Gabriel Krafcisin, Nysir Marshburn and Kylie Behm.
In the last couple of decades, incoming freshman have had the problem of not being prepared. Throughout high school and middle school, students haven’t had to put a lot of energy into their school work. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, there are some kids that have classes that were not hard enough for them so they didn’t apply themselves throughout school. Once they get to college they don’t know how to deal with the coursework and the challenges they face. For some of these advanced students, they don’t have the chance to take AP classes because their school doesn’t provide those programs.
While advanced students aren’t being challenged enough there are average students that don’t do well academically and they have to rely on their study habits. Because they aren’t gifted students they have to create a routine and put extra time into studying for school work. By scheduling time into blocks it becomes easier to manage their time in and outside of school.
If you feel your current study regimen isn’t the best, it may be time to change. Steps to becoming a more efficient and successful student are taking quality notes, setting a specific study time in a certain study area and knowing what dominant learning style you have. According to Develop Good Habits, writing only important facts such as if a teacher keeps repeating a certain topic is better than writing down everything. Taking the time to study somewhere you can be most efficient is also a good habit to start. For example being alone in a room can eliminate disturbances that could distract you from studying. If you don’t like silence, listening to the tv on low volume or listening
to some music could help you concentrate. Finding your dominant learning style can also help you retain information better. There are three primary learning styles; visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic. As stated by Lone Star College, certain individuals process information better depending on the way the information is presented. Auditory learners prefer listening to lectures and songs. Visual learners learn best from information that they see or read, while tactile learners learn best by doing and handling materials in learning activities.
Not all study habits are good though, one of the most common habit students have is procrastination. Some of the reasons people procrastinate according to Oregon State University, is lack of motivation can be due to the unpleasantness or dullness of the assignment. Another study habit that may be holding you back is your lack of breaks. According to the University of Phoenix, Your studying loses its efficiency after around 45 to 60 minutes of continuous studying. This is a fantastic time to take a break. Taking 10 minutes to grab a snack or to get up and move. You will feel like you have more energy to hit the books for the next 45 to 60-minute study session.
Being a college student is tough. Studying sometimes is the last priority of the day. We as students want to spend as little time possible studying, so that we may take in the college experience. Identifying your bad study habits and replacing them by making a routine and following it will make us all more efficient and successful college students. If you feel your study regime could use some work, you can go to www.developgoodhabits.com and they will give you some great tips and habits you can
use to help your grades out. There is no time like the present. Pain is temporary, GPA is forever.