Hi fellow parents!
My daughter just started school at Vanderbilt University! She is having trouble finding good places to study and get her work on campus. Where do your kids study? Do they have tips for time management and productive studying?
Thanks for the help!
One of my kids was a music major and didn’t all,of his studying in that building. There were longes and study areas.
The second kiddo studied in her dorm room, or in a study room in the library/learning commons.
Each also had a study area in their dorm, but seldom used it.
My second kid went to a college where the weather was outstanding year round. She sometimes also studied outdoors either near the student center or just on the grass someplace. There was WiFi everywhere.
They both give the same free advice…get homework, reading and other assignments done ASAP. If the student does that, they will find that they aren’t crunched or rushed to get things done. So…my kids did their assignments immediately the day they were assigned.
All your daughter needs in terms of a place is someplace quiet. What about the library?
S is pretty organized and told me it comes down to time management. Time management requires discipline, scheduling, etc. There will be more free time in college than HS, even with clubs and ECs. They key is using your time wisely. S treats it like a job. Spends a ton of time socializing BUT only because he has blocked out time for:
class
ECs
working out
work
He writes it down in a planner (I know, a little anal but it works for him). And lives by the schedule.
Re places to study - first yr he went to the library a lot but found it to be too social to get a lot of stuff done (I know that sounds weird, a library being social but they have all types of meeting rooms, cafes, etc. Since then, he’s found little hamlets where he can be totally focused.
I used a planner way back when. I think it’s helpful for keeping track not just of your time but what your obligations are, including due dates for appointments, assignments, class meetings, and other events.
A general point about time amounts. When I headed off to college I read a book about time management. Basically it said that students should expect to spend 2 to 3 hours on 'homework" for every 1 hour in class. So if they have, say, 15 hours in class, then they should expect to spend 30-45 hours per week on schoolwork outside of class. That many hours can’t be found if homework is confined to weekends or to evenings. It’s critical that students find time between classes during the day (i.e., not just at night), to go to the library, a study hall, their dorm, or some other location to get in research/reading time.
Being a student is a full-time job. But to the student who complains that they can’t spend 45-60 hours per week on schoolwork plus attending class, here’s a question for them: Q. HOW MANY HOURS ARE THERE IN A WEEK? A. 168 (24 x 7). If you use your daylight hours well during the week, and as needed on weekends, you can surely find the time for 15 hours in class + 30-45 hours out of class. In all that’s 45-60 hours per week. What are you going to do with the REMAINING 100+ hours? Well, there’s sleep, personal care, meals, laundry, shopping, recreation, perhaps a job, and socializing including attending clubs as well as sporting and cultural events (including films, music, etc.).
^ completely agree with @mackinaw . When you have an hour or two in between classes, use it to get stuff done. I used to do 2 to 3 hours of school work (mainly reading) before dinner. Rather than heading back to the dorm, I would stay on campus and hit the library. Meet up with my friends for dinner. Another 3 hours or so of work after dinner and then I was done. Still had plenty of time for intramural sports, hanging out with friends , working at the school TV station and plenty of partying. It just required getting in a routine and sticking to it.
Tips for doing well in college: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/1920853-college-is-a-step-up-from-hs-16-tips-on-doing-well-in-college.html
Great list @bopper ! What every student should glean from it is College is about taking responsibility. Nobody cares what you do or prevents you from falling through the cracks. It’s up to you to get help, stay on track, etc. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about learning about yourself , exploring new avenues, and managing it all. Forget about getting a 4.0 (although you can). Get engaged in activities (once you settle in) you like, try new ones just to try them. Grow!
My number one tip for studying is to silence your phone. Seriously, nobody can study when they are being interrupted every few minutes and being distracted.
Buy the textbooks and highlight the important information. Take your own written notes from the textbooks. Writing really does help you memorize better, IMO.
^ definitely silence those phones. you’ll be amazed how much more you get done without distractions.