So you’ve made it through the first month of college—whew! If you’re anything like I was freshman year, then you’re probably aching for some study plans. In this article, I’ll give you some tips that helped me stay on top of my classes.
- Your syllabus is your best friend
This may seem like a no-brainer, but your syllabus is one of the most important tools for staying on top of studying. Unlike in high school, professors are less likely to remind you about upcoming assignments or exams. If you like to start preparing for these tasks early, checking your syllabus frequently is a great way to stay on top of your work. This way, you can prepare ahead of time, whether that looks like reviewing flashcards, going to office hours, or setting aside time to study. It all starts with knowing what’s due and when.
- Plan out your time
Managing your time well can make a huge difference. If you’re like me and tend to stretch out tasks when there’s no clear deadline, try setting time limits for how long you want to spend on each assignment. For example, you might allocate half an hour for doing a problem set for one class, take a five minute break, and then spend one hour on a paper for another class. Planning out what you will study and for how long will not only focus your study time, but also allow you to switch between the type of assignments you are doing—a STEM course versus a humanities course—giving your brain a well deserved break. Other than helping you focus, planning out how you want to spend your study time might free up more time for activities other than studying!
- Use a planner
Using a planner is one of the best ways to stay organized. Whether it be a physical planner or a digital planner, keeping a list of to-dos ensures that you don’t forget anything. Not to mention that there’s nothing more satisfying than crossing items off your list. For me, Notion has been an incredible tool to house my assignments and to-do lists.
The transition between high school and college can be overwhelming, but making a plan for studying can help alleviate some of the stress.
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