getting information to the mind improves and increases learning. Voluntarily recalling information forces us to pull our knowledge out and check what we know.
Retrieval practice makes learning challenging. Because retrieving information needs mental effort, we often believe we do if we cannot retain something. Our progress may be slow, but that is when our best learning takes place. The more complicated the retrieval practice, the more beneficial it is for long-term learning.
Struggling to learn through the act of practicing what you know and recalling information is much more potent than re-reading, taking notes, or attending lectures. Slower, effortful retrieval leads to long-term remembering.
In contrast, fast, clear strategies only lead to short-term understanding. Use practice tests or questions to test yourself without looking at your book or notes. Produce flashcards, but make sure to practice your retrieval technique. Instead of flipping a card over prematurely, write the answer down and then check.
Take notes by hand rather than using your laptop.
Scientists recommend this, not just because you are more likely to fall into online diversions when using your laptop. Even when laptops are utilized only for notetaking, learning is less efficient because students who take notes by hand can process the information.
In contrast, laptop note-takers tend to write down what the teacher says word-for-word without first processing the information as such, students who take notes by hand perform better in tests and exams.
Focus on progress, not perfection
Please focus on the progress you are making instead of your observed failures. Set practical goals instead of trying to achieve the challenging goals. Celebrate small and big successes, and make sure you take time out from studying to do things you like. Invest in the relationships that matter the greatest to you. Explore ways to contribute at home and college because this will shift your focus toward the needs of others.
Conclusion
No one wants to contribute more time studying than they need to. Learning effective study techniques can ensure you are fully prepared for your exams and help curb any looming test anxiety. Hopefully, with the methods above, you can avoid cramming the night before and make your study time more effective. Of course, an ideal schedule is not always realistic, and there will still be those days you have to cram for whatever reason. But incorporating healthier time management
