When it comes to developing good reading habits, there is a way out of all madness. The type of study habits you have come to practice in high school may not work so well in college. However, you can definitely base your reading habits on these methods for more discipline – because you will need to! In college, you will have more responsibility, but you will also have more freedom. For first-time college students, balancing this can be a challenge. That’s why Florida National University (FNU) wants to help all its students develop how they can improve their study habits with these 9 helpful techniques.
Find a good place to study.
This is important. You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people. The library has always been a reliable place to do real educational work, but if you prefer another place, just make sure you are ready for success. There may be other places on campus at your university that will provide you with a small study space. Although the cafeteria can be quite busy, some university campus cafeterias are quiet enough for students to study while they cut to eat.
You may have a campus fever and decide to move out of your university to do some work. Many students find small coffee shops with Wi-Fi that allow them to sit there all day for the customer who buys. Outdoor parks and amusement parks, even public libraries can be a great change of scenery.
Even the light of study is important. If you want to preserve your eyesight and maximize your time and energy, choose lighting that does not cause eye strain or fatigue so that you can keep your study session effective at any time of the day. ۔
Set rules when you are in your study zone. Tell the people living with you that when your door is closed it means you don’t want to be upset. Try not to answer phone calls or texts, it will break your concentration and you will lose your focus.
Let’s not forget our home. No matter the size of your apartment or house, we recommend dedicating a small amount of office space to reading only – away from any distractions.
Avoid social media.
Speaking of distractions, nothing can waste your time like 20-30 minutes of good social media! Emails used to be a necessary evil to keep life going, but now people are communicating through social media platforms rather than talking on email or phone! As a result, it is very common to open browser tabs only for social media. The problem with this is alerts! As much as you can try to ignore it, you won’t be satisfied unless you follow the alert – a warning that will need a response the most! In all likelihood, this will be a conversation that could have lasted an hour-and now you have added another 20-30 minutes to your study time! Congratulations!
Disruption also includes avoiding your phone. The best thing you can do is either keep your phone silent, turn off the alerts and turn them on so you can’t see them, or just turn things off! If this helps, keep the phone out of sight so you don’t feel tempted to check your messages.
The world can wait. Your education is a priority and everyone in your circle of friends should understand it. If you are absolutely determined to keep your phone close in case of an emergency, allow yourself some study break so you can set aside a specific amount of time to check your alerts and messages.
Take a break and take care of yourself.
Talking a little bit about taking a break, it really shouldn’t be an option. College is hard work, and like any other job, you deserve a break. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Working late in the morning to complete an assignment can be great for this class, but not for you or other courses. You need to take care of your academic career to give it the attention it deserves. You are paying to get an education. It is unacceptable to run on the ground without giving your body and mind time to rest.
Ophthalmologists will warn you to remember to blink when working on a computer screen to protect your eyesight. Rest your eyes on the horizon, preferably outside a window of natural light. Did you know that your eyes also need exercise? Especially in today’s world where we are reading everything so closely. Keep your head in a neutral position and just look at the roof or tree with your blindfold and try to focus. Go from corner to corner, focus, then do the same for the floor. Roll your eyes
Your hands also need a break: learn to use the mouse with your other hand, keep the keyboard in a very comfortable position, which is actually in your lap. Take some time to stretch your wrists and fingers.
Fill your body with the proper nutrients it needs to function. Pay attention to the foods that clear your brain and eat more and more foods that strengthen your brain. Just read how these superfoods can help your brain focus:
blueberry.
Avocados.
Fat fish
Walnut
Broccoli
Yogurt
And don’t forget to sleep and reboot!
Arrange lecture notes.
Unless you are a legal copy, copying lecture notes can make your notebook look like a 7-year-old! That is why it is better to record the lectures of your professors so that you can get a better understanding of the lesson. The best way to do this is to copy the recorded lecture notes. That way, you can turn what you didn’t understand. It also advises you to revisit these notes – while the content is fresh in your mind and rewrite them in a way that is clearer and more relevant to the review. On exam day, you’ll be glad you did.
Fact: It has been proven that when you go to your notes and repeat the lesson after class, the retention of information is greater.
Rewriting your lecture notes will be one of the best study techniques to practice. Rewriting will help you remember the context better and rearranging them in a better order will make you understand the lesson.
Did we mention that college is hard work? It is worth repeating. Finding fellow students who are struggling to understand the coursework can be comforting. However, joining or forming a study group is not just because Trouble loves the company, it’s about teamwork. Someone in your study group is guaranteed to help you with a special assignment that you are struggling with and you will be able to do the same. It’s all about helping each other succeed!
Leave time for last minute review.
Here are some of the ones I found to be interesting: Always, always leave time for last-minute review. Here, we are using a tried and true memory game. This is a technique that most students use as a reading habit. It’s simply impossible to quantify college work, but it can work great as a last-minute review – only if you have good notes
Even better, if you can combine your notes with a good night’s sleep for review, you’ll significantly improve your ability to retain more information. Just know that reading while you are asleep is ineffective. If your body is telling you that you are tired, take a nap or go to bed early. A good night’s sleep is another technique that will help you better understand and remember information.
If you find that you are stressed or tired, consider your study schedule and priorities. Make sure you also set aside time for relaxation and stress-related activities.
Understand your best learning style.
It is important to know that there are many different ways to learn and that everyone will improve their information in different ways.
Visual learners learn best when pictures, images, and local understanding are used.
Audio learners who like to use music, sound, or both.
Kinesthetic learners actually use a more physical way of learning through the use of body, touch, and hands.
Logic learners need to use reasoning, logic, and systems.
Oral learners will prefer to use words in writing and speech.
Social learners will progress in learning with other people or in groups.
Those who learn alone are better able to learn alone.
Think about which style of learning works best for you, and it will help you determine how to study when to study, and other important factors to study, such as reading. What you should use and be aware of to help, and know what things might bother you when you are trying to study.
Make study time a part of your routine.
If all of your studies are not working for you in a few long days, now is the time to try something new and less stressful. What you do every day is more important than what you do occasionally, so take the time to study every day with or without exams.
Consistency is key and once you start developing good reading habits, make it a routine that you will be able to maintain throughout the school year.
When it becomes part of your schedule, you don’t have to find time, you make time for your study sessions each month. Also, be sure to check your schedule for the week or month and consider your personal commitments: work, attendance, and appointments. All you have to do now is stick to your new study schedule.
Make reading a top priority and adjust your sessions to the best of your ability. Some people do better in the morning, and some at night. Experiment with it and don’t think you get up early so you should study early, but try to see which is better in the morning, afternoon and night.