Secrets of a Successful Student
- Use the voice recorder on your phone. After reading a chapter or a book sometimes the ideas flow when you can't write things down.
- Find a quiet place to study and be a little selfish with your time. A quiet place to study is a must so you can focus on your work. You may have been the person who used to do everything but you have to learn to say no. You no longer have the time to do everything and go to school.
- Use post-it notes as bookmarks. Simply put a word or two at the top to create your own reference index. When writing a paper this saves you from having to reread whole chapters.
- Be an active reader. Take notes as you read. In your own books write in the margins. Highlight the most important parts with codes you will understand. Do not waste time rereading irrelevant material.
- Find time to rest. If you allow yourself to get run down, not only will you be unable to learn, but you could get sick, putting you further behind. If you keep falling asleep while reading, don't blame the text; don't tell your teacher the course is "boring," get some sleep!
- Exercise a bit. It stimulates blood flow to the brain and relieves tension. Colleges often have physical education classes you can take to help you with this, as well as fitness centers at a greatly reduced cost for students. Or you could go on a walk around campus or to some of the local spots around town.
- Read all your work aloud to someone else. It will save valuable time proofreading and improve your writing.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help with the basics. Many of your courses in college are going to require a lot of outside reading. If you find yourself struggling to retain information or identify the important information, use our campus resources to fine-tune these skills.
- Do not hesitate to use inter-library loan. You will find that the college library gives you access to great material from other libraries-for free.