Fall has hit and now it's time to hit the books. Don't let the books hit you back.
Studying has a way of dragging me into mindless fact regurgitation mode: I can't hold a real conversation, but I can tell you the formula to find the margin of error. I completed my first degree a couple weeks ago. It was not the most fun experience. But I stumbled into the right way to study my last semester and am slowly becoming a pro at being a student--only took me 15 years.
I just wrapped my first week of Penn State World Campus. This post is as much a reminder to me as anything else.
There is a reason you are being assigned something, especially in college. The information you are being given is generally a stepping stone to another piece of information. If you know one step and you skip it, you may miss the connection to another step. And that makes your whole journey shaky.
Use your syllabuses to keep break your semester down. Break your assignments down and put it in a planner. I'm a big fan of color coordinating my planner (Weekly planners kick monthly planner butt). There are two main ways to do this.
Color coordinate subjects: Notebook colors match the color ink for the subject. Pretty easy right?
Coordinate due dates: I'm more apt to this method. Start by righting down the due dates for the assignments in red ink. Move three days before the due date and right the assignment in black ink. Move three days before that, write it again in green ink. Now you have a cushion for your due dates.
When it comes to your actual studying sessions, figure out a routine that is best for you. Here is a great post detailing some great techniques.
I have some dietary restrictions: gluten and dairy. Bright side: this means my snacks have to be healthy. Here are some of my favorites
Nutella Energy Bites
Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberries
Spicy Sriracha Popcorn
Nice Cream is the bomb.com and has a million different recipes.
Like this.
Or this.
And this.
It would do you some good to learn some basic nutrition. I know cash is probably tight, but a bag of protein and a protein shaker fill a belly much more than that McChicken value meal.
I personally run, lift weights and do yoga. With some great workout videos thrown in. If you haven't heard of Blogilates, you should really check it out. Casey Ho is the woman behind Blogilates, making quick workout videos that really get a sweat going. You can even follow her month-to-month plan, where she makes a calendar and lists certain videos to do that day.
The "Classical for Studying" and "Film Scores" stations on Pandora are my personal favorites. In between studying sessions, I make sure I have a playlist to sing (yell) along to. You can find your favorites on 8tracks, Spotify or YouTube, or you can spend some time cultivating Pandora stations.
The stress of school is known to take students out and it can lead to bad grades or dropped classes. Or worse: expelle- I mean, dropping out.
You need to recognize when you are stressed. Stress does not make you weak: it can make you strong, as long as you treat yourself.
Headspace is a great app that can lead you through meditation in a very simple, efficient way. It's available in the App Store, Google Play Store and Amazon App Store.
If om isn't for you, look into fitness classes! Kickboxing is a fantastic way to beat your frustration out and it could be offered on campus.
Draw, play video games, go dancing, whatever.
Just take a break.
Studying has a way of dragging me into mindless fact regurgitation mode: I can't hold a real conversation, but I can tell you the formula to find the margin of error. I completed my first degree a couple weeks ago. It was not the most fun experience. But I stumbled into the right way to study my last semester and am slowly becoming a pro at being a student--only took me 15 years.
I just wrapped my first week of Penn State World Campus. This post is as much a reminder to me as anything else.
- Actually study
There is a reason you are being assigned something, especially in college. The information you are being given is generally a stepping stone to another piece of information. If you know one step and you skip it, you may miss the connection to another step. And that makes your whole journey shaky.
- Break it down
Use your syllabuses to keep break your semester down. Break your assignments down and put it in a planner. I'm a big fan of color coordinating my planner (Weekly planners kick monthly planner butt). There are two main ways to do this.
Color coordinate subjects: Notebook colors match the color ink for the subject. Pretty easy right?
Coordinate due dates: I'm more apt to this method. Start by righting down the due dates for the assignments in red ink. Move three days before the due date and right the assignment in black ink. Move three days before that, write it again in green ink. Now you have a cushion for your due dates.
When it comes to your actual studying sessions, figure out a routine that is best for you. Here is a great post detailing some great techniques.
- Have a snack
I have some dietary restrictions: gluten and dairy. Bright side: this means my snacks have to be healthy. Here are some of my favorites
Nutella Energy Bites
Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberries
Spicy Sriracha Popcorn
Nice Cream is the bomb.com and has a million different recipes.
Like this.
Or this.
And this.
It would do you some good to learn some basic nutrition. I know cash is probably tight, but a bag of protein and a protein shaker fill a belly much more than that McChicken value meal.
- Move
I personally run, lift weights and do yoga. With some great workout videos thrown in. If you haven't heard of Blogilates, you should really check it out. Casey Ho is the woman behind Blogilates, making quick workout videos that really get a sweat going. You can even follow her month-to-month plan, where she makes a calendar and lists certain videos to do that day.
- Make a playlist
The "Classical for Studying" and "Film Scores" stations on Pandora are my personal favorites. In between studying sessions, I make sure I have a playlist to sing (yell) along to. You can find your favorites on 8tracks, Spotify or YouTube, or you can spend some time cultivating Pandora stations.
- Have an outlet.
The stress of school is known to take students out and it can lead to bad grades or dropped classes. Or worse: expelle- I mean, dropping out.
You need to recognize when you are stressed. Stress does not make you weak: it can make you strong, as long as you treat yourself.
Headspace is a great app that can lead you through meditation in a very simple, efficient way. It's available in the App Store, Google Play Store and Amazon App Store.
If om isn't for you, look into fitness classes! Kickboxing is a fantastic way to beat your frustration out and it could be offered on campus.
Draw, play video games, go dancing, whatever.
Just take a break.