Entering college brings a multitude of new and overwhelming experiences, particularly in the form of classes. I get it! I've been there. Trying to figure out how to study, along with making new friends and everything else that college brings, is intimidating. Today, I'm going to share with you my top study tips for college freshmen and my best scheduling tips for college freshmen.
Hey, y'all! My name is Isabella, and I’m a college student learning how to navigate adulthood right alongside you! Today, I will give you my 6 Best Study & Scheduling Tips For College Freshman!
1. A good time-blocking calendar is your best friend
This is an example of how I use Google Calendar to time-block during the school year. I love it!!! I love being able to color-code my events or tasks based on their purpose, and I find it helps me keep track of tasks more effectively.
You can do the exact same thing in a physical planner that has the days broken down on an hourly basis. However, I will say that I started college as a physical planner girl, and I loved it. Still, as I progressed further into college, I realized it was unrealistic because,, more times than I could count, I was with my friends or family, and they would ask if I was free on a particular day or at a specific time. But I had no idea because I didn't have my calendar with me. It just made planning things more difficult and drawn out. I highly recommend using a planner on your phone to keep track of your schedule.
2. Go to office hours
Always! Always! Always! Go to office hours if you have questions or don't understand something. Your teachers are sure to help you at least a little bit by just showing up with questions. For example, one time this year I went to office hours for one of my classes 4 weeks into the semester, she said I was the first person from my class to show up yet. She was overjoyed to help me, and she narrowed down the study guide she had given the rest of the class on what I needed to be prepared for with our upcoming test.
Going to office hours with questions for your teacher shows you are putting in effort. Actions speak louder than words, and teachers notice these things. Even if you don't get actual information out of a session, you will often earn good favor with the teacher, which may help you if you need extra help at the end of a semester to reach a higher letter grade, for example.
3. Break down large assignments & tasks
Large assignments, tasks, involvement activities, and so on can be incredibly overwhelming in college, especially when it is something you have never done before and don't know where to start. My best advice on this is to break it down into smaller, more manageable sections, BUT the key is to start in advance. For example, if you are writing a paper...
Monday: Outline Paper & Find Sources
Tuesday: Draft the Thesis for Intro, a Thesis for Each Body Paragraph, & write the Intro and Conclusion
Wednesday: Write the first body paragraph
Thursday: Write the second body paragraph
Friday: Write the third body paragraph
Next Monday: Do revisions
Next Tuesday: Do the last revision to check all grammar, spelling, and formatting. Turn in.
Additionally, start creating quizlets and study guides early, as soon as you receive your notes, and add a little more content to your study guide, flashcards, or any other study technique you find effective.
4. Find what study space, time, & routine works for you
Experiment with different study spaces, times, & routines to discover how you learn best. For example....
- Faint background noise or complete silence.
- A strict study environment (library) or a casual study environment (coffee shop).
- Morning study session or nighttime study session.
- With friends or by yourself.
- With flashcards or by explaining your notes to someone.
- Doing flashcards on the treadmill.
- Studying using the Pomodoro Technique.
Don't be too hard on yourself because it will take a little while to truly get in a groove of how you learn best. I didn't truly learn how 1 study best until the end of my freshman year. Experiment with different methods to find what works best for you and what still fuels your brain and body. Remember, breaks are crucial so you don't get burnt out!
5. Prioritize tasks for each day
Pick your Top 3 Must-Dos for each day and focus on completing those first! These Top 3 tasks need to be the most important and time-sensitive tasks that you absolutely have to complete that day. Tackle the most important & most daunting activity first! I love to use Google Keep to help me keep track of this. I have a list for each day of the week, and then I can simply add my top 3, as shown above.
An alternative to this is to use the A, B, C method. You give a task either an A, B, or C categorization depending on whether it is...
A - Task that has to be completed today. It is urgent & important.
B - Task should be completed today if time permits, but it is not urgent; however, it is important.
C - Task that has no due date. Just something I would like to do or needs to get done at some point. Neither urgent nor important.
6. Set reminders
Set reminders! Use your phone to its full benefit. Use the reminders app or a calendar app that sends you notifications to remind you of upcoming events, assignments, due dates, and other important tasks. I love that Google Calendar has this feature.
I always set reminders at least 2 weeks out for my important assignments like papers or presentations so I remember to start working on them early. I highly recommend this!
BONUS: Take care of yourself
Take care of your body just as much as you take care of your mind. Burnout is a real thing! Do your best to listen to your body and mind and learn how to give yourself efficient breaks that help you to be even more focused and diligent than you were before.
I hope this post has helped put your mind at ease and provided you with a few straightforward steps to take for efficient studying and scheduling. Above all, find what works for you! What works for your roommate may not work for you, and that's okay! Now is the time to listen to your body and mind to do what is best for your health and learning.
With Love,
Isabella XO
