I could use some good college advice..?

Question

I graduated high school in 2000. I went back to school this summer.. I started at my local community college (and a very impressive one at that). I am going for my Associate's Degree and this fall I am taking 4 classes. I got an A in the one class I took this summer.. but one of my classes this semester is completely overwhelming. The information I am learning is exciting to me, but I am striving for As in every class. I really want to pass, and learn the information in the best way possible. I have index cards, which I know is a good start, but I need a METHOD to learn and memorize the material. Not only that but I want to impress my teachers, and I definitely want to impress myself. So how do i start attacking this work load I have? I also work full time and I have a boyfriend.

I am going for my Associate's Degree in Interactive Media Design.. sorry I failed to mention that.. you guys are being really helpful =)

Answer 1

Work out a study schedule in advance, so that it is clear to both you and your boyfriend when you are obligated to schoolwork. If he is worth the time, he will support you through this, but he probably won't if he feels that you are constantly taking time away from him. It will also help you with work, in that you won't always be feeling guilty about not studying. Of course, once in a while you will have to "borrow" time from other activities to get ready for exams or to finish a term paper, but it won't be a constant struggle over what to spend a particular lot of time doing.

As to how to learn and memorize. As a college professor, I find that the biggest time-waster for students is often that they keep going over and over the same material, when they already know it, which keeps them from focusing on those things they don't know. Make up flash cards for yourself. Once you easily know the answer to a card, put it into another pile, then study only the cards you are still having trouble with. The pile of cards you need to study will be getting smaller and smaller over time, and you will be focusing your studying more and more on those things that are hard for you to remember. Once the pile is gone, you should know everything, and you can go through the whole original pile of cards again to remind yourself of that. If, in the interim, you have forgotten a few things, you can go through the same process with them again.

Congratulations on the great start! I love that you want to impress yourself - don't worry too much about impressing everyone else, because some of that is out of your control and can get very frustrating if you put too much effort into it.

Answer 2

Good for you for going back to school by the way. What I learned was that you have to find your method of learning. Some people learn through repetition for example. What I found out about myself was the fact that I can learn in multiple ways depending on the subject. Most of all let me give you some huge advice. If you FAIL at anything you do, that's okay. Just adjust your learning style or just relax a little bit. You must expect to fail because you are not perfect at everything. Cry if you must and pick yourself back up. I would strategize first and then attack the work load. Are you going to school full-time or part-time?

All I can say is: DO NOT OVERWHELM yourself to the point where you start to break down mentally. Any stress may start to spill over into other areas in your life. The simple things that you can do are getting plenty of rest--take naps if you feel the urge--, eat well, drink water & tea, do stretches or practice yoga, enjoy your family, and have great sex with your boyfriend. 1

Answer 3

First, I hope that your boyfriend understands that this is important to you, and gives you the time to study. You also need enough sleep. Make it a priority.

It would be easier to advise you, if I knew the subject you're studying. I find that I study differently for math type classes than for others. If you're having problems with this particular class, find some other people from the class to study with. Study groups give you other people's perspectives and a variety of study styles.

Also, you may not get A's in every college course, even if you got straight A's in high school. College professors do not take teaching courses. Sometimes they aren't very good at making tests. One of my roommates was a pre-optometry major and had to take lots of science courses. She would study for 4-5 hours for tests and still get a C. And she knew the stuff. Usually she got one of the top 5 scores in the class. Her professors didn't seem to get that their tests were poorly constructed. Guess they thought they were being tough.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Hey... having the index cards is the best start, taking the right notes and making use out of it the right way is key! Keep it simple and straigt forward, understand the material then elaborate on it, memorize the essential words and mention it in order to impress your teacher... good luck!

Answer 5

Index cards are a great way to start. Make them into flash cards to study with. And if you need to learn lists, make mnemonics for them. So, take the first letter of each item on the list and make it into a word, or a funny sentence, with each word standing for one word of the list. That and flash cards are doing the reading are the way to go. And as a college professor myself, I love students who talk in class, especially if they disagree with me, or if they don't understand something.

Answer 6

I speak from experience when I say this... give yourself a studying schedual (you only study at these times). Study for 30 minutes intervals (gives your brain time to soak in the information). Memorize your information a little bit everyday and it should work. Works for me!! ;p

Answer 7

no need to impress anyone. don't cram when your studying for a test, break it down. also, i go to the park and study, it gives me a different setting. if im planning on studying for 3 hours, heres i break it down: i'll study for the first 20 minutes, then kick the soccer ball around for 5 minutes. it gets my blood flowing and helps me to think a lot better. i never had below 3.8. i go to Kansas U.

Answer 8

firstly, organise yourself. make sure you make time for everything - work, love, life and yourself. Im not saying make a schedule so that your boyfriend has to book himself an appointment to spend time with you but make you sure you leave nothing to the end - im talking college work. Make sure you study hard, have faith, make goals and dont pressure yourself. One last tip - make sure you dont get stressed. when you feel you are leave everything and just take a deep breath and go for a walk or something. i hope you achieve everything!

Answer 9

Marie you are 25-26 years old---studing applies the same as it did in 2000. Nothing has changed... Read--write--review.. Read the first asignment---outline---review. Next assignment read---outline--- review. Go back and review first assignment....Next assignment read --- outline--- review.---Go back and review the first assignment and revieew the 2nd assignment. By the time you get to 10 assignment you have reviewed the first assignment 10 times... Same with the rest...

Answer 10

Yeah i like to arrange my day so that when you go to college, take 2 hours or whatever you need to study. do that first, and then bf time!! thats what i do

But like u need discipline. i find writing stuff down helps you remember it most of all. i just learn it parrot fashion lol, it works and i remember it for longer. what you studying? good luck