5 answers
Dylan
Student
Oxford, Mississippi
1
Question
Updated
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What does studying in college look like for a computer science major enrolling at a big tech university What are the best study habits to develop while in college??
I'm a relatively good student when it comes to maintaining my grades in high school, and I have developed some study habits. However, none of my classes have pushed me to study hard yet. I'm just looking for some honest advice on managing the huge adjustment to college so I can stay on top of things.
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5 answers
Leanne Hayes
Field Marketing
10
Answers
Basingstoke, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Leanne’s Answer
Hey Dylan, love your proactive approach here!
I didn’t go to university, but I did return to adult study later on, and I know how big the adjustment can be when you’re suddenly responsible for managing your own learning. Whether it’s college, uni, or any kind of further education, the key difference is that no one’s there to keep you on track — it’s all about self-discipline.
What helped me was developing a routine and staying consistent, even when deadlines felt far away. Starting work early and breaking it into smaller tasks really helped avoid that last-minute panic. I also learned that it’s important to ask for help when you need it — whether that’s tutors, peers, or study groups.
Time management is definitely one of the most valuable skills to develop, along with making sure you balance study with rest so you don’t burn out.
If you’re already thinking about how to stay on top of things, you’re ahead of the game — being proactive is half the battle!
I didn’t go to university, but I did return to adult study later on, and I know how big the adjustment can be when you’re suddenly responsible for managing your own learning. Whether it’s college, uni, or any kind of further education, the key difference is that no one’s there to keep you on track — it’s all about self-discipline.
What helped me was developing a routine and staying consistent, even when deadlines felt far away. Starting work early and breaking it into smaller tasks really helped avoid that last-minute panic. I also learned that it’s important to ask for help when you need it — whether that’s tutors, peers, or study groups.
Time management is definitely one of the most valuable skills to develop, along with making sure you balance study with rest so you don’t burn out.
If you’re already thinking about how to stay on top of things, you’re ahead of the game — being proactive is half the battle!
Thank you so much — this really helped to reassure me about some of my concerns. I’m definitely going to take your advice and work on developing a routine (and sticking to it), hopefully before college, so I can better manage fatigue and burnout as much as possible. Usually, in high school, I didn’t ask for help very often, but this opened my eyes that in college, the coursework, load, and pace will be very different, and I need to stay on top of things. I can already see that I will be making many trips to help resources by the sound of things; but, it's nice to hear that things I struggle with, like time management, will get easier with practice.
Thanks again — your advice really stuck with me, I’m feeling a lot more confident about college and the hardships to come.
Dylan
I am so pleased it has helped. Your proactive approach already means you're on the right track....my last little snippet of advice. Try not to think of it as hardships - try to think of your time and effort at college as an investment into your future. Something tells me you're gonna do great. I wish you all the best :-)
Leanne Hayes
Vijay Sharma
Technical analyst
9
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Vijay’s Answer
Studying computer science at a big tech university is fast-paced and challenging, with a mix of lectures, labs, coding projects, and exams. You’ll need to manage a heavy workload and learn complex concepts quickly.
Best study habits to develop:
Consistent daily practice: Code and review material regularly, don’t cram.
Active learning: Work on projects, solve problems, and join study groups.
Time management: Plan your week, prioritize tasks, and avoid procrastination.
Use resources: Attend office hours, seek help early, and use online tutorials.
Balance: Take breaks and maintain a healthy routine to avoid burnout.
Starting early with these habits will help you adapt and excel in college.
Best study habits to develop:
Consistent daily practice: Code and review material regularly, don’t cram.
Active learning: Work on projects, solve problems, and join study groups.
Time management: Plan your week, prioritize tasks, and avoid procrastination.
Use resources: Attend office hours, seek help early, and use online tutorials.
Balance: Take breaks and maintain a healthy routine to avoid burnout.
Starting early with these habits will help you adapt and excel in college.
Michael Neward
Software Engineer
3
Answers
Renton, Washington
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Having graduated from a smaller college, I can state in my experience, that it's all about keeping track of time.
Even if the study material and tests are not particularly difficult, there will still be projects one will need to get done, typically over long periods of time, and there will be no one to really enforce progress on that project. Programming colleges are even more so about this, with several courses that are just "build this application in this timeframe", and sessions being more time spent to learn and get questions figured out. Rarely will the teacher be that on your case if you are lagging behind.
Being able to accurately budget how much time a project will take, and spend that much time each week will be crucial in those sort of classes.
Some courses also have the possibility to be online only in certain colleges. In those classes, the "class" is spent entirely on the lecture, which can be viewed whenever if one doesn't mind losing the ability to ask questions on the material on the spot. In those, the homework and exams are entirely on your prerogative, and the teacher will rarely ask in class about doing work like this at all.
With the added potential timesinks of part time jobs or figuring out when and how much to unwind with friends/family (which one should absolutely do, lest one go crazy), and one gets the ultimate skill that college teaches, determining ones capacity to work/errands/schooling/relaxation, and how much time is required for each field.
From the sound of things, one should be perfectly fine, especially considering one took the time to set up an account here. That alone speaks for alot.
Even if the study material and tests are not particularly difficult, there will still be projects one will need to get done, typically over long periods of time, and there will be no one to really enforce progress on that project. Programming colleges are even more so about this, with several courses that are just "build this application in this timeframe", and sessions being more time spent to learn and get questions figured out. Rarely will the teacher be that on your case if you are lagging behind.
Being able to accurately budget how much time a project will take, and spend that much time each week will be crucial in those sort of classes.
Some courses also have the possibility to be online only in certain colleges. In those classes, the "class" is spent entirely on the lecture, which can be viewed whenever if one doesn't mind losing the ability to ask questions on the material on the spot. In those, the homework and exams are entirely on your prerogative, and the teacher will rarely ask in class about doing work like this at all.
With the added potential timesinks of part time jobs or figuring out when and how much to unwind with friends/family (which one should absolutely do, lest one go crazy), and one gets the ultimate skill that college teaches, determining ones capacity to work/errands/schooling/relaxation, and how much time is required for each field.
From the sound of things, one should be perfectly fine, especially considering one took the time to set up an account here. That alone speaks for alot.
Thank you; this helped clarify things for me. Based on your description, I am looking forward to these college courses in computer science. The structure of projects with an emphasis on time management sounds like a great assignment that I would enjoy. I can’t wait to go to college now; it sounds like a fun time, especially the social aspects. I deliberately picked a college a state away from my hometown to push myself out of my comfort zone and meet new people. Again, thank you for taking the time to write this out; this really helped a lot.
Dylan
Torin Vermette
Site Reliability Engineer
2
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Torin’s Answer
I have a similar experience to you as far as finding high school to be not very challenging, and I can tell you that at least for me, the added mental load and time overhead of engineering undergrad hit me like a truck around my sophomore year of university. My high school study habits (or lack thereof) became unsustainable quickly, and I had to rethink my strategy. I think this happens to a lot of folks in our field. The unfortunate reality of your question is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to good study habits, so my advice is more about finding what works for you individually:
Try everything once and keep what works: try using a calendar to schedule everything. Try studying at home, at school, in a coffee shop. Try pulling an all-nighter. Try doing what your straight-A classmate is doing. Everything that works, try again until they become habits. Taste and adjust your strategy; failure is just a data point, not the end of the world
Immerse yourself: understanding comes from curiosity. It's much easier to understand challenging concepts when you're interested in them. Differential equations is a hard class with lots of homework and exams, but the concept of differential equations is actually quite interesting, and shifting your mindset to foster curiosity goes a long way in terms of cramming all the information in your head
Be kind to yourself: eat, sleep, exercise and socialize when your body demands it, and then apply yourself to study. You're still human, and your health is more important than your degree, trust me
These three things were the most helpful for me in building a foundation of good study habits during my college years. Keep in mind that good things take time, so try not to get discouraged when things don't work out. Good luck to you!
Try everything once and keep what works: try using a calendar to schedule everything. Try studying at home, at school, in a coffee shop. Try pulling an all-nighter. Try doing what your straight-A classmate is doing. Everything that works, try again until they become habits. Taste and adjust your strategy; failure is just a data point, not the end of the world
Immerse yourself: understanding comes from curiosity. It's much easier to understand challenging concepts when you're interested in them. Differential equations is a hard class with lots of homework and exams, but the concept of differential equations is actually quite interesting, and shifting your mindset to foster curiosity goes a long way in terms of cramming all the information in your head
Be kind to yourself: eat, sleep, exercise and socialize when your body demands it, and then apply yourself to study. You're still human, and your health is more important than your degree, trust me
These three things were the most helpful for me in building a foundation of good study habits during my college years. Keep in mind that good things take time, so try not to get discouraged when things don't work out. Good luck to you!
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
520
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
Succeeding in computer science at a big tech university is within your reach with focus and dedication. Even if high school felt easy, college will be a new challenge that you can meet by starting assignments early, staying organized, and engaging actively with your studies. Build on study habits that work for you and find a routine that feels productive. Remember to take breaks and care for yourself, as sleep and health are key to staying focused.
Practice coding regularly and try explaining concepts out loud to deepen your understanding. Don't hesitate to seek help from peers or professors, and make use of office hours and discussion boards. Online platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, and YouTube channels such as Computerphile can enhance your learning, while tools like GitHub and Notion keep you organized. Preview class material, participate actively, and review it by applying what you’ve learned through coding. Use breaks and summers to work on personal projects or gain new skills through open-source contributions or certifications. Balance digital resources with foundational books to strengthen your knowledge. Stay curious and consistent, and you will grow in the field.
Practice coding regularly and try explaining concepts out loud to deepen your understanding. Don't hesitate to seek help from peers or professors, and make use of office hours and discussion boards. Online platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, and YouTube channels such as Computerphile can enhance your learning, while tools like GitHub and Notion keep you organized. Preview class material, participate actively, and review it by applying what you’ve learned through coding. Use breaks and summers to work on personal projects or gain new skills through open-source contributions or certifications. Balance digital resources with foundational books to strengthen your knowledge. Stay curious and consistent, and you will grow in the field.