now that most of us are at home, i thought this could be useful to the ones who aren't that used to learning material on their own and arenât sure where to start, or which order of steps to follow. happy studying! đ
studygram
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tips for college classes that nobody tells you
1. donât load your hardest classes in one semester. find out which classes within your major are rumored to be tough and divide them out throughout your time in college.
2. donât show up to class earlier than 10 mins early. the class before yours will likely still be in there finishing up, and youâll either walk in in the middle of a lecture or have to stand outside for a long time. just get there 5-10 mins early and youâll be fine!
3. create a group chat for all of your classes. find a few friends from class and make a group chat! this can be either on imessage, groupme, or whatever is most popular to use at your school. this can be your go-to place to ask questions about assignments, due dates, etc. before asking the professor!
4. as for class participation, quality>quantity. in most college classes (with the exception of huge lectures) participation accounts for a chunk of your grade, and some professors take that grade very seriously. however, this doesnât mean you should raise your hand and talk whenever you find the opportunity- your professor (and your classmates, for that matter) will appreciate you much more if your comments and questions are less frequent and have more to add to the class.Â
5. the readings listed under a date in a class are due for that class, they are not homework for the next class. this is one of the biggest issues college freshman have at the beginning of their first semester. unless the professor specifically says otherwise, if the syllabus is set up to list each class individually with the readings underneath/beside the class, they are due for that class, not the next one.
6. make yourself known to your professor! this is especially important for a large lecture, where they wonât get to know you otherwise. stop by their office hours or go up to them after class and introduce yourself- making a connection with your professor can open more doors than you may know!
7. rate my professor is not always accurate. professors can get better or worse, and different people have different experiences. though itâs a great tool and you can still use it to see what people think, if youâre stuck with a professor that is ranked low, it doesnât necessarily mean youâll have a bad time in that class.
8. sometimes itâs okay to just skim your readings. youâll find out soon enough if your professor basically goes over exactly what the reading says every class. if so, you only need to skim it over and take light notes. donât spend hours closely reading a textbook that your professor is just going to go over word for word the next day (unless it helps you- if so, do it!)
9. the guy in class that answers every question isnât smarter than you. thatâs it.
10. if you come from a lower income area or a worse school district than your peers, you may be playing the âcatch up gameâ for a while. itâs okay! i personally go to a college where most students here come from wealthy families across the world and were sent to the best high schools possible. if you, like me, come from a mediocre public school, you may feel like youâre a beat behind your peers when it comes to background knowledge. donât give up. work hard, youâll catch up with them soon. (also- they arenât smarter than you just because they had better opportunities than you did growing up. at the end of the day, you ended up at the same college)
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10 Things I Wish I Knew Before University
You are going to feel like dropping out. I would say to stick it out for the first year and sit for finals. If you get a good grade for your finals, that could really give your confidence a boost and motivate you to keep going. And then, if you still feel like dropping out or changing majors, you should do as much research as possible.
Feeling pressured to do more things. During my first year, I said yes to everythingâeven things that I didnât feel like doing. I felt like if I didnât, Iâd be missing out on something really important or fun. FOMO, basically. However, more often than not, I wasnât missing much and these opportunities will arise again very soon.
Buying too many unnecessary things. I bought so many stationery and notebooks before I started uni in hopes that they would motivate me to study. I ended up not using even half of them my first year. At least, Iâd be set for supplies until I graduate.
Revising in uni is not the same as revising in high school. I used to think I could study last minute for a test, like I did in high school. I learned the hard way that that wasnât the case at all. Now, I review the topics after every lecture. The key is to keep up because all those lectures are going to pile up really fast.
Past papers are your new best friend. I find that professors have their favourite questions that they like to give out. During finals, they might even use the same exact questions as they did in tests!
Failing/Getting a low grade in a test isnât going to ruin your life. I once got so caught up on that one test. But luckily during finals, I snapped out of it and just tried my best. My final grade wasnât too bad. You live and you learn.
Wear whatever you want (as long as it doesnât get you in trouble). When I wear a hoodie and sweatpants, I get comments that I look like I just rolled out of bed (which I did, duh). And when I have really nice makeup on and do my hair, Iâm trying to impress someone. I think people just like to run their mouth and itâs nothing personal, so you shouldnât care what they say anyway.Â
Keep in touch with friends outside your university. It can really come in handy during times when you really have to vent about someone in your classes. They can also help you keep grounded and have a different perspective.
You donât have to love the library. Iâm the kind of girl who studies lying on her stomach on the bed with papers and books surrounding me and my cat stepping on them occasionally. I think the library is too quiet and public for me. And if youâre the same way and prefer the cafe or elsewhere, then thatâs okay too. The goal here is that you get your studying done.
Stay healthy. Whenever itâs near finals, I would abandon every other responsibility except studying. I would stop eating healthy and quit exercising, all in the name of making time to study. But they should go hand-in-hand with studying and not one or the other. I find that the better I take care of myself, the better my grades are. You should also get enough sleepâthis, I never fail to do.
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my quick tips for working / studying from home
- get dressed and style your hair as if youâre going to school/work - even use the same perfume/ cologne as you normally doÂ
(trick your mind into being motivated)
- plan things out - everything
(plan out your week, day, meal, etc. you can make these as specific as youâd like. this will help you stay on top of your work as well as stay healthy, especially if you live alone.)
- make studying/ working the first thing you do each day - best if you can start in the morning
(minimize the tendency to procrastinate)
- just start - donât worry too much about perfecting or finishing anything yet
(if you donât start then thereâs nothing for you to perfect or get done. and it will never get done)
- listen to old and simple (aka non-distracting) podcasts, Youtube videos, or cafĂŠ/ chattering white-noise, etc. simply leave them as background noise to create an illusion of being outside your room
(bring the presence of people to you. my favorites lately have been slam poems from 2016, Mae Martinâs stages, and Awsten Knightâs crackhead podcasts)
- set timers, for both study sessions and breaks
(so that you donât overwork, burn out, or procrastinate. the Pomodoro technique works great here)
- take advantage of the comfort of your own home
(light a candle, have crunchy snacks, play loud music, review notes out loud while pacing around, wrap yourself in a blanket burrito, study on your bed if you can focus there like me, etc. basically anything you canât do in a classroom, office, or the library)
- if you miss your friends, call/ text/ facetime them, make a study group chat with them, etc.
(that is what technology is for)
- choose recreational activities/ self-care for your breaks instead of going on social media
(go on walks, make small art, play an instrument, stretch, take a nap, etc. I usually reach for my guitar, brainstorm writing ideas, or sketch very simple line art.)
- if you want to go on social media, do it during meal times - or the 15 minutes after your meals that you canât work just yet
(it also doesnât make you feel like youâre wasting time)
- study in different rooms for a change of scenery
(dining room, living room, the patio, etc. I have an armchair next to the window that I study in whenever I need some sunlight and donât have to write anything down. however, if you need a designated place to focus on your work, you can also use these alternative spaces as designated ârelaxâ or âcreativeâ place for your breaks)
- use this as an opportunity to take care of yourself
(get enough sleep, drink water, exercise, talk to your family, take your meds, be mindful of your mental health, etc.)
Feel free to add your tips. The current situation sure is unpleasant but it is unavoidable. All we can really do now is take care of ourselves, others, and try to make the best out of this.
Good luck to everyone and stay safe! My heart is with you all đ
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how to deal with mental fatigue
Hi, itâs werelivingarts! Exam season is coming so soon, and some of us might deal with a lot of stress and mental fatigue while preparing for the exams.Â
Here are some tips on how to prevent and deal with mental fatigue (before it becomes too serious and leads to burnout). Exams are just ways to test your knowledge and understanding, so please do not expect too high and take care of your health! đż
Hope that we would all do well! đ
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Calculus II Study Plan
Look over the tests
Look over the homework problems
Compile what is covered
Make study guide
Rework tests
Rework homework
âDon't dieâ
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Guilty as charged.
Calvin: nail on the head.
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