How to Study Like a Pro in College

By Katherine Gardner on August 17, 2016

I was terrified to take the leap from high school to college. I was convinced that college courses were going to be far too challenging for me to excel in because I didn’t have the slightest clue how to study at a college level. The only time I voluntarily visited my library in high school was… well, never. Studying for tests in high school consisted of taking a few quick glances at a study guide an hour before the test. My pre-college self couldn’t imagine spending hours in a library or making hundreds of flash cards for one exam or checking out books for a research paper. Now, going into my third year of college, I have learned how to study properly and efficiently, and it really isn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. Here’s the 411 on studying in college:

Pick A Study Location. I am the kind of person who loves to live in the library. I have been known to spend hours upon hours in the library studying for whatever tests I have coming up or papers I have due. As much as I would love to rave about studying in the library for the entirety of this section, I know that it’s not the perfect study space for everyone. Some people work best sitting at their dining room table, others work their best at their favorite coffee shop. The perfect study location differs from person to person and can change for people over time.

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Regardless of where you decide your best studying is done, it’s helpful to pick one place and stick to it. The importance of a designated study location is so you are able to separate your work space from your leisure space. If you usually watch Netflix in bed and then decide you’re also going to study in bed, well you will probably be very tempted to open up Netflix and start watching an episode of Chopped before opening up your Physics book. If you designate the library, or wherever you decide works best for you, as your main study space you will be less distracted and ready to get work done.

Study Groups. Study groups are usually a hit or miss and depend greatly on the type of assignment that is being completed. Obviously there’s no use in forming a study group when the assignment is a personal essay, but it’s definitely a good idea to get some friends together to go over key concepts or formulas that you know are going to show up on a final exam.

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Some people thrive in a group setting and are able to retain information much more easily when it’s being spoken out loud in a normal conversation. In this case it would be in the student’s best interest to make friends in their classes and create study groups for exams or assignments. Some people are much more independent learners and rely heavily on learning the material on their own. In this case it might be beneficial for that person to join a study group towards the end of the semester before the final exam in order to test how well they know the information and compare their own understanding of the material to the other student’s in their class.

Office Hours. Office hours intimidate everyone! You are not alone in your fear of office hours! For some reason the thought of showing up to a professor’s office hours after class seems like the most intimidating part of college. In actuality, overcoming your nerves and showing up to office hours is one of the best ways to improve your grade in a class. Having the opportunity to meet with your professor one-on-one and ask questions about your homework or an assignment you don’t quite understand is usually very helpful. Never be afraid to ask questions! No matter how intimidating your professor might seem.

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I have found office hours to be most beneficial in terms of essays or written assignments. In most cases your professor will tell you exactly what you need to reconsider, what is working well, and what you might want to cut out. You are talking to the person who will be grading you finished paper! By taking their advice you are that much more likely to get a good grade AND  show your professor that you care about your grade in their class.

Find Balance. It’s no secret that there’s a lot going on in college. Juggling classes, homework, extra circulars, and a social life isn’t easy to do, but getting into a routine and finding a good balance is the key to enjoying your time in college. Put your new Lilly Pulitzer planner to use and plan out your time! Figure out how much time you’ll need to set aside to study for your Statistics midterm so you have time to go to the football game Friday night without worrying. Finish your online reading response after class so you have time to go to the gym before dinner. You are in charge of your time in college, figure out how to balance out your schedule so you’ll be able to enjoy your year.

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The key to studying in college is knowing yourself. Figure out where you study best, who you study best with, if your a study group person or an independent learner or both. Once you know how you study best and put in some hard work and long hours, you’ll be studying like a pro in no time.

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