Study Habits

1. Try not to do too much studying at one time If you try to do too much studying at one time, you will tire and your studying will not be very effective. Space the work you have to do over shorter periods of time. Taking short breaks will restore your mental energy.

2. Plan specific times for studying Study time is any time you are doing something related to your coursework. It can be completing assigned reading, working on a paper or project, or studying for a test. Schedule specific times throughout the week for your study time.

3. Try to study at the same time each day Studying at the same time each day establishes a routine that becomes a regular part of your life, just like sleeping and eating. When a scheduled study time comes up during the day, you will be mentally prepared to begin studying.

4. Set specific goals for study times Goals will help you stay focused and monitor your progress. Simply sitting down to study has little value. You must be very clear about what you want to accomplish during your study times.

5. Start studying when planned You may delay starting your studying because you don't like an assignment or think it is too hard. A delay in studying is called "procrastination." If you procrastinate for any reason, you will find it difficult to get everything done when you need to. You may rush to make up the time you wasted getting started, resulting in careless and errors.

6. Work on the assignment you find most difficult first Your most difficult assignment will require the most effort. Start first with your most difficult assignment since this will require your maximum mental energy.

7. Review your notes before beginning an assignment Reviewing your notes can help you make sure you are doing an assignment correctly. Also, your notes may include information that will help you complete an assignment.

8. Tell friends not to call during study times Two study problems can occur if your friends call you during your study times. First, your work is interrupted. It is not that easy to get back to what you were doing. Second, your friends may talk about things that will distract you from what you need to do. Here's a simple idea - turn off your cell phone during your study times.

9. Review over the weekend Yes, weekend should be fun time. But this is also the time to do some review including consultation with a friend. This will help you be ready to go on.