Hello everyone! How is everyone doing this week? I hope you fourth-years can get yourselves back to the books now, eh? I figured that, after the previous week’s festivities, now would be a good time to look at great study habits. For those that either have midterms on the horizon or those that are knee deep in what is colloquially known as “Hell Week,” you might be able to take something away from this.
1. Where to study. Where you take your problem sets and textbooks can make a sizable impact on what you are able to learn in a given time. A good baseline is somewhere mostly free of distractions. For some, this might be a library study carol, while others might find that they study better in their own place of residence.
2. Make study notes. This is an excellent strategy for those courses with a large amount of theory. While reading your textbooks or course material, make your own point-form notes about the topics. This forces you to break down the information to the most important aspects of each section. The act of writing also assists in the remembering of the material as you have to physically transcribe the information. You can then use your study notes to refresh yourself about the material prior to the test.
3. Take care of yourself. Don’t forget to eat or sleep! The action of sleep helps in the retention of learned material. The action of eating gives nutrients and energy. Your brain requires energy to function, just as muscles do. A rested and fed individual will have an easier time focusing on their studies than one who is half asleep and hungry!
4. Create an attainable study schedule. Have a few days until your next set of exams? Create a schedule that shows which courses you will study on each day, and stick to it. All of your courses are important, yet some concepts may require more time on your part than others. Take this into account when designing your own personal schedule.
5. Take breaks! Most of you reading are engineering students and, in general, love approximations! A good one to follow here is about 5 to 10 minutes for every hour spent studying. Burnout sucks, especially during a series of tough exams. Taking these short breaks every hour should allow you to keep studying over a longer period of time without losing focus.
These tips are not one-size-fits-all. Ultimately, you will have to find out what works best for yourself. Counselling Services offers study skills workshops and a study guide if you are still finding yourself unable to study effectively. You can find these services at http://counsellingservices.uwaterloo.ca/. Have a good reading week everyone!
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