<p>What are your study habits?</p>
<p>Tips, Habits, for other college students? ^__^</p>
<p>I'm not sure if there's a stickied thread like this on CC, but I think it'd be helpful!</p>
<p>Breaks every 50-60 minutes (I use them to smoke)
Work out/listen to music
Notecards with key terms/cases/ideas/etc;
STUDY GROUPS: they help so much, especially in pre law/law classes
I don’t usually have tests, and really only study for a few midterms and finals. Most of my evaluations are papers, but I still utilize plenty of study breaks and peer help.</p>
<p>My two cents: Make notecards and read them wherever you are-- walking to class, at lunch, before you go to sleep…especially for math with formulas, worked out problems, and elaborated concepts.</p>
<p>Well I exercise regularly to have a clear mind and better focus.
I study way in advance so I can keep on top of the rigorous math and physics courses.
Study groups work well in proof courses to expand your thinking and construct on proofs. I will make up my own exercises to see if I can solve them and provide ability to solve problems faster especially in math and physic courses that are 50 minutes long - not much time to waste thinking how to solve problems. I have always thought note cards were useless for math since if you actually understand the material you can easily derive the information, but for upper division, I would see why some people would since it can be like a foreign language depending on the professor and how he or she want to write the exams.</p>
<p>A few off the top of my head…</p>
<p>1) going to class</p>
<p>2) paying attention</p>
<p>3) reading the text book</p>
<p>4) doing the assignments</p>
<p>;-)</p>
<ul>
<li><p>For reading, set page goals and break accordingly. So, if you have 60 pages of history to read, promise yourself a 10 minute break for every 20 pages you read. I’ve found that when I just say, “Oh, I’ll read until eight and then take a break” I end up reading way less in that time than if I know that I need to read x number of pages before I get a quick break.</p></li>
<li><p>If you need a longer break, make it productive. For short breaks, I usually just text, mess around on the internet, watch TV, whatever. But if I’m really restless and need a half hour or so off for a focus break, I try to make it worthwhile – get in a quick workout (yoga or a workout DVD in your room, or take a little longer and go for a run or something outside), take a shower, grab a meal, or maybe even do homework for a different subject. Homework may not be much of a “break,” but if you’ve been working on a term paper all afternoon, doing some physics problems may be enough of a change of pace to get you back on task.</p></li>
<li><p>I agree with Tiff – I love a good notecard set, especially for finals. Formulas are easy enough for me to remember for a midterm, but if you have a whole semester’s worth of formulas/dates/terms/whatever to remember, notecards are a lifesaver.</p></li>
<li><p>Study groups can be awesome. They can also be a huge waste of time (if you don’t get anything accomplished, your study group is way smarter or dumber than you are, the class is too easy to need one, etc.). You may have to feel around for one that suits your needs for a particular class, but if you find the right set-up, it can be awesome (and you can meet some really great friends).</p></li>
<li><p>A generally good strategy for me is to do everything recommended in the syllabus before the first test. So, read the book, do all the review questions / end of chapter problems / study guides, go to every class, attend any official review sessions, etc. Once you’ve taken that first test, you can generally feel out which of those things you need to continue doing to do well in the class. You may find that you can get away without doing the reading, can stand to skip some lectures, whatever. In general, I can drop at least a couple of these things in humanities classes, whereas in math and science courses, I find I need to keep up with all of them.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Also:</p>
<p>Email the Prof and go to office hours with ANY questions. Maybe they are stupid, but they will give you an explanation and make you look like you care about the class. Ask questions in class (except stupid ones, ask those in private).</p>
<p>My English teacher for senior year took a seminar at UC Berkeley on:
“How to Succeed in College or everything I know as a graduate student I wish I had known as a freshman”
She wrote a short version and gave a small ‘last lecture’ for graduating seniors. (She is an AMAZING teacher; graduate of UCB Honors). I think this would be helpful so I thought I’d share:</p>
<p>*NOTE: I typed it up on Microsoft word and pasted it here, so the formatting is a bit off</p>
<p>The Short Version</p>
<p>**1. **Focus: You must decide what will be the most important priority in your life for the next semester. Academics? Social life?If you organize your academic life, you can have a rewarding social life. Setyour priority and don’t waiver! Make your classes your #1 priority and you willsucceed in college.
Remember: All college really consists of is alot of work; it isn’t that hard.</p>
<p>2. ****Plan: **Develop a semester calendar. **The minuteyou get the syllabus for each class with due dates for papers, projects, tests,mid-terms, and reading, immediately list these dates and make a tentative studyschedule for each one. Carry your semester schedule with you always then youcan see when you can party and when you really shouldn’t.
Remember: Organization lets you relax.</p>
<p>**3. **Plan: Each week buy a latte, sit down, and plan your week. First, list classes (you weren’t even thinking about skipping wereyou.) Second, list study time usually 2-3 hours for every 1 hour of class. Yes,it seems like a lot; some weeks it make be more and some weeks it may be less,but plan for it.
Example: You take 12 units, you will need 24-36hours of study every week. That’s 36-48 hours each week already taken! That’s afull-time job!! (Personally, I found it useful to think of school as an 8-4 jobwith a short lunch and 2 breaks.) This leaves you with the afternoons andevenings free for fun!! (or a job.) I know working is a necessity, but if youcan, avoid working more than 12 hours/week.Remember: 48 hours of class/study time + 12hours of work / week = 60 hour weeks. Occasionally, 60-70 hour weeks are okay,but you will eventually stress-out, become ill, and lose your joi de vivre ifall your weeks are over-booked.</p>
<p>**4. **Plan: Each day plan your day. Look for thoselittle hidden pockets of time when you can study. Twenty minutes here, thirtyminutes there do all add up. Try to arrange your schedule to have time beforeand after class to go over your notes. This is especially important afterclass. Even 10 minutes to read over your notes will help to reinforce the newmaterial immediately. You will see connections others miss, and you will beginto think like your professor. You will be able to predict thetests!
Remember: When people pressure you to go out,just show them your weekly/daily schedule and let them find a time that worksfor the both oof you. You’ll have fun and not feel guilty. Life is a series oftrade-offs. Do what you need to do to meet your priorities.</p>
<p>**5. **Plan: Where will you study? You certainly can’tuse your dorm room to study; everyone will have a crisis or an irresistibleoffer. You can’t study around crazy, distracting people. During your orientationcheck out all the libraries on or near campus. (UC Berkeley has over 30libraries on/near campus. I always liked to study in Moffitt Library exceptaround mid-term and finals; then I went to the Music Library—a mellow place—or theGraduate Theological Library up on Holy Hill—talk about good vibes.)
Remember: Learn about the access to the stacks.Are the stacks open to undergraduates or do you need a special class to earn astack pass? If you do, then take it. Getting into the stacks graduate studentsuse will give you an edge over the rest of the undergraduates.
Really remember: Never leave your stuffunattended. There are people who make a living foff reselling your textbooksand you just try replacing your boks once classes have started. BUY BOOKSEARLY!!</p>
<p>**6. **Review: Review lecture notes before lecture,immediately following the lecture, and each week during your weekly cumulative view.If you go over all your Princeton notes each week, you will never need to cram.You will be calm and secure going into a test, you will be rested and confidentwhile others flip out!
Remember: Never loan someone your notes (I don’t care how cute he is or how beautiful she is or how desperate they are) Havethem give you their Xerox card (it works just like a BART ticket) and you makethem a copy.
Really Remember: Don’t procrastinate, you willget sick at midterms and finals and won’t be able to study even if you have thebest intentions of doing so. REVIEW EACH WEEK!</p>
<p>**7. **Take care of yourself: you must be at your peakphysically in order to cope with the mental challenge of college. You must make sure to:</p>
<p>
Sleep: 8 hours/day, no all-nighters ( you’ll bea zombie for two days afterward) Read the latest study from the Stanford Centeron Sleep if you don’t believe me.</p>
<p>Eat well: don’t be seduced by the Dark Side—pizza,soda, sweets, caffeine</p>
<p>Exercise: plan 3 sessions each week on yourweekly calendar! Work out, go out for a sport, run, take classes in yoga or TaiChi, dance, walk, do anything but you must move your body to reduce stress andto improve your state of mind.</p>
<p>Remember; Exercise, not “chemical alteration”relieves stress.</p>
<p>**8. **Take a break! Give yourself one day off eachweek and don’t even think about school. Your brain needs some down-time toabsorb new material. Your subconscious mind will still be working on youracademics, but make your conscious mind do something else. Go out with friends,go to a movie, go to church, go on a drive, go to a museum, go to the beach, goto a concert, go on a hike, but GO! You’ll be focused for the next week.(Personally each week I took off Friday at 4 PM (after my weekly review) untilSunday morning; I earned it. Sunday afternoon, I reviewed my notes).</p>
<p>^^^ what she/he posted, that is excellent!</p>
<p>i especially second keeping generally healthy habits-eat, sleep, exercise etc. your body will love you for it, and your mind will get a confidence boost.</p>
<p>^^That’s great ideally, but seriously, that’s not happening…that leaves barely any time for a social life (especially since 12 credit hours is a ridiculously light credit load).</p>
<p>Get enough sleep at night, go to class, and make a study group. Bingo.</p>
<p>I usually just play some music, and before I know it I’ve been studying for an hour. Music really has a way of completely distracting me from the rest of the world, and it helps me focus on studying.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the tips! ;D</p>
<p>It depends on the person. Personally, music serves as a distraction for me because I end up following the song lyrics in my head. Classical music is usually the way to go for me when I don’t like the silence, haha.</p>