Before you even begin studying, make sure all your questions have been answered. Make a list of everything you feel unsure about and reach out to your classmates or teachers to get them answered. Teachers are always there to help, so don’t be afraid to send an email or stop by during tutorial times to make sure you know what is going on in the class. Get organized by making sure you have all of your materials in one place. It’s important to make sure you have all completed notes, worksheets, past homework assignments, class slides, and whatever else your teacher has provided you with to study. The last thing you should do to organize yourself is to make a study plan. Set goals of what you want to get done each time you study and make to do lists to keep you on track. Once you’ve started studying, break it up. Study in smaller increments and don’t leave it all till the last minutes. Don’t procrastinate, if you have a week to study for a test, study for a half hour every day instead of three hours the day before. If you do wait until the last minute or aren’t feeling super productive, take breaks. Set a timer for when you are studying (45 minutes) and a timer for when you are taking a break (10 minutes), that way you can stay focused longer. Another tip would be to find a quiet environment where you are able to focus and get your work done. Turning your phone and laptop to “do not disturb” mode and finding somewhere without lots of noise can make a big difference in how productively you use your time. Using different study methods can also help. Brain dumps, flashcards, videos, writing summaries, explaining the topic to another person, and color coding notes are some ideas of different ways to study. Studying with friends can also be helpful. Even if you achieve less in the same amount of time than you would if you were studying by yourself, sometimes it helps to talk out concepts and bounce ideas off of each other.
The most important part is to try to keep your stress at a minimum. Breck has the resources you need to succeed, so don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.