Guest Author - Cheryl Lynne Likins, M.A.

College courses are fast-paced, intensive and challenging. Freshmen have little time to decide how to approach studying. You will need to hit the ground running and immediately begin working. Expect assignments on the first day of class.
So what�s the plan? You have heard this before, but it is worth repeating. Get organized.

Organize

Make sure that all of your stuff is in order, that there is a place for everything and you can actually see the top of your desk. After all, you will need some place to work, right?

Have a notebook for each class for taking notes. You might instead use a three ring binder with dividers. Have file folders for loose papers and then use a three-hole punch to insert them into the binder. There is not much worse than being in a hurry and not finding important papers. If you are fortunate to have a desk drawer for files, then use it. You will be able to locate what you need without a lot of drama.

Know your style

If you have not taken a personality test, then it would be a good idea to do so. Many tests are free online or for a low fee. Knowing your learning preferences, habits and inclinations is an important insight. Ideally, you can use those preferences to your advantage while studying.

If you are an auditory learner, then you might benefit from listening to recorded lectures or other audio resources. A visual learner might like to use different colored highlighters for highlighting key words in your textbook. Concept mapping or the Venn diagram that you probably used in high school can help you to make sense out of densely worded texts. Processes and interrelationships may be illustrated by using flow-charting.

While this does not mean your college workload will be any lighter, using some finely tuned strategies can make it a bit easier.

Manage your time

The best conceived plans quickly fall apart if you procrastinate. Manage your time by sifting through your responsibilities, class schedule and any other outside commitments. Use a daily planner with daily, weekly and monthly views. Input the due dates for assignments, tests and quizzes. If you have a lengthy project due in several weeks, then plan how you intend to complete it on time. Divide the work into phases and then work with your calendar to determine how long to allow for completing them. Always include a cushion in case of some unforeseen delays.

Work together

Study groups can be fun, because you get to spend time with people you like. However, they are also helpful. What one person does not understand, one of the others probably does. If you are disciplined enough to do it, then study groups can be particularly effective when preparing for a test.
Pick a place that allows for conversation, but does not have a lot of loud background noise and activity. Sometimes the campus libraries might have study rooms for students to do just that. It is worth checking out.

Quiz yourself

Before your test or quiz, review on your own by testing yourself. Write some sample questions and then answer them without using any notes. Often at the end of textbook chapters, there are review questions. Answer them as another way of studying. Any content that causes confusion is worth reviewing for clarity.

Organize, plan and execute

While it may seem like overkill, using a strategy for studying in college could make or break you.

Once you establish a routine, following through on your strategy will be easier.

Achieving your goal is well worth the effort!

All the best to you!