Here's something my college professor gave to us back in the days. It's really helpful so keep this stuff in your mind as you get your degree. This is divided in three parts because its too long to keep it in just one post.
Here are some basic principles to fuel your
And not just in the academe.
First of all, remember that possibly the most important factor in your college success is your attitude and motivations. Passion is the fuel. Some people get ahead in school by studying hard. But if you think you are studying enough but not getting the results you want, then start studying smart.
1. Try to get a list of the books you're going to read and use for your classes before they begin, and if you can, get them and read at least the introduction and one chapter. Always do this before the teacher introduces the next lesson. Your teacher knows his subject matter and can explain some stuff you may have not gotten from your reading and may even give you insights.
Reading ahead also gives you a head start on the topic (and impressing people, tricking them into thinking you're smart *wink*)
Choose ebooks instead.
2. Class attendance is important.
Who hasn't not attended their college classes for various
And don't be late. The most important parts of the class hour is probably the first and the last five minutes.
What comes out of the professor's mouth goes in the test. The book is there for you to study but this is ultimately a bad habit. Let me list 4 reasons why.
- Most courses do not religiously follow the book. You might be studying worthless material and wasting time on complex material for they might not even be part of the test.
- There will be items which were only discussed by the teacher during the lecture.
- The professor will emphasize what material he/she sees fit to emphasize. No book will tell you which.
- Some teachers take attendance as part of the grade.
Seriously, read the article on the link of the image source.
Admit it, you want to go to class looking this happy.
Do your homework, they will benefit you in the long run. It will prepare you for the lecture, for the exams. Why? Because repetition is directly related to your retention of the material, and hopefully, your comprehension of the material improves with each repetition.
4. Submit projects and papers on time. Start them early, or just do them when you have to do them. I would suggest doing them even earlier. Do forget cramming. I know some of use like to work under the pressure of a deadline but do think about what you are going to do for your project ahead of time. That will give you enough time and focus to think on what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. If you already have a plan, this will save time so you can do more work when the time comes. No more frustrations.
Although some instructors accept paper and projects submitted late, this will affect your grade and standing. Admit it. You procrastinate too much.
Make this a habit.
Implying your teacher will spank you with your rolled-up papers submitted late.
5. Be a better reader.
Being a reader doesn't just mean opening a book and forming words from the letters that abound in a page. And in college, you have to do lot of reading. A lot.
There is a technique to reading effectively and efficiently for the purpose of learning.
- Scan - decide which are the important points in your reading material by looking at the text
- Always get the main idea of the text
- Only highlight or underline, or whichever, the important points.
- Learn to speed read. Silent reading. Master it.
Doing it wrong.
