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What are helpful study habits to use in college?

I procrastinate when it comes to studying for tests. Are there any tips that can make it easier to study leading up to a test, instead of cramming?
#education #college #studying-tips #studying #study-skills #time-management

time-management studying-tips studying study-skills
Thank you comment icon Here is a presentation that I did on this topic for my local school district https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z-Nb5oKSsHA8okHP9ttKYAR-9FPlYQ7o/view?usp=sharing Phenix Frazier
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Katherine’s Answer

Hey Paige!

Something I actually just learned about is called the WOOP Method (more information here https://woopmylife.org/en/home!). The WOOP Method can be used to set any kind of goal and I think this could be particularly helpful for studying. See some helpful steps below.

Best of luck!

Katherine recommends the following next steps:

Wish - What is your wish? In this case, it sounds like it's to procrastinate less and study more with effective studying habits
Outcome - Visualize the outcome of your wish. In this case, it could be maintaining good grades and maximizing your learning potential.
Obstacle - Identify obstacles that may stand in the way of your wish and desired outcome. In this case, it could be the temptation to just relax and hang out with friends as opposed to studying.
Plan - Utilize an if/then plan. In this case, say you really want to hang out with you friends, but you also really need to study a test. Say if I hang out with my friends for half an hour, I'll study for an hour, and so on. This if/then strategy is incredibly helpful!
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Marco’s Answer

Hey Paige,

Procrastination often comes out of fear or perhaps the anxiety about an upcoming test. You must first acknowledge that college exams are not like your typical high school test and cover much more material. Organization is key and no, I'm sorry, you will not be able to get away with studying last minute (aka 1 or 2 nights before). But no need to feel ashamed, I failed my first exam due to this exact reason. Here are some things that I found helpful to help me have a strong GPA during my freshman year:

First, having a central planning/calendar platform (whether that be in a formal planner notebook or on a digital platform) is extremely important and perhaps the most crucial tool to being a successful student in college. Every high achieving student I know has one of these. Trust me, you will have a lot going on, and having a place to see what assignments are due and events (yes even extracurriculars and parties) you may have during the week will go a long way. Many colleges will give you a physical paper planner, at least during your first year, which is very nice. For me, what seemed to work was a digital planner platform, called iStudiez Pro, which worked really well for me and did not require me having to carry around a physical notebook all the time. It also synced between my phone and computer, so I did not even have to pull out my computer to put things into my schedule.

This topic of planning relates to test prep because it allows you to change your framework about studying and make it more into a "series of assignments" leading up to the exam. For example: if I had a test coming up in 7-8 days, I would place certain chapters from the unit (sections/topics that will be on the test) as assignments due in the days leading up to the exam. This helped decrease my stress about the test but also hold myself accountable to studying in chunks, a little at a time. The smaller you break up studying, the easier and low-stress you will feel.

College is going to be very hard at times and you may have to study a bit more than you are accustomed to, especially in comparison to high school. Don't underestimate it, but also recognize that college has a lot of parallels to the reality of life in the real adult world. You will be on your own and be forced to figure out what works and what doesn't. So basically, go out and fail. Not on purpose, but really, making mistakes and experiencing failures is what is really going to help you in the long run. It's what teaches you how to study effectively and how not to. You can hear all this great and tremendous advice, but what really will help you is going out there, trying your best and if things don't pan out as you hope, you take a deep breath and try something else (go to office hours) until you finally figure what works.

I hope this helps.

Marco recommends the following next steps:

Get a planner (digital or paper)
Thank you comment icon Hi Marco: Your advice is very insightful. Thanks for sharing your experience. Sheila Jordan
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KeriAnn’s Answer

Hello Paige!

When I was in my first year of college, this as well was a frequent problem that I learned needed to be revaluated in order to succeed. What I found to be the most helpful is at the beginning of the semester, is to break up your syllabus "To Do's" on a planner. Say for instance, your professor gives at the beginning of the semester a breakdown of when certain chapters need to be read, when quizzes need to be taken, etc. I would note those on a planner. At this point you can create a weekly schedule around those "to do's". So try and plan to read a chapter of a textbook throughout the week an hour here or there. Taking notes throughout this process so if you have any questions for the professor during the actual lecture you will be able to ask rather than being confused. After, the lecture has happened I would try and spend some time going over the notes that you have acquired between the time you started reviewing before the class and during the class so that information actually starts to stick.


This process essentially continues till mid-terms, finals and beyond. The entire point is to try and stay on-top of the work early on in the process so that when the time comes for tests you're not trying to read 20 chapters at one time.


Don't forget to take breaks &reward yourself!

Good luck on this fun journey !!
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Courtney’s Answer

Hi Paige,

This is a great question! I had the same issue when I was in college. I worked through it by setting goals and deadlines for myself that were earlier than the actual deadlines were. If I met my own goals/deadlines, I then rewarded myself with free time or doing something I like to do! I think the best students are the ones who have a study plan and study more frequently versus cramming for a test. I am sure you will figure it out! Best of luck to you!

Courtney
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Rayford’s Answer

I met with a study skills tutor who specialized in that same problem. They organized me, calmed me and made life easier.
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Simeon’s Answer

It's honestly much better to study in small ten to fifteen minutes sessions multiple times per week as opposed to cram studying. It's way less stressful and the information sticks better. You know how TV advertisements are trying to repeat the same message to you in small chunks multiple times per week? It's the same thing. Our brains retain information way better when its repeated often in small chunks. When you have multiple hour study sessions, the odds are that you're going to be zoning off once the first thirty to forty minutes have passed.
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Su’s Answer

You really need to answer about the subject. If you are learning Math subject, you have to know formulas. If you are studying language, you need to know words, pronunciation, grammar. If you are learning business, you need to know what is the definition of important data’s,for example, what is microeconomic and macroeconomic.
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Carlos’s Answer

Hey Paige!

This is great question and I think it is almost human nature to fall under the spell of procrastination. It is important that you find times not only to study, but to make time for yourself in order to head into the exam as your best self. To solve your procrastination, you can do the following:

Carlos recommends the following next steps:

Create a physical outline of your deliverables with their due dates.
Upload your assignment due dates and class schedule to google calendar, which can be downloaded on both your phone and computer. (You can designate when and how many reminders you receive in-between the date the work is assigned and the due date.)
Find the gaps that you have within your calendar and designate study slots for a respective course. You will do the same for your free time!
Print out a copy of the calendar in order to have both a physical and digital copy.
You will evaluate your study plans bi-weekly and adjust accordingly.
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Vivian’s Answer

Hi Paige!

In my own experience, I found that taking small breaks in between my study sessions helped! I also made it a way to study and hang out with friends, like having study sessions with my friends so we could motivate and keep each other in check! Good luck and take your time!
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Jerome’s Answer

Be intentional and strategic in study method. Also keep this in mind as it pertains to school/life balance.

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Sarah (Sofie)’s Answer

Hi Paige!
You are definitely not alone in this challenge. Many students face this question. Here is an effective way to help:

Use a calendar or planner - and put everything in it. Seeing your assignments, homework, and tests all in one place will help you be able to plan out when you study. It will also help you break down everything you have to do into small, manageable chunks instead of one big insurmountable mound of homework. This will also help prevent procrastination, because often, procrastination comes out of fear of not being able to do whatever the task that you are procrastinating to do is.
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Sheila’s Answer

Hi Paige:

Many students realize that their high school study habits aren’t very effective in college. This is understandable, as college is quite different from high school. The professors are less personally involved, classes are bigger, exams are worth more, reading is more intense, and classes are much more rigorous. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you; it just means you need to learn some more effective study skills and habits. Here are a few ideas for active studying:

• CREATE A STUDY GUIDE - Create a study guide by topic. Formulate questions and problems and write complete answers. Create your own quiz
• BECOME A TEACHER - Say the information aloud in your own words as if you are the instructor and teaching the concepts to a class
• USE EXAMPLES - Derive examples that relate to your own experiences
• CREATE CONCEPT MAPS - Create concept maps or diagrams that explain the material
• DEVELOP SYMBOLS - Develop symbols that represent concepts
• FOCUS ON BIG IDEAS - For non-technical classes (e.g., English, History, Psychology), figure out the big ideas so you can explain, contrast, and re-evaluate them
• WORK THE PROBLEMS - For technical classes, work the problems and explain the steps and why they work
• STUDY IN TERMS OF QUESTION, EVIDENCE AND CONCLUSION - What is the question posed by the instructor/author? What is the evidence that they present? What is the conclusion?

Others have shared some great advice from the CV Prof community that is very insightful. Best of luck to you!

Sheila recommends the following next steps:

Studying 101: Study Smarter not Harder • https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
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Marissa’s Answer

Hi Paige!


This is a great question, and something I think we all struggle with! A few pieces of advice I have:

  1. Getting a planner so all of your assignment due dates, tests, and projects are all in the same area.
  2. Keeping a separate notebook/binder for each class, so it easier when it comes to studying time
  3. Find a study way that works best for you - whether its group study, flashcards, or even going to a professor's office hours, I've never had a professor who was not willing to help out!
  4. Try not to procrastinate! This one is hard - but even if you study a half hour every day for a week before the exam, its a lot better than cramming the night before.... speaking of which make sure you get PLENTY of sleep the night before an exam, that way you can go in fresh!
  5. I personally liked making checklists of to dos, even if it was small stuff (do laundry, organize, etc) - it made me feel accomplished when I got to check something off my list!

Best of luck!
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Monica’s Answer

Hey Paige,

It looks like you got some awesome tips from other people. This is advice I give some of the students that I work with:

- Try to keep good notes from class and from your readings
- Try typing out your notes, then print them out so you have them handy.
- Whenever you have free time (while you're doing laundry, waiting for your friends, etc.) take out your sheets and just look through them.
- Look at them a little more whenever the test is getting closer

With this, you'll feel less overwhelmed than trying to cram last minute.

I know procrastination... it did a number on me my first semester in college, but you learn from your experiences. The truth is, if you want to do well, you make the time.

Hope this helps Paige!

-Monica Wells, LMHC
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Julia’s Answer

This is such a great question because so many people struggle, yet don't ask for help when it comes to productive studying! One thing that helps me study in college is utilizing online software, such as Quizlet.com, to organize my notes or review questions. This has proved to be productive for me because it provides a way to practice reviewing the information in a test-taking format.

I've also found it helpful to utilize peer-tutoring or productive study groups with likeminded peers. Being able to discuss information out loud with others can be a great way to begin the study process ahead of time! From there, I like to plan out exactly what information I will study each night leading up to the exam in order to stay on track.


As always, don't stress too much! The best thing you can do is allot yourself ample time to review the materials at your own pace...and get a good night sleep!

Julia recommends the following next steps:

Create a Quizlet account
Find likeminded students to study with
Outline information prior to night before exam and make a plan to break up the studying
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Matthew’s Answer

Some study habits I found useful in college include using Google Calendar. It allowed me to keep track of the assignments I had to complete and reminded me of important dates for things such as exams and papers. I would highly recommend using such a tool to make sure you are on top of your things.
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Christopher’s Answer

Always prioritize your assignments in the FIFO (First-In-First-Out) manner. Assignments that need to be finished early should be completed before their due date. Always have a contingency plan. Aim to submit your assignments even before the due date. Leave a buffer. As a college student, many unexpected events can disrupt the pace of your semester.

You should always balance your studying among the various classes that you are taking. When you realize you are behind on one subject make sure to review it well. No subject should be compromised at the expense of another. It's better to review your notes right after the class when the information is fresh and you know what next steps you need to take.

Aside from the short-term assignments, take a look at the class schedule over the entire semester, and see how assignments and exams are spaced out. Do that for each and every course. These will enable you to have a tactical navigation throughout the semester. Coupled with the day-to-day progress, you will find yourself in control of each class, regardless of its difficulty.

Try to rest the day before the exam. That day should just be revision of the material, not heavy memorizing and understanding. That day should just be to fill in gaps in your understanding or simply to cover weak areas.
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Meredith’s Answer

I've struggled with procrastination throughout my life and am now getting a master's degree and so had to brush up on how I approached the work in school all over again. Here's what I've found: starting assignments and projects as soon as they're assigned; pacing yourself, if you will, is a good way to approach the work in college (and actually in life!) Spreading things out makes it all more manageable. Working out a schedule and then creating a visual by putting it all down on a calendar THAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY LOOK AT will help. Now...here's something for you to consider; often times, procrastination is a sign of anxiety. It can be us feeling not up to whatever task is being put in front of us; "am I smart enough?" or "if I start, it won't be good, so why start?" And we keep up with these thoughts until we get to a point in time that we realize that we have to have something to hand in and by then it's the night before and while that self-imposed pressure does work for some of us, often waiting 'till the last minute, means that we won't produce our best work and then we get a less-than-stellar grade and that just reinforces our thoughts about our capabilities and it just keeps going round and round...you see what I mean? So, here's a really great, short article that I recommend you read that might just help you change that need to procrastinate:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/better-perfect/201703/11-ways-overcome-procrastination

Be kind to yourself and best of luck!
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Araceli’s Answer

Hello Paige,

I see you have received various good tips on helping with your time management skills when it comes to keeping track with taking tests. One of the things that help me greatly was keeping a planner. I am old school, but physically having a planner kept me on track on what I had going on for the day, week, month or overall year. I would start my morning looking through my planner and see what I had going on for the day and plan accordingly.

When I received the class syllabus I skimmed it and highlighted test and project/homework deadlines. I will then transfer the dates on to my planner and have a plan of what will be my study dates prior to the test. I made sure to attend classes, effectively take notes and made sure to tackle the reading as soon as possible. This way it was fresh in my "brain" to go back and make side notes to the notes I made in class.

Studying for tests can be stressful, especially if you are having to juggle various items at the same time. Remember to prioritize and manage your time effectively to get the things done you want to complete for the day, week, month, etc. Also, remember self-care is important. Make sure to take care of yourself as well.

Good luck!

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Joanna’s Answer

One of the biggest and most helpful tips from both my personal and professional experiences is to always attend classes! Once you get on campus and you’re on your own it becomes difficult to motivate yourself to get to some of your classes. There’s always the pitfall of skipping out on a class to make time for completing assignments for another class and this ends up causing stress and spiraling grades in both courses. Honestly just attending gets you points and your professor is open to communicating with you and helping you out! Best case, you’ll do better on exams simply because you were there to grab some of the information!

Other things that have seriously helped is printing out the syllabus and writing down all the assignments and projects in a planner (online or on paper). Make sure to make separate the projects into smaller steps and put those in the planner as well.

Best rule of thumb I’ve ever heard: start the assignment the day it was assigned. Even if you only put in 10 min for that task, because often times the hardest part is starting!

Hope this helps!
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Elle’s Answer

I was such a bad procrastinator in college. Sad to say I spent one too many nights (and mornings) in the library trying to crank out projects and essays.

One thing that I absolutely loved later in college was having a homework party. I would get together with my dorm mates or people from my class and we would get together in a room or a common area and just sit and do about 30- 60 minutes of homework. It's not the most fun party, because we wouldn't really talk, but we were able to reward ourselves with some fun afterwards. During lock-down it will be difficult together, but luckily we have the technology to virtually get together and share screens.

When I wanted to work alone, I downloaded an app on google chrome called "Strict Workflow". You type in a list of websites that can distract you, then will block them off for certain amount of time. It uses a technique called the Pomodoro technique where you sit for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break. But you have the capability to change the times, so if you want to work for an hour and take a 20 minute break, you just put those times in the options.

Also when I was working alone, I would set a goal for myself. If I was working before dinner, if I finished at a certain time, then I could treat myself to my favorite on-campus location. If not, I would just have to go to whatever was open or closest. Or if I was working on the weekend, and my friends wanted to go out for dinner, I would force myself to tell them that if I didn't have some or all of the work done, then I couldn't go.

Elle recommends the following next steps:

Find an app like Strict Workflow to help cut down internet distractions
Find a group of people to sit and do work with
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David’s Answer

Hello Paige!


I had the same problem of procrastinating when I was in college and would have to come up with several methods to keep my mind from running about. One of the actions I took, was to give myself some periodic breaks whenever I was in long study sessions. The time for me was about every 20-25 minutes, I would give myself a 5 minute break to scroll through my phone, search up the latest news on topics that I found interesting, or simply clearing your mind with a breather.

If you find that your procrastinating studying because looking at the material is making you sleepy or the material isn't that engaging, you may have to pick the time when your energy levels are their highest, which is after you've had a full nights rest. Right when you wake up and have had something to eat, get straight to studying. If this is before work, do this for an hour every day. If you feel after work would be better, make sure your minds focused on what your reading or studying. I wouldn't recommend getting used to coffee (caffeine), but it was my best friend on days I knew I needed to get work done and I had waited till the last minute. Again, I do not recommend that route. The best performances I had in my college career was when I had a full night of sleep, something in my stomach and an empty mind free of thoughts that didn't pertain to my studies, I did better on presentations, essays, and research when I took this approach.


I hope you enjoy your college journey!

David recommends the following next steps:

Make a plan, follow through, and be realistic. If you can't study for long periods at once, break it up into pieces.
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Dan’s Answer

Good day, Paige!

Honestly, time management is vital to succeeding, not only in College, but in the "real world" as well! Get yourself some sort of list of daily things to study/review and cross out the task when completed. If you need to roll tasks onto the next day, make sure you write them down FIRST so you don't lose track of them. College prepares you by throwing multiple things at you at once (class, notes, tests, papers, social life, etc.) and it doesn't get any easier when you graduate/leave school. Having a daily study plan now will help you later when work/life tasks arrive in your life. Lastly...BREATHE! It's not that bad and you'll appreciate it later.

All the best to you!

DFH

Dan recommends the following next steps:

After class, jot down a note to review what was discussed in class.
Take at least an hour each day, after class, to forget about school and relax/do something fun/engaging
Make an appointment with your Professor/Advisor if you feel like your falling behind/stressing. They are there to assist you in your growth.
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Nicholas’s Answer

Hi Paige,

When I was in school I found that taking the best notes during lectures helped me the most in the long run. Write down every piece of information you hear from your teacher that you think is of importance. By doing this, when it comes time to study for your test (preferably not the day before) all you have to do is look back to your notes from the specific section and you should have all the information you need from there to review. This makes it a lot easier rather than going into the huge class textbook and searching for specific information with thousands of pages.

Nicholas recommends the following next steps:

Color Coding: I have found that when taking notes, using highliters, color pencils, underlining, etc. to separate and group information greatly helps when you need to go back to look for important information in your notes.
Flash Cards: Flash cards have helped me countless times when studying for an exam/test - especially if the test is a vocabulary or definitions test. On one side of the card, write the term, and on the other side, write the definition. Once you have all the terms you need on flash cards. Go through the entire stack until you can explain and differentiate which term goes with which definition and vice versa. While going through the stack, put the easier ones towards the back of your stack and focus on the cards that you are having trouble with.
Study Groups: Finally, whether you are a social person or not, you'd be surprised how helpful study groups with your classmates can be. Focus on testing each other about specific information that is going to be on the test. Ask each other questions from the study guide (If your teacher provided one) to see if your classmates can answer the questions with the correct answers. Don't go easy on each other either. Remember, you all are trying to pass the class so push your classmates to make sure they really understand the material.
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MARIA ELISA’s Answer

Hi Paige,

Great question! Organization is key to overcome procrastination.

1- Keep a daily schedule and review your notes on a daily basis

2- Find a space where you quietly review your notes and re-write them if you need to

3- Put on hold your social media until you get things done ... this would be your treat at the end of the day!

4- Read your syllabus and plan ahead of the test by testing your knowledge with quizzes and assignments

5 - When in doubt, find a peer mentor or study group

Have fun!
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Johnson’s Answer

I usually get procrastinated when I am tired. My brain is wired.

But the best thing to to is to organize yourself. Number one thing is to have a to do list including the primary and secondary goal. What you really need to work on. Even if you do not get everything done right away. But at least you can make sure you get done some of the most important thing, and cross that out from your list.
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