Studying at college is not easy and many former high school students with decent grades find themselves struggling in college. They feel overwhelmed with the amount of coursework and tough deadlines so some of them even have to order papers at a custom essay writing service.
But there are successful students who have developed study habits that help them succeed in studying and have enough time for social life and fun. If you want to get most of your study time, you should develop those habits too.
Of course, every student has a different study style that works best for him, but there are some basic strategies that you can use to have a more successful college career.
Set goals
Successful students are goal-oriented. You should set goals for every study session and know very well what you want to cover during a certain period of time. If you know your goals, you will work more productively and stay focused on your task. You should record your goals because that can help you track your progress and make adjustments to your plans.
Get organized
Make a schedule using the Cloud or in an “old school” planner. You should include all information about your classes and write down the dates of all exams and deadlines for your writing assignments and other projects. With a single calendar, you will be able to control the whole process and make adjustments if needed.
When making a schedule, make sure to plan enough time for study. Try to study at the same time every day. If you get into a routine, you can avoid procrastination and always feel confident that have enough time to complete your assignments.
Reduce distractions
Some people need complete silence to work effectively, and others can work with little background noise. Choose study environment that works best for you. As our brains can handle only one thing at once, you should avoid multitasking and focus on one or two tasks. While studying, you should switch off your phone and TV and use the internet only to get access to websites that provide you with information for your studies. If you try to text, answer emails, speak on the phone or watch TV when doing your assignments, you will just waste your time.
Do the most difficult assignment first
Try to complete the most challenging assignments at the beginning of the week. You will feel more confident that you will have enough time to meet the deadlines for your long projects. Besides, you will be glad to cross a hard project off your to-do list.
Review
Take notes in class and always review them before you start a study session. You should also briefly review the material you have learned during the last session. It will help you keep information fresh and retain it in your memory and you will be aware of the gaps in your knowledge.
The key to success is to learn to study smarter so you need to develop a combination of study habits that work best for you.