Secret # 11 Studying tips

This post will provide you with a variety of study tips. These tips and their explanations will be discussed at length in some of the posts that follow. Secret number 11's sole purpose is to merely inform you of the options. You can glance at this list to get an idea of how you should study, but for complete comprehension, you should read the explanatory posts that follow. The list below is broken into multiple sections. Each section lists tips that can aid you in every part of the studying process. 

Studying Tips

Class

1. Ask questions. Whether you're asking a friend or a teacher, make sure you ask about topics you are unsure of.
2. Read the text. Whether your skimming it or slowly dissecting it, as long as you have some general idea of what the content is, you will be familiar enough with the content to make the necessary connections.
3. Review your notes before and after every class.
4. Take good notes. If you have trouble keeping up in class rewrite/ retype your notes if they are unorganized.
5. Pay close attention to any term/concept that your teacher emphasizes.
6. Participate in class. Ask questions, even if you don't care find something to be curious about. If you're more involved, you're more likely to remember the lecture.

Before Studying

1. Use a study plan. What are you going to study and when? 
2. Set some small SMART goals
3. Clean and organize your study area
4. Draw diagrams to depict complicated process or hierarchies
5. Whether it's a word or a concept, learn something new every day. The key to true learning is forming meaningful connections. The more connections you make, the more you will retain.
6. Be aware of your meta cognition. Know what you don't know. Socratic ignorance. 
7. Break large tasks into small tasks
8. Study way in advance
9. Get plenty of sleep
10. Learn your teacher's testing style, and form your own questions. Basically, create your own exam. 
11. Review some test taking strategies; Beat the system.
12. Go to office hours. Research the exam. What format? How many question? What do most students generally have trouble with?
13. Make sure you have enough light to study by.
14. Eat healthy light meals.
15. Think positive and don't panic. Take deep breaths tackle one subject at a time. Don't get overwhelmed; you can do this!
16. Practice problems (math, chem, accounting) on a white board. you can get sticker boards online. 
17. Know your learning style and adjust to it.
    
18. Different subjects require different studying techniques. You wouldn't study for calculus the same way you study for English.
19. If a study guide isn't provided make one of your own.
20. Let people know you will be studying, then they won't try to get into contact with you. 

During Studying

1. Study in short, frequent bursts. Don't cram!
2. Practice problems in the back of your book.
3. Study complex things first.
4. Use index cards
5. Take advantage of any reviews or study guides.
6. Correct any previously graded exams, quizzes, or exercises.
7. Don't study near/on your bed
8. Study with silence or classical music ONLY
9. Study before bed.
10. AVOID any social media, email, or shopping apps. Avoid anything the will distract you. Turn off your phone if you have to.
11. Study in groups.
12. Use mnemonic devices.
    
13. Study when you are most alert. Listen to your circadian rhythm! If you are more alert at 9:00 at night, then study at 9:00 at night.
14. Sing, stand, talk out-loud, or walk. Whatever you do, just don't stare blankly at your notes.
15. Study smart, not hard. Don't spend hours studying a chapter in the text if you know the questions that will be asked are on the study guide (hypothetical situation). Study the important stuff first and with any leftover time study the text.

Post Studying

1. Reward yourself for reaching your study goals.
   
2. Never stop studying. You should be studying something every day, even if its just for a few minutes. Unfortunately, learning it once isn't enough. You have to continue reinforcing that newly acquired knowledge in order to place it in your long-term memory.

I will attempt to provide a detailed explanation for each of the aforementioned tips. These tips are backed by scientific studies and my own personal experiences. Are there any specific tips that need explained first? Are there any tips that you find helpful, that aren't on the list?

Secret # 10 To-Do Lists

To-do lists are the key to staying on track in college. It’s not enough to put important dates on a planner; you also have to be able to prioritize your tasks. By creating a to-do list, you can order you tasks from most important to least important, ensuring that objectives are completed in a timely fashion. To-do lists make it easy to plan ahead.

Checking items, even small, off of your to-do list will give you a sense of accomplishment that helps you complete the remaining items with renewed vigor. There are many ways to form a good to do list. You can hand write it placing the most important items at the top of the list and marking them off as you go down the list. If you like to hand write your lists, check out these templates.

 There are also many apps available that make creating to-do lists easy. Google Keep is my preferred to-do list website/app. With Google Keep, I can type multiple to-do lists (long-term, short-term, weekend, before Christmas, goals, shopping list etc.). With the app (android) and the widget I can easily check off or add items to my list. Think of Google keep as your virtual post-it note collection. You can rearrange and recolor all of you notes. Google Keep is also a good place to put important information that you don’t want to forget (birthdays, paint colors, links, codes, etc.…).

For Apple users, check out Errands. With Errands you can separate your to-do list into various categories (i.e. Social, academic, etc.) Like Google Keep, Errands is a free application that can help you organize your to-do lists.

Wunderlist is another great list app to check out. This app works great for both iPhone and android. This app is more aesthetic than Google Keep or Errands, but it still helps you prioritize tasks.

Whether you decide to write out your to-do list or create them on a website, you will soon see that To-do lists are vital to life as a student; with to-do lists you can stay organized, productive, and even motivated. Don't be the student that is always one step behind. Keep up with your classmates, and turn your assignments in on time! Keeping an up-to-date to-do list can have a huge positive impact on your grades!

Secret #9 Capitalize on downtime with audio books

Do you have to read a book for class? If so, get an audio book. Audio books are a great way to use your downtime. If you’re waiting for a bus, doing chores, or waiting for class, you should be listing to a book. I wait for my bus about 20 minutes a day; that’s 1 hour and 40 minutes wasted every week. Your time is valuable! That’s 1 hour and 40 minutes I could have spent doing homework, or a million other things. Think of all the time you waste on a daily basis. It’s probably a lot. Capitalize on your downtime!

 Most online or digital textbooks come with audio capabilities. While these audio books may be helpful, they are very boring and monotone. So if you can’t stand listening to an electronic voice, these particular audio books may not be for you. Don’t let that stop you from finding a good audio book (read to you by a human)! Even if you don't have assigned reading material, find a book that interests you, and expand your knowledge.

I get most of my audio books from audible, but there are numerous ways to find them. Some companies like Crackle Barrel will loan you an audio book for a small fee. If your short on cash, look online, most classics can be found free of charge. You can also visit your local library. With audio books you can relax and learn on-the-go.

How do you capitalize on your downtime?

Secret # 8 Organized Notes Make Studying a Breeze

More often than not, the most important study tool we have is our notes. Whether your typing or writing, you will probably have to go back and look at them at some point during the semester. For this reason, it is important to keep them as organized as you possibly can. A little time organizing in the beginning, can save you countless hours of sifting through endless piles of crumpled up papers later. In order to help you organize your notes, I have provided a short list of tips and tricks. I prefer to hand-write the majority of my notes so these tips will be focused primarily on handwritten notes; however, since I can type faster than I write, I definitely see the advantages of typing your notes and as a result, have added a few extra tips regarding typed notes. Hopefully, after applying some of these strategies you will end up with organized notes that can be easily referenced.

• Separate and conquer No matter if you are typing or writing, you should always separate your notes by class. If you are handwriting, there are a few ways to do this. I personally use single subject notebooks, but below I have attached a chart that will break down the pros and cons of popular tactics.

  	Pros	Cons
  Single Subject Notebooks	·         Cheap ·         If you fill it up with notes, you can just start a new one	·         Too many notebooks to carry ·         Easy to grab the wrong one ·         Hard to scan
  Loose Leaf Paper in a Binder	·         Easy to take out and organize ·         Easy to scan	·         Messy ·         Easy to lose notes ·         Bulky
  Multiple Subject Notebooks	·         Everything is in one place, but separated ·         Less to carry ·         Can’t grab the wrong one	·         If you fill up one section you still have to carry it around for your other classes ·         Can be more expensive

• Practice file management If you are typing your notes make a file for each semester (i.e. Fall 2014, Spring 2014, etc...) inside each semester's file you should create another file, one for each class. (this may not be necessary for labs) Unfortunately, it's not enough to create the files. When you are in the middle of the semester and feeling lazy, you still have to make sure you take the time to save you documents under the correct folder. 

• Plan to receive loose papers Most professors will provide you with a few handouts throughout the course of the semester because of this, you will need to find a way to store them. I use an accordion folder, but there are many other options as shown below. 

  	Pros	Cons	When to use
  1 Folder per class	·         Everything is separate ·         Easy to color code ·         Small ·         Cheap	·         Could be too many folders to carry ·         Easy to forget a folder or bring the wrong one	This works if you don’t have many classes. As long you are careful, and make sure you are grabbing the right folder.
  Accordion folder	·         Everything is together so you can’t grab the wrong folder	·         Big ·         Can be pricey, if you want one that is going to last	This is great if you have many classes back-to-back.
  Binder(S)	·         Everything is separate and organized ·         Can add loose notebook paper and keep all of your notes in it ·         Can have one per class or one for all classes	·         Bulky (these take up too much room in backpacks) ·         Won’t fit on a small desk ·         Can get expensive ·         Heavy ·         If you have one that include papers from every class it will fill up quickly	This is great if you have one or two classes a day that aren't back-to-back.
  Notebook Pockets	·         Convenient ·         Don’t have to carry folders around ·         Small ·         Cheap	·         The pockets rip easily ·         Papers can fall out ·         Papers get folded	This is good if you don’t get many handouts.

   What you do not want to do, is carry one folder for all of your things. This never works! By the end of the semester your folder will be bulging out with loose papers crammed every which way. 

• Consider color coding This can take time and is not always an option but there are many ways to color code your notes in order to make them more navigable. You can make the color of your notebooks match your folders, or the pen you use in your agenda to mark down homework. If you don't want to do that, you can simply write in different colors. You can assign a color for different things that you write such as headings, subheading, lecture notes, reading notes, etc. If you're pressed for time during class, you can always go back and highlight your notes with different colors.

• Add a table of contents. If you have handwritten notes you should reserve the first few pages for a table of contents, by filing this out at the start of every lecture, you should be able to easily search your handwritten notes. If you are typing your notes you don't need a table of contents because you simply press "Ctrl F", and search for the keyword you are looking for. 

• Make a key and stick to it. If you are using certain symbols or colors to represent certain things you should write them down at the beginning of your notebook (you can use a sticky note) and be sure to use them consistently. This will not only make it easier to read for you, but also anyone who borrows your notes will be able to reference this as well.

• Pretend your are writing your notes for someone else to use. If you usually scribble your notes and then have trouble reading them later, pretend you are letting someone else borrow them. By doing this you will probably end up writing neater.                                                                                                    

• Always write the date. It doesn't matter where you put it, just be consistent. If you ever need to reference these (and you will) a date will be extremely helpful.

• Summarize your last class before a break. When you leave school for more than two days, you should quickly jot down what you did on your last day. This doesn't have to be long or even detailed, a bulleted list will do. When you return to class and can't remember where you were, all you have to do is glance at the list to jog your memory.

• Scan handwritten notes. Handwritten notes can easily be lost or damaged. At the end of everyday (or on the weekend) you should scan your notes. If you don't have a scanner, you can go to your library, or download an app. I use the Droid Scan app because it is faster than scanning with an actual scanner, and I can do it anywhere. If you don't have an android, fear not, there are many other apps that do the same thing.                                                                                                                                      

• Use technology made for note-taking. There are plenty of computer programs designed specifically for note-taking. I don't type my notes so I can't say whether one is better than the other, but they are definitely worth checking out. I use something similar to these computer programs, but instead of typing I write with a special pen. I use a Livescribe pen to write any notes that portray processes. (i.e. math, science) While I write, the pen records the professor. When I plug it into the computer it will show me a digital copy of my notes. If I was doodling and not paying attention, all I have to do is click on the doodle and it will start playing the recording that occurred while I was drawing.

Use these tips to keep your notes organized and speed up the studying process.









How do you organize your notes?

Secret #7 Take advantage of your back to school momentum!

Every year around August when the summer is winding down and school supplies start flying off the shelves, you start to wonder, is school really all that bad? Sated from months of vacation you find yourself thinking that, no, it’s not so bad. In fact, you may even miss it. This excitement carries you through the first couple of weeks of school. If you’re lucky it will last a month or two, but it will inevitably dwindle once you have reached the middle of the semester. This lack of interest is unavoidable, that is why it is so important to use this burst of energy to do as much as you possibly can before it runs out! 

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do the homework you are sure to procrastinate about later, but you can take measures to prevent procrastination as well as prepare for all the homework and tests you are certain to experience. I have provided a to-do list of sorts. I have split the list into sections. This list will highlight things you can and should do within the first few weeks of school hopefully, if carried out correctly this list will help you through the mid-semester slump.

1. Assign a place for your syllabi. During the first week you should have a syllabi from each class. Keep these close! These are easily the most important documents you will receive all year. Most of your questions can be answered with a quick glance at this paper. Being able to reference these documents is imperative to your success in the class. Most professors provide you with a digital copy. If you aren’t given a digital copy you should definitely take the time to scan it. Some people choose to carry around a syllabi folder whether its one folder containing all of your syllabi or multiple folders for each class as long as you are consistent and your syllabi are easy to find, you should have no trouble. I personally keep my syllabi on Google drive. By storing my 
syllabi on the cloud I can simply look them up on 
my phone without keeping track of all those papers.

1. Write down all the important dates for homework, readings, and tests. These dates can either go in a physical planner, calendar, or an app

2. Add your professors contact info into your contacts. In the notes section type their office hours. (You may choose to not carry your syllabus around, having this information stored in your phone is a quick and easy way to get into contact with your professors)

3. Prepare to track your grades (if you’re really motivated) Professors often add your grades to your university's online grading system, but some (in my experience) choose not to or wait until the end of the semester to do so. In this case, it is a good idea to track your own grades. A quick Google search will provide you with hundreds of templates and apps. Spend some time finding what works for you. Tracking your own grades is a great way to confirm that your teachers grade book is correct. (even professors make mistakes)

4. Prevent procrastination by writing or typing all of your reading assignments on sticky notes. You should have a sticky note placed at the beginning of every chapter. On the note you should put the page numbers and the read by date for each assignment.If you hate to see handwritten notes you can type on any type of sticky notes. Clink here for the template.

5. Add an additional post it note to each chapter, but instead of reading assignments list the homework assignments that are found in the book. Make the sticky notes different colors to further differentiate between the two.

(Numbers four and five may not be necessary for every class, but for classes with reading assignments and book problems this is a easy way prevent future procrastination. By placing a sticky note at each chapter you are eliminating an extra barrier. Finding your agenda and looking up the assignments takes time and energy. Around mid-semester, when you are feeling lazy these little steps seem like huge steps and the result is procrastination.  Take this small measure and you will be more likely to complete your assignments on time.)

6. If you’re a freshman and this is your first year on campus, now would be a great time to print out a campus map and your schedule. Yes you can use google maps, but if your phone happens to die, it’s nice to have a hard copy.

7. Visit ratemyprofessor.com and find out as much as you can about your professors. If you’re not familiar with the site, refer to Secret #4. Use rate my professor to be more prepared for class.

How do you prepare for the semester?

Secret #6 Textbooks: New, Used, or Rented?

The worst part of college is, hands down, shopping for books. Every semester students drop tons of cash on books they have no desire to read. Book buying, like any other type of shopping has a catch. When you are buying books you have three options to choose from, but you can only have two.

1. Cheap low price. 
2. Easy  work it takes to find the book and purchase it. 
3. Fast time it takes for you to actually get the book whether it’s in your hand or on your computer.

Fast & Easy

Buying a new book from your university bookstore is convenient, but that convince comes at a high price. If you want to save money, be prepared to spend a little extra time shopping for your books. The extra money in your pocket will make the effort well worth it.  

New books are always overpriced. If you are assigned a book that was written by your professor and are having trouble finding a used copy, consider posting a comment on your universities Facebook page or joining a book swapping group. My university has a “free and for sale page” where people can post items they want or items they have and want to get rid of. If your university doesn't have one of these, check out SWAP SHOP. This is an app where students sell books to one another; this process of cutting out the middleman lowers the cost for the buyer and increases profit for the seller.       

Cheap & Easy

Buying or renting a used book can save you hundreds of dollars. With comparison sites such as slugbooks, booksprice, and allbookstores, buying & renting books has never been easier.

If you are only going to use a book for a single semester, rent it. Buying a book is a lot of work, because when the class is over you have to find a way to sell it. If you're renting, you get it at a fraction of the cost, and you simply ship it back when you are done. I rent most of my textbooks through Amazon. They ship them quickly, and as always, the shipping is free. I recently rented a book that I later decided to keep. With Amazon I was able to purchase that same book that I already had, and they even removed the rent fee from my purchase total. There are many other websites that rent textbooks. Some that I have used in the past are chegg.com and eBay’s half.com

Cheap & Fast

        Get as many eBooks as you can, because eBooks are often cheaper than the printed copies, and you don’t have to carry them around! Most eBooks also have additional features that regular books don't have. Some features to look for are:

•       Audio capabilities it will read the book to you
•       Search function this makes homework and take-home quizzes a breeze
•       Solution guides Chegg offers a discount on the solutions if you buy/rent eBooks from them
•       Videos that enable you to better understand the topic
•       Page printing you can print a limited amount of pages from the book. This is really helpful for printing                     homework problems or charts that you might need to look at again.

        When you purchase an eBook from a company you have to sign up for an account and download the book. You’ll have the book instantly, but registering and keeping track of your passwords can be a hassle.

     Consider buying an older addition. Older additions are cheap, but often require a little extra work on your part. Text book companies frequently release new additions of their textbooks so that they can increase prices. Fortunately, these additions are often very similar to one another. The publisher may have fixed some minor errors or changed a problem or two, but more often than not, the books have the same content.  Ask your professor if they would be okay with you using an older addition; they may even tell you what the differences are. In most cases the chapters and the page numbers will be rearranged. You will need to find the correct page that corresponds with your reading assignment. Don’t worry; this doesn't take long if you use the table of contents or the index in the back of your text book.

        Only buy older additions if you know that the field of study hasn't changed. For example, it is probably safe to buy an old calculus book or even an ancient history book, because those subjects haven't really gone under any enormous changes within the past few years. Some subjects you want to avoid buying an older book for are physiology and sociology; new studies are constantly released that change the perspective in these fields causing older textbooks to quickly become obsolete. 



   With the fall semester quickly approaching, I hope that after reading this post you will be able to choose what book-buying option works best for you, and put it to the test. I have found that a certain combination of all three options works best for me, but it changes every semester.

     Happy Shopping!