This post is all about study tips for college students to use that will actually help.
Finding study tips for college students can be tricky, especially if the person you are listening to has never had to implement new ways.
In this, you will learn what study tips you could implement today (and no they are not just study more).
9 Study Tips For College Students That Actually Help
1. Taking Notes After Class
Taking notes is one of the most important elements of passing a class in college. Especially if you are not paying attention in class or partying every weekend. We have all been there but, that is why you need to know how to take the right notes, to effectively study.
This tip is one that has helped me, not only receive a higher grade in the course, but also helped retain the information after the class was over. With this tip, the key is to summarize everything you learned right after the class.
Yes, after the class is finished right down everything you remember and the questions you have about that topic.
This allows you to go back through your notes and see what you need to review and go over before test day. Instead of reviewing a whole book of notes, you re-read the summary notes that you wrote in your own words. Then give yourself time to answer those questions you have.
2. Taking Notes Effectively
So now you know to summarize your notes right after a lecture but what if your teacher wants you to write down definitions? Or details about an important person?
You would normally get out a piece of paper and spend an hour writing down word after word from the Professor’s PowerPoint. Instead, ask your professor to post the PowerPoint on Canvas (or the platform your school uses) and then copy/paste it onto a Quizlet, during class.
Now, you have efficiently saved time because you can just study that Quizlet on the bus or at night when your roommate is asleep and the lights are off. Don’t knock this effective study tips out until you try it!!
3. Taking Fun Breaks
No one likes studying for hours on end. You feel like your head is going to fall off with all of the knowledge you’re trying to consume and inhailing a very unhealthy amount of caffeine. If you do not know what I am talking about, wait for a math final and you will understand (lol).
As someone who studied fourteen hours for a math final, trust me, taking fun breaks is essential. You need to get up and move. Do some cartwheels or just walk around the table; do anything active. I take a fifteen-minute break every hour. Meaning, for fitness minutes I walk around and try to think of anything else.
4. Organization
This I am sure does not come as a shock to you. You have heard others say it, and now me. Everyone is on to something. Organization is very helpful because you are not wasting time trying to find something or searching for an assignment.
My favorite tool is Google Calendar (you can find it here). I use it to write down when assignments are due and schedule out my time. It keeps my schedule transparent and organized at the same time. The software is amazing because you can hook your calendar up with your school’s. This means it will automatically transfer the due dates of assignments to your one calendar.
5. Relaxing Morning
This one is most often overlooked because it is hard to believe our mornings can affect our study sessions at 6 pm but it can.
A relaxing morning, that you wake up and have an hour or two for yourself sets the tone for the day. That time in the morning could be used for the gym, Netflix, or anything that lifts your spirit for the day.
On the other hand, having a stressful morning can ruin your whole day and make you feel like you are feeling rushed.
6. Studying At The Right Time
Study when you feel at your best and energetic.
If you feel tired and/or just in a bad mood, it will take you longer to remember information. Find a quiet place to study where you feel the most comfortable and get to work. Furthermore, if you are a morning person study in the library in the early morning. Or if you are a night owl, study at night.
7. Eating Right
Eating.
We do it every day but during long study sessions or even long workdays, what you eat goes out the window. However, those are the times that eating right is important.
Eat high-protein snacks and make sure you are staying hydrated.
8. Move On
This is a trick I learned from writing long papers in English class and is also my favorite study tips for college students. If you are feeling stuck or just cannot reach the word minimum, write whatever comes to your head. Don’t focus on punctuation or the flow of the sentence, and just revise afterward.
The same could be said for studying. If you have been doing Calculous homework for hours and are stuck on an equation, move to a different subject. Most of the time, you know how to do the problem, your mind just needs rest from that particular topic.
9. Your Dream Board
Remember why you are studying and going to school in the first place. Is it to afford your own house in Italy? Or to become a Doctor to prove your parents wrong? Or to learn as much as you can about a career you love?
I recommend creating a ‘Dream Board’ of all the items or pictures that will motivate you and remind you of your future. I use a combination of two apps: Pinterest and Canva.