Although studying in a dorm room is convenient, it is often a poor place to learn. The dorm has a plethora of distractions including Blitzmail, Snood, the telephone, video games, friends down the hall. Lying down on the bed to read turns into an hour long nap and a bright yellow highlighter spot on your sheets!
If you want to improve your concentration and efficiency as a student, develop a place to study that is just that - a place where you go to work on academics. The campus is full of good spots to study. Experiment with what works best for you. The handout below provides a list of common study spots on campus and includes rankings of noise level, cleanliness, and availability.
Many students are surprised at the differences in studying for college courses versus how they studied in high school. Regular worksheets are replaced by vast midterms and exams which require knowledge about concepts rather than simple memorization of facts. Students frequently discover they need to adapt their study habits to the college setting. Here are some tips for getting started:
Study in chunks: 20-50 minute time periods followed by a brief break (5-10 minutes) is the most effective way to study
Use daylight hours: an hour of studying during the day is worth two at night! Do the work that requires the most concentration (typically reading) earliest in the day.
Rank your three classes and be sure to spend time on your most challenging class everyday and early in the day.
Study actively: ask yourself questions, review your notes regularly, discuss key concepts with peers and course professor
The following documents provide additional strategies for general academic success and for specific subject areas including the sciences and writing.
