<p>I have no idea how to concentrate in class. I'm trying to listen at the beginning of class, ten minutes my mind wanders off when my professor says certain things, I snap back after three minutes, miss what he just said, promise myself to concentrate as hard as possible again, then it happens again, and the cycle continues...</p>
<p>It's KILLING ME. I'm so lost in one of my classes that I'm considering dropping it - and since it's the core class for my major, I may drop the major too. I'm not even bored by the content: I love the content but this has been a prevalent problem in everything I do since I was before a teenager. My mind even wanders off in social events or if I'm just walking down a street with a friend, making me look stupid as I forget something that was said 10 seconds ago. It's embarrassing and DESTROYING my academic life. When homework time comes (for some reason my mind doesn't wander off when doing HW nearly as it does in class)</p>
<p>I keep thinking it's ADD related but my family laughs and says I'm lazy. Which I'm not. I study every day for at least a few hours and attempt to maintain an efficient schedule. But it's so ANNOYING.</p>
<p>Have you tried recording the lecture (if the professor allows it)? That way you can go back and review the parts of the lecture that you missed.</p>
<p>Do you take notes during lecture? If you try to pay attention during lecture and reword things in your own words, rather than mindlessly copying down what the professor says or writes on the board, it may help you pay attention since you’re actively engaged.</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about not being able to pay attention during the entire lecture. Attention in general is usually highest during the first ten minutes and the last five. Most people can’t pay close attention to the entire lecture without ever missing anything. The trick is to figure out ways to deal with it. I used to just type what the professor was saying and then review it on my own time. It kept me involved because I was actively doing things, and then I could go back later and review things that I had missed the first time. Figure out a system that works for you and stick with it.</p>
<p>Are these just all classes or certain classes? Also, have you checked your diet? For morning classes, it is crucial you watch what you eat. What you eat in the morning can help your attention span. I’ve noticed eating a healthy breakfast such as eggs and toast wakes me up and I chew on apples in class to stay awake. I read somewhere online about the diet that helps concentrating because I had a lot of trouble in high school and decided to do research on what could help me. Maybe you could see what works for you through some googling. </p>
<p>I also second baktrax in recording lectures.</p>
<p>I agree with baktrax on recording lectures. It’s really helpful when you miss a couple things during the lecture. For example; in my Anthropology class sometimes I miss what the professor is saying because he jumps all over topics. It helps because I can go back and listen to the lecture again, and I can stop/start/rewind/fast forward the lecture to any part that I want.</p>
<p>I try to put the concepts the professor explains into my own words, so I’m forced to pay attention and understand the material to the best of my ability. Of course, my mind still wanders from time to time, but that happens to everyone to some extent.</p>
<p>I’m also one that needs to be doing something with their hands to focus, so when I’m not writing something down a lot of the time I’m either playing with my pen in some way (usually spinning it around in my fingers) or doodling in the margins. A lot of times the doodles actually help me later because I end up doodling stuff related to what the professor was talking about. That’s just me, though. Don’t do that if it will distract you.</p>
<p>Have you tried something like mind mapping? Basically, it’s just making a fancy outline based on what the professor is talking about in class. Using different colored pens/ pencils, drawing pictures, and making short notes during the lesson could help keep your more focused since you’re constantly working in class. The problem with a lot of college courses is they’re passive- the professor does all the talking, sou have to find ways to actively engage yourself to help keep you focused. Anyway, google mind mapping and see if that helps!</p>
<p>I’m the same way! Even when I’m able to concentrate (which isn’t often), I just have trouble remembering what my professor said, and I can’t reword it in my own head while the professor is lecturing since in order for me to put anything into my own words, I have to be in a relatively quiet environment, so it’s extremely difficult for me to take good notes in class. People always say learn the concept, not memorize, but for me, I HAVE to memorize first in order to understand a concept (for example, I can’t understand how to use Newton’s First, Second, and Third Laws unless I memorize what they are first).</p>
Even when I’m able to concentrate (which isn’t often), I just have trouble remembering what my professor said, and I can’t reword it in my own head while the professor is lecturing since in order for me to put anything into my own words, I have to be in a relatively quiet environment, so it’s extremely difficult for me to take good notes in class. People always say learn the concept, not memorize, but for me, I HAVE to memorize first in order to understand a concept (for example, I can’t understand how to use Newton’s First, Second, and Third Laws unless I memorize what they are first).</p>