“High Expectations Meet Head-On With Reality” – A sketch of Barbi, Katisha, Marita and Janice, all college grads, by artist Robert Huffstutter who says, “Thought a job would be like a piece of cake with a 60K beginning salary. Now searching the KCMO Clubs and nightspots for reputable employment.” Image and Comment Courtesy: Robert Huffstutter
When you go to college, you need to remember what you’re there for. I know you probably think you’re there for parties and sex, but if you don’t come away with good grades, it will affect your future. There are a few people washing dishes right now because they didn’t know when to slow down on the fun stuff and you don’t want to be like them. Not that there is anything wrong with honest work, but if you’re spending thousands on your education, you want a better life.
Do you even know how to study properly? It was easy in high school because you just needed to memorize a few things, but college is different and you need to up your game. Can you imagine yourself in a nice office making a ridiculous amount of money every year? Well, I think it will be beneficial if we go over a few cool ways to make sure you never fail.
Try some of these out and you will be impressed by how much you will have improved after your next exam:
1. Become better at taking notes
When you sit down with a textbook, it’s not easy to go through it reading all the important parts. It’s much easier if you become a note-taking ninja because most things you will need to know will be on a sheet of paper. When you’re sitting in class, you should begin to write down anything you think sounds important. Sooner or later, you will get a lot better at it but in the beginning, it might be a little difficult.
2. Don’t study when you’re tired
You should just go to sleep when you’re tired because it’s unlikely you will take in as much information. Your study intensity will drop as well, so everything you learn in two hours when you are tired might only take you an hour to learn when you’re feeling fresh. I know college students love to cram the night before an exam, and there is nothing wrong with that, but the biggest majority of your studying should be done long before the exam when you’re feeling energetic.
3. Little and often
Try to write a to-do-list and include everything you need to study. That means you won’t feel like you need to read books all night. You can just look at your list and choose something you need to do that will take about an hour to complete. When you study in mini-sessions, you will get better grades because you will be interested in what you’re trying to read. You get bored after a while if you have to read something for hours on end.
4. Study with other people
Some people like to get together with other people to discuss important topics. When you are studying with friends, your mind will be a lot more stimulated. You won’t want to look stupid, so you will try your hardest to make sure you get every question/answer right. Can you motivate yourself when you are sitting in your room with a book in your hand? If you want to ensure great grades, you should get together with a small study group, but please try to behave.
5. Slow down when you’re reading
Don’t rush through a book when you need to learn the material inside it. You can read Harry Potter as quick as you like because you don’t need to remember any of it. If you read through your textbooks at a hundred miles per hour, you will only have to read them again. You’re better letting all the knowledge contained in the book slowly sink into your brain. Make sure you understand everything before you move onto the next chapter.
Get ready for a great life
You want to get top grades at the first time of asking. You will achieve your dream life much quicker, but remember not to study too hard because you still need to enjoy yourself.
Mary Gomez is a stay at home mom. She has a passion for teaching and conducts English and Maths tuition in Perth. She is also a voracious reader and loves to read her favourite novels in her spare time.
Leave a Reply