- ̗̀dana ̖́- @daisystudies - Tumblr Blog

20 important study skills/tips i’ve learned from my professors

1. start studying a week before every quiz/test. seriously.

2. watch youtube videos/ted talks on the topics you are learning about.

3. get lots of sleep! sleep helps you process the day’s events, including what you learned.

4. write out your notes. it’s proven that handwritten notes help you learn better than typed out notes.

5. don’t just read what your professor gives you. find academic journals, books, etc. that correspond with your subjects.

6. read the news! especially in the social sciences/humanities, connecting concepts with current events helps you understand and process more easily.

7. exercise! this doesn’t have to be going on runs or lifting weights, it could even just be going for a 20 minute walk. just get your blood pumping, it’ll help you focus.

8. study at your desk. it may be tempting to study in bed, but your brain connects your bed with sleep, so you’ll get tired more quickly.

9. reviewing notes doesn’t have to be something you sit down and do for an hour. skim through them and test your memory while eating breakfast!

10. expand your study time throughout the day to avoid burnout. for example, rather than studying for 5 hours straight, study for an hour here and there in between your activities.

11. make your notes organized and easy to read, but not distracting. bright colors and flashy notes may seem better, but can sometimes distract from the purpose of the notes.

12. use apps such as quizlet. this way, you can go through definitions while waiting in lines or walking to class.

13. it’s more important to know concepts rather than facts. for example, you should be able to take what you know and apply it to different situations, not just the situation the textbook gives you.

14. just because the professor doesn’t require you to read textbook, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. it helps explain concepts in a different way than your professor, and a lot of times hearing two different explanations for the same concept helps you understand it.

15. read in advance. read the textbook before your professor begins going over the chapter, so when he/she does, you can easily follow what they are saying.

16. do any extra credit work that comes your way. even if you don’t need the extra boost now, you might later.

17. go to class!! if you always skip class and show up at office hours completely lost on the concepts, they’ll laugh in your face. they’ll take you 100x more seriously if you show up.

18. however, if you are sick, take a day off. it’s more beneficial to you in the long run.

19. learn how to say “no”. if you have an 8 am the next day, don’t stay out until midnight with your friends.

20. don’t stress too hard over quizzes. if you expect them to go horribly, they will. you got this.

daisystudies

lazy study tips

1. use quizlet. quizlet is amazing because you can access your flashcards on your phone!! this way you can easily flip through them while waiting in line, watching tv, etc.

2. use the pomodoro technique. if you’re lazy like i am, sitting down for 6+ hours a day to study can be daunting. giving yourself multiple breaks throughout a study session will help to keep you going!

3. watch youtube videos. watching videos or listening to podcasts on the topic you’re studying could be a huge time saver and is a lot more interesting than flipping through a textbook. and you can easily do this in bed!! (i would not advise to do this instead of using a textbook all together just in case information is left out of the video)

4. try to build a steady study routine. block out a chunk of time in the middle of the day every day for studying. this way, you know that when the time is up, you have the rest of the day to relax!

5. get sleep. i’ve found that i’m at my laziest when i haven’t been sleeping much. avoid being sluggish throughout the day and get some rest! this will cut back on nap/rest time and increase productivity during the day.

6. consider the consequences of not studying. which will benefit you more in the long run- getting your work done now, or watching another episode?

7. reward yourself. give yourself a little treat (a piece of candy, etc.) after completing a set amount of work. this will keep you motivated to keep studying!

8. just start. the hardest part of studying is starting- force yourself to sit down and open up your notes.

as always, thanks for reading! x

daisystudies

tips for college classes that nobody tells you

1. don’t 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. don’t show up to class earlier than 10 mins early. the class before yours will likely still be in there finishing up, and you’ll 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 you’ll 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 doesn’t 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.

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 won’t 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 it’s a great tool and you can still use it to see what people think, if you’re stuck with a professor that is ranked low, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a bad time in that class.

8. sometimes it’s okay to just skim your readings. you’ll 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. don’t 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 isn’t smarter than you. that’s it.

10. if you come from a lower income area or a worse school district than your peers, you may be playing the “catch up game” for a while. it’s 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 you’re a beat behind your peers when it comes to background knowledge. don’t give up. work hard, you’ll catch up with them soon. (also- they aren’t 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)

daisystudies

productivity while working from home

hi all! i hope everyone’s been well and healthy. if you’re like me, switching to online classes & working from home is not always easy – here are some tips to still be productive while working from home!

1. do your best to stick to your normal routine. this includes eating normally, sleeping normally, etc. - do your best to do what you have been doing before isolating. there are already enough changes in your life with school or work… you don’t need to stress your mind & body out more by changing your sleeping and eating habits!

2. don’t work in your bed. i know it’s tempting… but don’t do it. even if you go to your living room or desk, you are more likely to feel like you are in your normal routine. working in bed was never a good idea before, and it still isn’t. don’t. do. it.

3. attend all lectures - even if they are optional. on zoom (or on most other video chat sites that your professor/teacher may use) you can literally turn off your video – this way, even if you have bedhead and are looking a bit rough you can still go to class. but seriously - going to class is 10x easier now. get the most out of your classes and education and attend your lectures.

4. PRIORITIZE. YOUR. HEALTH. the whole reason we are not in school/at work right now is to stay healthy!! pay extra attention to your hygeine and don’t leave your house. if you feel sick, email your professors and ask for extensions. just be extra conscious of your health needs during the pandemic.

5. get dressed! even if you are changing from pajamas into leggings and a tshirt, try to get dressed in the morning. studies have shown that putting on regular pants before working from home increases productivity. at the very least, change into different pajamas (for hygeine purposes).

6. take advantage of your new routine! a lot of professors are doing pre-recorded lectures, meaning you can watch them any time you want. do this and your work whenever you are most productive… do you work best in the morning? grind out your lectures then. can you focus more in the afternoon? perfect.. do your work then! either way, see this as an opportunity to work when you want & at your own pace.

7. take walks & spend time outside. please remember to social distance, but spending time in your backyard or on a walk (especially if you live in a more isolated area) is crucial. your body is probably used to getting a certain amount of steps & sunlight every day, so do your best to give it the nutrients and exercise it needs.

8. keep daily lists. with such an unstructured environment, it can be hard to remember done everything you need to do. every day, make a list of things you hope to accomplish (don’t make it too long) and make sure everything is checked off by the end of the day.

9. don’t be upset with yourself if you struggle. this is a difficult time for all of us, for many different reasons. we will all experience some sort of disruption in our work. just pick yourself back up and keep going.

10. don’t be afraid to reach out to your professors. they are just an email away, and more often than not, are happy to help you in whatever you need. if you’re having trouble with the new structure of the class, or are confused about the class in general, they are more often than not happy to help.

if any of you need anything at this time, don’t hesitate to reach out to me x

archidemia

23.03.2017 // 23/100 days of productivity // studying history and drinking tea - pretty much all I do at the moment

studywithmaggie

a little collection of pictures from my studygram // follow my studygram

andotherlawstories

30.10.2019 ✨ How are you doing today? My to do list is so long! I have so many things to do before we are leaving germany. I only have 5 days left until we are going to Seoul 🤗 Today I’m going to study for criminal proceeding. What are you doing today?

ig: andotherlawstories

thefeelingmoveson

9.16 basically this week’s productivity ; I put way more effort into this picture than I’m willing to admit of but hey, I put in the work so I can be as proud of it as I want :) also I don’t think I showed my new study space bc college so here it is!!

myhoneststudyblr

18|04|2020

Week 4 of My 2020 Quarantine Challenge!

✨Sat✨ What is your best tip on how to relax?

Have a stupid game! basically even when i’m ‘relaxing’ by reading my mind is not relaxing whatsoever and it is still running a mile a minute. therefore, when i feel stressed and want to relax, i play my ‘stupid’ games which basically take no brain power whatsoever.

My absolute favourites are: toon blast and toy blast (i am on ridiculously high levels on both games XD)

daisystudies

some old psych notes from last semester!

alimastudies

16.12.17

christmas holidays has finally started !!! finally my long awaited break but i still gotta be productive because its mock week on the first week back 🙃

enjoy the front cover of my chemistry summary cards :)

studygram: alimastudies