Students realize that their highschool habits on studying aren't effective anymore on college. They may find it difficult to cope with the kind of task assigned to them and fail to manage their time efficiently. Chances that they would be late on passing their homeworks and procrastinating on task are very likely among young college students.
Teachers/professors in college don't frequently involve in their learning, they're just there to guide and give instructions; unlike in the highschool, the teachers were usually hands-on on their students. Therefore, students must rely on their study habits, but the problem is that not all study habits are effective and helpful. So let me list down some of those effective studying habits that a student should follow if they want to study effectively.
1. Know and use your learning style.
We, as a human, are unique to each and everyone. And so is the tendency or the way we retain information. There are only four main learning styles which are:
A. Visual Learners
These students prefer to learn by seeing things, so, they learn more by looking on graphs, illustrations, images, and any visual representation. The best thing for them to do is to look for tutorials, movies, demonstration and many more that offers a visual representation of the things that they want to understand. They can also draw maps on their minds, so that, they can remember things well.
B. Auditory Learners
They learn best by listening. They respond well to audio cues and sounds. So the best situation for them are the lectures and discussion. They may find partners or companions to do some group study wherein they can talk and listen. Students can also use rhyming scheme as mnemonic devices to remember facts.
C. Reading/Writing Learners
Students with a strong reading/writing preferences learn best through words. These students may present themselves as copious note-takers and avid readers, and are able to translate abstract concepts into words and essays. Among the learners, they have the easiest way to find strategies to study. Only through rigorous reading and book scanning, they will already be retaining a lot of information in their heads.
D. Kinesthetic Learners
Students who are kinesthetic learners best understand through tactile representation of information. Tactile means something that is perceived by touch. So, kinesthetic learners are hands-on students and learn best through figuring things. Such example for that is that someone wants to understand how a clock works by putting one together.
2. Set your priorities.
This maybe sounds easy, but it's actually the most difficult task to do especially that most of the young students are so terrible in terms of prioritizing things. Yes! Prioritizing things is almost, if not perfectly, synonymous to time management. Typically, young teenagers have a lot of things in their minds that they want to do, and it consequentially affects their priorities in life. They may choose socializing, leisure, or sleeping over tedious "ordeal" of studying.
So, in planning ahead of time, you must make it clear to yourself what are your priorities. It's not necessarily to totally set aside other priorities, as long as the top priorities must be done first.
3. Set your study time.
This would be of great help in preparation to an upcoming examinations or quizzes; it would also makes your general study habit manageable.
Plan ahead your study time instead of hoping some free time between leisures, socializing and classes. If possible, make a schedule intended only for studying on your calendar, and make it a regular routine. Commitment is much needed in this to follow your planned schedule. In this way, you are also intelligently organized your priorities as well as your time management.
4. Avoid distractions.
There are some people choose to study in a not so noisy place such as coffee shop, in a school lobby, in a living room with the television on or radio playing music. But you can't expect someone could study well while on a conversation. Therefore, you must eliminate first the possible distractions before you start studying. Then choose your place to study, make sure that it is well-lighted and well-ventilated. Gather all your study notes and other things that you needed in studying to avoid wandering somewhere in your room finding those things and get sidetracked later on.
Digital distractions can also be avoided by turning your phone into silent mode. Because we know how we easily to become distracted online. Just a peek on your Facebook newsfeed may become an hour of scrolling up and down.
5. Avoid cramming.
Cramming is an act of studying intensively over a very short period of time just before the scheduled time of examination. This is what makes a lot of college students looks pressured(actually, they are very pressured) on examinations. And I tell you, this is the most inefficient way of trying to retain everything you have studied in a forcefully manner.
I suggest that you have to spread your study period and it must be earlier. You will likely retain more information if you also allow some time on socializing and exercises.
6. Treat yourself.
Plan on treating yourself some enticing goals; though, it's not necessarily expensive but the more enticing it is, the more motivating it will become. For example, you may plan to treat yourself a new shirt if you pass the examination. Anticipating rewards will give you an enthusiasm for studying.
7. Note-taking.
Your technique on taking notes may be influenced by what style of learning you have. If you are a visual learner, you may draw a graph that organizes information. If you are an auditory learner, you may take those helpful informations into your notes by just listening. Reader/writer learner are usually good note-takers, they organize information and know what to put in their notes. Kinesthetic learner may jot down what they have observed during a demonstration.
No matter what your learning style is, remember that you must only write what are the important points. Know how to summarize and organize information for better understanding of the whole picture. Use header, bulleted list and abbreviations for quick encoding, and if possible, convert those ideas into your own words.
Now, on reviewing your notes, it would be effective to review while it is still fresh. Maybe you can go to the library after classes to read what you have just written from the lecture. A kinesthetic learner might practice the material if possible.
8. Mnemonic Devices.
I hope you've heard the word "mnemonic" before, but if not, I will give you a quick definition of it. Mnemonic means a device such as patterns and acronyms use to associate ideas that assists in remembering something. Mnemonic will simplify things and make the retrieval of information easy. It is more effective on memorizing a long list of information, such as the list of the colors of the rainbow(red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Instead of saying the whole name of the list, you can use acronyms. Take the first letters of the colors and you will get ROYGBIV or ROY G. BIV. It is now so easy to remember the names of the colors.
9. Avoid Multi-tasking.
Seriously? We are not superhuman to do many things at once. Maybe you can do one or two things, but beyond that, nah! It will only lead you to fatigue and your brain won't assimilate everything you have studied. You can't throw one stone at the two separate target at a time. Finish what you are currently working before moving on to the next task.
10. You are allowed to rest.
Yes, you are allowed to rest if you feel sleepy after a gruelling study session. It is a way of your body telling you that he can't go on anymore. So take a nap for a while, then wake up recharged, and continue what were left to do.
11. Food for your thoughts.
I'm not referring to some healthy thoughts or ideas, but to the literal food itself. Our body and minds needs nutrition to function well. You can't expect someone with a sickly body to excel in their studies and become genius—we are not Stephen Hawkings.
Okay, I did research on what are the foods that could help boost our memory retention, and the food that topped the list is the fatty fish. Other food on the list are coffee, green-leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, broccoli and chocolates—dark chocolate in particular.
But I guess, fueling your body with balanced diet is more than enough to stay active both physically and mentally.
12. Mock Examination
This may sound technical to you but it's not. Mock Examination will give you a good preparation before an upcoming examinations. Just anticipate what are the possible questions and topic that may be included. It will also help you pinpoint what are the areas that needed to be reviewed. You may ask a partner and do a Q&A study session.
That's it folks!
But there are still many tips and strategies on studying that I haven't discover yet, and I hope I'll come across all of those, so that, I could share those here.
Enjoy learning students.
Lead photo source: https://www.ftadviser.com/your-industry/2020/04/02/how-to-study-in-quarantine/
