The average college student spends about 3.5 hours a day on educational activities. Sometimes, how long you spend studying isn’t the key, though. Rather, it’s how you study that can impact your reading retention.
Here are five essential studying tips for college students. With these tips, you can learn to study smarter, not harder.
Developing a strong study plan can help you discover how to get As in college. Then, you can set your future up for major success!
Discover how to study in college with these five simple tips today.
1. Adjust Your Surroundings
First, take the time to consider where you’re studying. Your surroundings could impact your ability to focus.
Getting away from your dorm room or a classroom setting can help boost your creativity. It can also pull you away from distractions like your Xbox or Netflix queue. Try to find different places to study throughout the week.
For example, you can study:
- At your local coffee shop or cafe
- Sitting at a quiet picnic table
- On a bench overlooking a pond or garden
- In the backyard or on your patio
Don’t forget your campus library, too.
If your surroundings are still distracting you, change the scenery again. It can take a little trial and error before you find the perfect spot.
Otherwise, consider your study space at home. Make sure you’re in a comfortable chair, too. After all, you don’t want neck and back pain slowing you down.
Enhance Your Space
Think about what helps you concentrate. For example, some students prefer complete quiet. Others prefer to listen to music while they study.
Create your own study space at home or in your dorm room. Make sure you have everyone you need within reach. Otherwise, you might feel inclined to get up, impacting your ability to focus.
Once you create your own study space at home, look for ways to enhance your space. For example, you might consider:
- Having a cup of highlighters or multicolored pens
- Using aromatherapy with essential oils to help you focus
- Having your favorite blanket or pillow
- Creating an amazing study playlist
- Keeping a stash of brainfood handy
Try to avoid sugary snacks, which will only cause you to crash later. Instead, try to keep brainfood handy.
For example, berries are full of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins could improve your mental focus. They might help boost blood flow to your brain, too.
They could even improve signaling pathways that promote learning and memory.
Otherwise, consider citrus fruits like oranges. Citrus fruits are rich in flavonoids. These compounds might boost your learning and memory.
They could help improve your mental performance, too.
Other great brain foods include dark chocolate and cocoa products, which are right in flavonoids as well. Consider making yourself a cup of hot cocoa to improve blood flow to your brain. It could help reduce mental fatigue, too.
Otherwise, pack nuts for your study session. Nuts are right in healthy fat, protein, and fiber. They can fuel your body during a long study session.
Packing healthy snacks and using these studying tips for college students could boost your brainpower.
2. Make It Routine
Once you’ve improved your study environment, consider your routine. You can use these tips for studying to develop a regular study routine. Sticking to a schedule can help you retain what you learn.
Try to dedicate a set time each day to studying. For example, maybe you’re an early bird. If you feel more focused at night, study before bed instead.
Write down your study times and put them on a calendar. Then, stick with it!
It can take a little practice before you establish a routine. Keep going to make it a force of habit.
3. Study With Friends
About 24% of American students feel stressed about their future and finding a job after graduation. About 60% experience overwhelming anxiety. Another 30% develop crippling depression.
You can reduce your stress while studying by creating a study group. Invite friends to join you.
Make sure everyone is on the same page, though. You’re there to study, not play around.
Set a designated time each week to meet up.
If you’re still social distancing, create an online group instead. For example, you can use Zoom or Skype to schedule a regular meetup.
Try to befriend at least one person in each of the classes you’re taking. Then, quiz each other. You can even share these studying tips for college students to help one another out.
4. Take Better Notes
If you want to really use these studying tips, take a look at your notes. If your notes are messy and unfocused, you could struggle to use them.
Consider how you learn best. For example, some people learn by rewriting their notes. Others prefer to listen to a lecture on repeat.
If you prefer to learn through audio, start taping your classes instead of writing down notes. You might have an easier time focusing during the lecture as a result.
Experiment with different methods of note-taking to determine what works best for you. You can also use this article to remember more of what you read.
5. Manage Your Time
If you want to learn how to get As in college, you need to prioritize the work. Otherwise, these studying tips won’t help.
Establish goals for yourself. For example, maybe you want to get at least an 85% on your next test. Then, dedicate yourself to accomplishing that goal.
Learn how to better manage your time, too. If you’re multitasking, you might not retain the information. Instead, dedicate a set amount of time each day to reviewing your notes.
Self-discipline can take you further than you might have thought in the past. Once you establish your new routine, stick to it!
Study Smarter: 5 Essential Studying Tips for College Students
Don’t miss the chance to learn how to get As in college. Instead, use these five essential studying tips for college students. Learning how to study in college could set you up for success in the years to come.
You could even graduate at the top of your class!
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