In the blink of an eye, we’re already full force into October, and before we know it we’ll be facing the much-dreaded final exams. Being a student is probably one of the most stressful times in a young adults life, balancing a plethora of responsibilities and obligations, and nonetheless, studying. Out of all the juggling that is the circus of college, studying seems to be the most difficult for anyone to really nail. Others can tell you to find a quiet place, put your phone in a separate room to focus, or to create a study group with friends; all of which are tried and true methods. However, finding some of the best study tips as a college student still seems near impossible, for some tips and methods work better for some but not as well for others. After years of schooling and some help from a Grad school student herself, here are some of the best study tips for college students to nix those pre-exam jitters.
According to one of my former Professors of Psychology, spreading out your times of studying over the span of one or two weeks in smaller time increments is a way to study; thus, the top of the list for the best study tips. Taking 15-30 minutes daily, or every other day, to study a portion of material is far more beneficial than cramming 10-12 hours worth of an all-nighter in hopes that you might remember something. A designated time frame is not necessarily needed; if you feel more focused one day and knock out 30 minutes worth of studying, but another day you’re much lower on energy and brain power and barely squeeze in 10-15 minutes worth of studying, no biggie! You’ll retain much more information allowing yourself to focus on a small amount of material over the span of more time, rather than all of the material, all at once.
If you haven’t heard of Quizlet by now as a college student, you’re seriously missing out. Websites that allow you to create virtual flashcards and study guides right online, for free, are very helpful for studying; it’s probably one of the best study tips any student will tell you. Physical flashcards are also useful, however, some college students don’t have the time and resources to spend hours creating flashcards, then wanting to chuck them out of the library window by the time they’re done. Having free online resources like Khan Academy, Quizlet, or Spark Notes really gives you different opportunities and experiences to study and learn in whatever way you like best; for sure the best of study tips!
This a unique study tip that has deemed successful by not only myself, but a very close fellow college grad school student. Writing things down is a super helpful, unique way to remember and retain information. Often times, if your professor is a saint of a person and provides a study guide per each exam, writing down the material to each topic or answer to each question will really make the material stick. The suggestion of writing something three times goes along with the idea of repetition; the more you do something, the more likely you are to remember and retain, thus making it one of the best study tips.
Speaking out loud to yourself will not only help you study, but it is something to focus on other than staring down at a piece of paper while all the words start to jumble together to look like a mess of nonsense. I find that one of the best study tips include talking to yourself. If you talk to yourself, or pretend you’re giving a presentation on said-material, the more likely you are to understand and retain the information you’re speaking about. Think about it like this: you are the teacher. You are teaching your “students” about the material you are studying. You want to present it to them in a way that they’ll not only understand, but in a way that they’ll remember. Go down your study guide, and after each main point/question, answer the question or speak about the point aloud. The more you repeat it, the more likely you are to remember, similar to the tip of writing it down.
It’s important to remember that students often times enter college having their own systems in place for what works for them opposed to what doesn’t. Some of the best study tips come from whatever helps you most, and it’s okay to try all of these study tips, or none at all! To all my college students out there, keep on keeping on and happy studying!
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