First off, I just want to say thank you to everyone who is giving this series love and support! It means a lot to me to see people reblogging and tagging it as useful information. That just really makes my day! Now, without further ado:
PartĀ 3 in Surviving University (and other not so fun but important things)
Here I am going to go over how I both prepare for and partake in class lectures. Enjoy!
Part 1
Part 2
RE: College can be a trip sometimes so, seeing as Iām going into my third year, I think I have enough background to put together a list of tricks and habits that have both helped/hurt me in the long run. I struggled really really hard when transitioning from high school to college because I have severe social/general anxiety and am not good at dealing with new situations. My grades reflected that for my first semester, but I learned fast and am now going strong!
note: not all of these may apply to you and your university as every place is different! Despite this, if you are an incoming first year or struggling college student, I hope at least one of these tips help you!
Lectures (in general)Ā
This is mainly for the Freshman audience!
Raising your hand to go to the bathroom is something that doesn't really happen in college.
it might seem polite but you're not a child anymore and you don't have to ask to go relieve yourself. No one can stop you.Ā It is wise, however, to understand your surroundings. If you are in a small classroom setting (like you were probably used to in high school) then waiting for a pause in the lecture before getting up is polite and looked kindly on. If you are in a large lecture hall with hundreds of others, you can get up at any time, walk outside, do whatever the hell you want and come back in and no one gives a ratās ass how long you were gone.
you also donāt have to bring your stuff with you if you plan on coming back. You can just ask the person next to you if they can watch your stuff (I do this all the time) and youāll be fine (I mean, as long as youāre not leaving a wad of cash or something on your desk. Someone might take that lol)
No one cares that youāre wearing pajamas. It's your life, do whatever the hell you want. Unless you plan to go talk to your favorite teacher about a possible reference for a job or something important where appearances matter, you can wear anything. Not gonna lie, I've seen my fair share of butt cheeks in too-short shorts and muscle tees that are seriously low cut (not that I mind~), but at the end of the day it's college and youāre an adult. What outward image you want to display is totally up to you and they can't do shit about it (unless youāre literally in your underwear or something totally obscene like that, which is, yes, illegal). But seriously, you can get away with a lot.
As a sub-note, I personally live in Florida where it's hot, like really hot, and the humidity is most often at 100% so these āunderdressedā occurrences are not uncommon. If you live under similar conditions where most people strip to fight the heat I'd give one fair warning: the AC is no. joke. You might end up freezing your ass off no matter how hot it is outside because the majority of the day you aren't in the sunāyou're in a classroom that's blasting an AC that no one ever touches. I usually opt for a t-shirt under a flannel or some other type of over-shirt that can be taken on and off when needed. Find what works for you.
If you want to skip a class, pick the second meeting (this means if itās a M/W class, skip Wednesday). Yes, I know. You're condoning skipping class? Yup. I am. But there are rules. First, you need to make sure you are confident in the subject. For me, that means English classes. That's my forte and that's what I'm focused on, so I feel comfortable skipping a class or two when I need to study for one of my more difficult subjects or when I feel I just can't sit in four classes that day. The second rule is to make sure you aren't actually missing anything like a quiz, or project overview that is going to be delivered that day. Lord knows you can't make that shit up (many times even if you have a legit excuse). Anyways, many classes have a set number of absences you can have (mine are usually 4 tops--unexcused and excused). Figure out how this may work for you.
I don't get sick but once every two to three years, so I can divvy out my skips easily, but for some people, they need to take certain things into consideration. I'd advise you leave an absence (or two) for a situation that might not be under your control. If someone in the family dies or you need to go to the hospital for some unspeakable reason, you don't want to have to be worrying about failing a class by being there. Understanding your personal situation is key to making this work without ruining your college career.
Deciding if you can arrive late is very circumstantial depending on your professor, yourself, the weather...it's a bit of a wobbly situation. I personally like to get to class 10 to 15 minutes early as I hate rushing and the thought of standing at the front and trying to find a seat while half a class is already there (despite the fact that they probably donāt even care) literally makes me want to hurl. Often times, the teacher will only arrive just as the class should be starting (or later). Yeah, as you can see lots of factors go towards whether it's a good idea to be late, so just analyze and make a decision (better late than never anyone?)
If it's a small classroom setting, again, it's usually a good idea to apologize quietly and take a seat quickly.Ā
Sit wherever youāre comfortable. I see many people suggesting sitting up front, but everyone works differently. I personally prefer the front as it is easier for me to partake in class discussion (I feel pressured when I can see people turn around to look at me) and I donāt have to strain to see. Some people like the back where they can see the whole room and fidget without feeling like they are distracting other people. Some people donāt care.
No there arenāt assigned seats in college, but after a few days, seats might as well be. People tend to sit where they are at the beginning of the year the same as at the end of the year (give or take a few days where youāre later than usual). This is most probably due to the fact that students rely on people in their proper seats to help them find their seat quicker. Even professors rely upon students sitting in the same seats for attendance purposes. Try not to move the general area of the class you attend, or it may throw everyone off!
Lectures 1.2 (preparation)
This is just how I do it I by no means am telling you it is right or for you. Take the information as you will and enjoy!
The night before, make sure you have the readings read and the classwork done (whatever that may be). I can attest to the power of doing the readings (as one who is in multiple English classes and therefore has A LOT of readings). I had a class last semester that I barely did any of the readings for and, although I got an A, I didnāt enjoy it at all. Not only that, but I canāt believe the number of times that I complained IĀ ādidnāt learn anything.ā Like, no shit, Michaela. You didnāt try. Getting readings and classwork done, even if it isnāt for a grade, will make your life so much easier and you might even find yourself enjoying the subject as you will get a much better understanding.
If you find something confusing or an obscure thought pops up while doing your readings/work, write it down. It will give you a way into class discussion and will help you tons in understanding the topic. I canāt count theĀ number of times in which I know I had a question but by the time it came to the lecture Iād forgotten it.
Before lectures, I like to do a little researching on the topic outside of the textbooks. There is a lot of interesting information out there that can aid you in discussion when in class. Building a relationship with the professors of your major is key to your educational career as you move forward and the best way to do that is by getting them in their element and finding a common ground (Iām still working on this as I donāt like meeting new people).
Make sure you have everything you need. Whether that be a full case of pens and highlighters and your favorite notebook or simply your laptop and a water bottle, you donāt want to show up without the necessities.
Lectures 1.3 (how I do the thing called class)
To start on the most basic level, I get to my seat and set my desk up. Iām super anal about order and my OCD tends to kick in here so you probably wonāt have to the compulsive problem I do to situate things over and over again because theyāre a little tilted (like just chill Michaela), but however you do it, get yourself prepared before the professor starts the class. Itāll get quiet really quickly and (for me at least) shuffling around in your bag for your stuff is super uncomfortable and embarrassing.
During the lecture, I write down a lot of things besides the notes from the PowerPoints. For me, the notes I take in lecture are really messy. I not only cover what is in the slides, but also anything my teacher says that isnāt there. Usually, if the teacher decides to go off on a topic, it is important and you should pay extra attention to it (unless itās obvious that your teacher just goes off the rails all the time). I also tend to add reflective commentary and any questions I may have (and their answers).
On the topic of questions, donāt be afraid to ask them. It is severely important for your questions to get answered. You thought them for a reason. You clearly donāt understand something and need a little more detail to do so. It does you no good to have a question sitting there in your head without an answer. Knowledge is power people. Even if you have to wait till the end of lecture because of shyness, do it. Youāll be thankful later.
If your lecturer has included them in their slides, copy the graphs or models (even if it looks like chicken scratch) those charts are more than likely going to show up again later on during a test or quiz because they are short, simple, and cover a heap of information. Get. It. Down.Ā
I absolutely love when a teacher creates an example for better understanding. They usually come up with something that is simple and easy to understand and that is something that has become EXTREMELY helpful for when Iām trying to understand theory, philosophy, and language (yes, even the English language gets me). Examples given by teachers are also something to keep in your notes as they are usually never generic and can be helpful down the line when you need to write a paper.
After lectures, you should always engage with the material again. I do this by rewriting my notes. It has been scientifically proven that writing helps withĀ long-term memory of ideas and conceptual information. Writing the notes twice helps me even more. By creating a format of my notes (as opposed to the bland first draft) I am able to make a snapshot in my head of those notes and thus remember the information (this is just something that helps me as I have a slightly photographic memory. You by no means need to doll up your notes. Itās a lot of work and not for everyone so don't feel bad about doing something more minimal!)Ā
For vocabulary, I swear by flashcards. I, of course, have the vocab in my notes already, but I use flashcards for memory as they are not only a technical third time of writing the vocab., but they also help in giving a flash in my memory of the characters (Chinese) and their meaning. The repetitive motion of flipping the flash card also helps when I try to think back to the vocabulary I went over. If you are able to remember the routine, you can effectively form an image in your head of the word and remember the information more clearly (ok, I know this might not work for everyone, but thatās how my mind works. I would compare it to aĀ āMind Palaceā where schemes and events are created to aid with memory of a certain topic, but I wouldnāt go so far as to say my memory is that good.)
That last point was sort of a sneak peek into Part 5! I really hope you enjoyed this. It was a little more personal as how I go about my lectures will differ as what will work to you, but I always find it fascinating to see how others work academically. If you have any questions or want to comment on your own experiences, please do so! Part 4 will be up next Sunday and will be covering assignments (homework and papers) and the tips I have for that as well as my own commentary of the āproperā ways to study *please, note the sarcasm and heavy eye roll*
Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your day!
