Going to university is a huge transition. This is the biggest amount of freedom, reading and responsibility you’ve ever had. No one tells you when to study, or monitors your homework on a daily basis. For some, this is a positive thing, for others, the situation becomes confusing and stressful by the end of the semester.
There is no real difference in intelligence. It is typically bad habits. Smart study skills can help make a stressful semester manageable for university students. The 7 habits below are easy to start and simple and practical!
1. Make a Study Schedule and Stick to It
The first habit is the foundation for all other habits: Plan Your Study Time. Many students will study when they are free, typically late at night before a deadline. This results in hurried work and poor quality work.
Rather, sit down at the beginning of every week and make a commitment to the time you will study. Review what you learned in your lectures, what your part-time job entails, and what you’re doing in your life, and then fill in the time between those with study sessions. Record them in a planner or calendar. You don’t need to be rigid when it comes to a good schedule. It only requires it to be dealt with regularly in all subjects.
- Study on the same time(s) of the day if possible to make it a routine.
- Limit sessions to approximately 60-90 minutes and provide brief breaks throughout sessions.
- Schedule more challenging courses during that time of day when you are at your peak.
If study is a habit, you don’t have to expend as much energy determining whether or not to study, and you use more energy in learning.
2. Review Your Notes Soon After Every Lecture
Students generally record notes in class and review them the week of the exam. At that time much of the lecture is forgotten. Studies of memory reveal that much new material is lost from memory after a day or two unless it is reviewed.
The fix is easy. After the lecture, preferably on the same evening, review your notes for 10-15 minutes. Correct poor letter formation, complete missing points and write a brief summary in your own words. This little trick will transfer the information from your short term memory to your long term memory.
3. Use Active Study Methods, Not Just Re-Reading
Students read notes over and over, and they seem to be learning. Unfortunately, Re-Reading is one of the least effective study methods. The word is familiar and easy because it feels familiar, but the phrase familiar doesn’t mean you remember it when you have it in front of you on the exam paper.
Active study involves putting the brain to work. Write your book shut and attempt to explain a topic verbally as if teaching a friend. Write down all you recall of a chapter and see what you missed out. Create your own flashcards and quiz yourself. Answer previous examination questions within a time limit. While going through tough academic papers like thesis or a dissertation students often take assistance of dissertation writer AI tools to achieve better grades.
4. Study in a Place That Helps You Focus
Location has a much greater impact on study than it is believed by majority of people. Working on your bed with the phone buzzing and your friends talking around you will keep your focus from breaking down every 3–4 minutes. After every interruption, it takes time to get back into deep thinking.
Identify a quiet, well lit and comfortable place to sit for a time. It might be a corner of the library at the university, a quiet spot in a café or a neat desk in your room. Only have what you need on the desk – for example, your laptop, notes, water and pen. A consistent study location will gradually condition your mind that this area is “work time.
5. Study in Short, Regular Sessions Instead of Cramming
Cramming is studying an entire module just before the test. Most students do this and some even pass. However, it is soon forgotten and the stress and lack of sleep can impact on the day’s performance.
Spaced study is a better alternative. That is, learning a little something daily for a longer period of time and revisiting the same material over and over. For instance, you could learn about something on Monday, review it again on Thursday, and test yourself the following week. Every time you go back it becomes stronger in your mind.
6. Join a Study Group or Ask for Help Early
A study group can help elevate your understanding to a new level, many things can be studied together. The best way to determine if an idea is understood is to explain it to others. Your class mates might also write things in a way you don’t understand until you read it back to them, or give you some information that you didn’t know.
Have no more than 3 to 5 people in your group and have a set aim for each meeting, for example working through past papers or talking through a challenging chapter. Group study without a clearly-defined goal can become a chat session. And if challenging projects like a literature review is lingering over your head, then choosing a literature review writer should be on your bucket list.
7. Look After Your Sleep, Food, and Mental Health
The final habit isn’t even a book-related one, but it could be the most significant. Your brain is like any other part of your body and performs best when you’re feeling well: rested, nourished and not stressed. A lot of students stay up late, don’t eat, drink too much coffee, and wonder about their lack of concentration.
Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night. When the brain stores what it has learned during the day, it’s sleep time when sleep is good, it’s study time. Feed regularly, eat some protein, fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of water. Get some exercise – even a 20-minute walk – as it boosts memory and happiness.
Final Thoughts
You do not have to study all day to be successful at university. It’s about developing good habits and practicing them regularly. Schedule time, preview and review notes, be active, guard attention, distribute studies, collaborate with others, and care for yourself.
Don’t have to do everything at once. Pick two or three of these habits and do them for the next two weeks. After they’re comfortable, add one more. Making little improvements on a daily basis can make a huge difference in your grades and confidence.