College life 201: Studying with the Golden Rules
Congratulations you made it past the 100level freshmen courses I provided which included being broke, lonely, and working odd jobs.
Now we can proceed into the Sophomore level and really get into how to be successful within your college life because let’s face it: your freshmen year was full of easy classes and easy A's, where the most difficult portion was finding your place and learning to cope with your new life.
Studying isn't always a big necessity in your first year but that has soon changed, your sophomore level classes are more difficult and require your time and mind to complete assignments and pass the tests. This is the year you need to learn the skills necessary to be a successful student because it only gets harder from here and will ultimately require much more work to pass. These skills will include time management and study habits which will ultimately be greatest tools to acquire in order combat the number1 reason for failure
Procrastination
Yes, this word is evil! Everyone contains the means to push off work or studies for anything more pleasurable, but this is the time to break down procrastination and gain personal satisfaction by bettering oneself and completing challenges.
I can't say I have been a perfect student. Years ago, I dropped out and worked a lucrative factory job for many years until I realized I would probably always work at a factory unless I went back to complete school. I always had a drive to "be something", and that wouldn't happen if I continued in the labor sector. So I returned to College, and it has been a bitter-sweet experience to say the least.
Now that I’m in my senior year, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I gain more and more satisfaction every day knowing that I completed a daunting challenge. The road is long and exhausting, but along the way I received much advice to make the journey easier and much less stressful. One of the best pieces of advice I received was from a Calculus teacher I had years ago when I first went back to college, and he called it
The 5 Golden Rules of being Successful in College
Just knowing the rules doesn't do anything, but you need to apply them and stick to them in order to see the outcomes. If you follow these rules and use them religiously during the semester,
I guarantee you will pass ANY class
From biology to calculus, chemistry to thermodynamics, English to digital logic...
RULE 1: Go to Every Class
This one seems obvious but many students don't do it. It's easy to say I don't want to go, or I won’t learn anything so I'm not going today. This is the evil little voice that provokes you into missing so you can sleep in, hang out with friends, or do anything else that sounds better than class.
This is always a bad decision!
Every single class session has a meaning - it isn't always what the teacher has planned for the day, but sometimes the random questions the students have will provide discussions that are helpful. It also gives you the chance to clarify any issues you might be having.
My teacher even said
Even if you’re hung over and you come to class and sleep, you will have subconsciously picked up some information of value
Rule 2: Take Notes
When in class, take notes every day.
It is known that you’re more likely to remember something if you write it down. Even if you never look at it again, you spent more time and effort in thinking about it by writing it out and that makes it more difficult to forget.
By taking notes every day you will always contain a reference to what was covered, and can then ask questions on subjects that are confusing or search for the answers elsewhere.
A good tip:
No matter how insignificant something may sound, you will most likely see it again if the professor mentioned it
Rule 3: Read the Book
The textbook is your ultimate resource, but many people don't read it. The best thing you can do to prepare yourself in class is to read the book, It is also the best reference to all the subjects this class will teach you.
Understanding the book will always help you succeed. This will lead to independent self-teaching where you’re learning about the subject before the teacher lectures about in in class. You will become less reliant on the professor to the point where he is only your resource to the questions you come across.
My Calc teacher said
Teaching yourself is always the best way to learn
Rule 4: Complete all Assignments
This one lies in the common sense region, but in some instances (in mine especially) the homework isn't part of your grade or only represents a small percentage. It can be easy to decide not to do these assignments because of the perceived low overall value, but this is a terrible idea and habit.
The homework and assignments are what prepare you for the tests. If you complete the homework with high grades it will mean you have a good understanding and will most likely do well on the test.
The assignments also allow you to find your weaknesses without significantly impacting your final grade. If you struggle with the assignments, you then have time to find assistance in understanding the material.
My upper level classes only have 4 tests that represent the entire grade, but there are weekly assignments that you could consider optional. But it is known that if you don't do well on the assignments, you will NOT do well on the tests.
Rule 5: Study Everyday
Every-single-day
I'm not saying you need to spend hours, but you should do the following;
- Look over your notes
- Look over your assignments
- Try to find solutions to the problems you don’t understand
By at least looking at the subject once per day you’re more likely to remember the details. Small little bits of information can go along way when you can piece them all together. Plus, it’s common for classes to not meet every day, so by staying involved on the off days you will always have fresh information for the next time.
Studying everyday can also take some of the stress off before tests. You will no longer need to cram in learning seasons but instead you will just be reviewing the material you already know.
College isn't about intelligence (that is a strong statement). I have found that most people believe they aren’t smart enough to do something.
That is WRONG in so many ways
If you have a brain, then you can do it!
It just may take more work to understand concepts than others who have a good grasp on it, but you can succeed and you will. Following these rules will most definitely help you succeed in college, but can also be applied in any learning situation.
In case you missed my College 101 posts:
https://steemit.com/college101/@generation.easy/college-life-101-being-broke
https://steemit.com/college101/@generation.easy/college-101-being-lonely
https://steemit.com/college101/@generation.easy/college-life-101-working-odd-jobs
Thank you for reading, and feel free to comment.
You can follow me @generation.easy