There is always room for improvement when it comes to study habits. With the new year and new semester starting, below are some tips for you to incorporate into the following semesters! The best part is, these are habits you’ll actually be able to keep! 

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead allows you to stay on top of homework assignments and your schedule. If you’re like me, you have class, work, and extracurriculars that make a busy schedule. Keeping a calendar of some sort to keep track helps keep me organized as well as less stressed. You can plan ahead better with the following tips:

  • Stay up to date on your phone calendar/ agenda planner/ canvas calendar.
  • Use different colored pens/fonts to separate classes or other activities
  • Set reminders of due dates and meetings on your phone.
  • Put your teachers office hours in an easily accessible place.

Go to Class 

This one may seem pretty self-explanatory, but going to class is really important. It is much more difficult to try to teach yourself the material at home, when you could have learned it from someone who already understands. Life happens, but going to as many classes as possible can really make a difference at the end of the semester!

  • The benefits of going to class completely out way the benefit of skipping to sleep or catch up with a friend.
  • There are potential lecture points, tips for upcoming exams and other perks for simply showing up and paying attention.

Study Cumulatively

We’ve all done it- staying up until the early hours of the morning just to cram the last bit of information in before an exam. It’s never fun, so why do we fall into a habit of studying at the last minute? If you can get into the habit of studying cumulatively instead of all at once, not only will you retain the information better but you will feel less stressed out. Here are some ways you can do this little by little, instead of stressing out the day before a test:

  • Show up to class 10 minutes early, instead of looking through your phone, look through previous lectures.
  • If time allows, sit on a bench after class to understand some of the notes so you remember them better later on.
  • If your professor lectures really fast, try typing the notes out on your computer and then go back later to write them in your notebook.

Download Quizlet

If you haven’t heard of Quizlet, your life is about to be changed! Quizlet.com is a website, and mobile app, that allows students to create flashcard sets for free online! There is a pro version that you can pay for to add pictures and other upgraded features, but I’ve found the free version to be just as beneficial! Quizlet is nice because you can study flashcards on your phone right before a test, in between classes, or even just in bed. The following suggestions will help you utilize Quizlet most efficiently:

  • Make a new section after every heavy lecture.
  • Before bed look through the Quizlets momentarily, instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media.

Find a study group RIGHT AWAY

Typically, we study better in groups. Finding a study group at the beginning of the semester can really help you in the long-run. For one, when you have a question you can ask them before going to the professor or just giving up. When I’ve had a study group or study partner in the past it normally happens that what I don’t understand, the other does, and vice-versa. Here are some tips on how to make the most of a study group:

  • Plan a time to meet every week/every other week with some peers in your class.
  • Make a group chat so you can ask questions. GroupMe, Snapchat and Whats app are popular.
  • If you have a question on material, chances are other classmates do too, so always ask!!

Eat breakfast & stay hydrated

They always say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and they aren’t joking! You will feel much more energized for a day of studying or classes if you start with a balanced meal. It also helps to stay hydrated throughout the day!

  • Eating a nutritious breakfast will help kickstart your metabolism and brain.
  • Make sure to get healthy fats, proteins and carbs, because sugary carbs will make you crash faster.

Good luck with your spring semester, Warhawks! Hopefully these tips will help make this semester successful, and one of the best yet. The UC looks forward to having you back on campus for the 2020 spring semester!