What doesn’t work

To be a successful student you need to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Throughout this blog I have been outlining things to do while in college to help you be the best you can be. The purpose of this post is to show you not what to do.

• Multitasking – Multitasking will increase the time it takes you to complete tasks. Successful students will complete tasks in an efficient manor by focusing on one task at a time. Don’t start something until you finish the prior task.

• All-Nighters – Staying up all night lowers the focus level of the brain and decreases the brains ability to retain information. You might stay up for 36 hours studying for your test but when you finally fall asleep and wake up you might find yourself

• Cramming – Retention does not come from cramming. Steady and constant studying is how you truly learn the material. Cram for your test and you will probably pass but if you were to take that test 3 days later you might fail.

• Procrastinating – I have written a whole post about procrastinating. Simply put, it is one of the worst habits you can get into and it is one of the hardest to change.

• Partying Hard – Everyone loves to party in college but you have to know when it’s appropriate. You might party tonight because you have nothing to do. When you wake up with a hangover and have a presentation in an hour, you will probably wish you didn’t go out.

• Cheating – Don’t cheat! Nothing good comes from cheating. Would you have wanted your heart surgeon to have cheated his way through school? Didn’t think so.

• Skipping Class – This is the easiest way to fail classes. Attending class is the easiest way to pass a class. Quit being lazy and go to class.

Location, location, location

Location is very important when it comes to learning. There are certain environments that are great for some people and terrible for others when it comes to studying. No two people are exactly the same, and no two people learn exactly the same way.

• Find your study place – You can study nearly anywhere. Go to the library, computer labs, empty class rooms, outside in the grass, on a bench, at home, coffee shop, or anywhere. Just find a place that keeps you focus and limits distractions.

• Quiet vs. noisy – I am a person who needs complete silence to retain focus on my studying. People are very different. I know people that read books while listening to loud music. If I were to listen to music, I would focus on the lyrics rather than the words I’m reading. Either way, you need to determine what kind of noise environment you need to stay focused.

• Solo study or with a group – Some people learn well in groups. Some people are only productive when they are alone. I like to do a majority of my studying alone and once I feel that I have learned the material I will join a study group. This puts me in a position to help out the other people in the group and teach them the material. It also provides a review of the things that you already know.

How to master the material

To make A’s in all of your classes you need to master the material. How do you do this? Simple. Follow these steps.

• Attend all of your classes – We have covered this topic in prior posts but once again this is the foundation to succeeding in college.

• Read every chapter being covered – The topic of this post is “mastering the material” and there is no way to be proficient in what your learning if you do not read the book.

• Do all of your homework – Duh! But, not only do you need to do all of your homework, you also need to do the homework that isn't required. Complete all work that is assigned by the teacher, whether it is for a grade or not.

• Study daily – Studies show that if you review you notes within 24 hours that you retain 80% of the information. So constantly review your notes and stay up to date with what you are learning.

• Teach another classmate – You truly know the material when you can teach it to someone else. Create a study group and help you other classmates. You will feel so confident during your test if you have taught someone else how to do the work. You will feel like an expert.

• DO NOT CRAM – This is one of the worst things you can do. You will never retain the information by spending 24 solid hours on a subject. You might know it that day but if you do not review the information you will forget it.

Time management

Time management is something that every college student needs to work on. In high school everything is very structured but in college it is easy to let time slip away. Organize yourself and get your priorities straight with these tips for time management.

• Make a to-do list every day – Every day has its challenges and certain things that need to be done. Figure these out first thing in the morning and try to complete you tasks as soon as possible.

• Keep your work with you – If you find yourself with extra time take out your book and finish that chapter. If you get an idea for a paper your writing, write it down.

• Don’t be afraid to say no – In college you will always have people trying to get you to go out to a movie, party, lunch, or whatever. Learn to tell your friends no. You have work to do.

• Find your productive time – Are you an owl or a rooster? Determine when you are at your best. If you are more focused in the morning then try to complete all you work in the morning. If you are an owl then focus on completing all of your work at night.

• Create a dedicated study time – Once you have figured out your productive time, schedule that time into your schedule so that you can stay on task.

• Don’t get sidetracked – TV, internet, Facebook, these can distract you and increase the time it takes you to complete a task from 1 hour to a couple hours. Focus on the task at hand and finish it before you start checking status updates.

• Get a good night’s sleep – Not too many college students focus on getting a good night sleep but it is extremely important. A good night sleep helps you focus and retain information.

The Successful Students Pyramid (Part 1)

The Successful Students Pyramid (Part 2)

The Successful Students Pyramid (Part 3)