Studying 101: Studying Techniques for You
As you progress through college, you’ll start to form patterns concerning how you study and what study techniques work best for you, your lifestyle and your learning habits. The sooner you can identify effective techniques and patterns, the quicker you’ll make studying something that fits seamlessly into your life and translates into a positive outcome for your college results.
There are certain study techniques which have been formulated by academic experts, and while you can certainly come up with your own methods, using one of these as a base or as inspiration will certainly start you off on the right foot. The core of any study technique or strategy is to be able to manage and control several factors. These include:
– Time management
– Learning styles
– Beating procrastination
Time management and Concentration
There are many distractions at college and while you certainly want to have fun, you’ll also need to manage your study time effectively. Eliminating outside distractions can be difficult if you’re on college campus, but it’s necessary for effective and concentrated study. Informing your friends that you don’t wish to be bothered while you are studying or retreating to a library or other quiet place ensures your study time will be of the highest quality.
Identify Your Learning Style(s)
There are three main recognized styles of learning: visual, auditory and tactile. Here is a simple quiz that can help you begin to learn which style best suits you.
If you’re an auditory learner, you’ll do best by recording lectures and re-listening to them, rather than writing notes. Visual learners will excel at note taking, reading textbooks and reading text online. Tactile learners learn through doing and experiencing real world examples. Once you know which style is best for you, you’ll instantly find that you take in information more easily and maintain that knowledge for longer periods of time.
Procrastination is the enemy of productivity and certainly the enemy of effective study time. Like any bad habit, the key to beating it is to train you not to give in to it. This means putting aside small pockets of time initially for study, and rewarding yourself when you adhere to your own rules.
Mastering all of the above will lead to you having a natural ability to get the most out of your study time. This means better results, and more time to do the other things in life that you love!
Now it’s your turn. Tell us some of your best Study techniques; we’d love to know the secret to your success when studying. Please leave your comments below.