As an Academic Life Coach, these are just a few of my suggestions to start on the right foot this semester. I help students follow through on these tips through consistent accountability and direction.
- Sleep! It’s not a bad word. It should be high on your priority list
- Don’t complain. It does you absolutely no good. Take action to change it or ignore it.
- Use a calendar! Don’t rely on your memory.
- Take personal responsibility for learning. You won’t be spoon-fed by your professor. Sometime you have to teach yourself.
- Notes are for re-organizing, consolidating, and building your study tools - not just for ‘reviewing’.
- Study in short bursts instead of marathon sessions.
- Take advice from Einstein: If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.
- Use spaced repetition. Allow a little time to ‘forget’ before you force active recall. Struggle a bit.
- Test yourself frequently and prove to yourself you know it.
- Study your exam mistakes as soon as possible, especially if the final is comprehensive.
- Practice under test conditions - timing, atmosphere, etc.
- Handwrite your notes - yes, typing is faster but it’s passive.
- Schedule time for self-care
