Tips For Effective Studying

Time Management

  • Learn to Say No!
  • Do not study for more than 2 hours at a time. Your brain tends to shut down past this point.
  • Use travel time to study.
  • Try to study during daylight hours. Making this a habit can be beneficial.
  • Use two schedules. An hour by hour and also a month at a glance can really get you going.
  • Prioritize. Daily list what you need to study, prioritize & set times for each item, and stick to it.
  • Use the 30-3-2 Schedule. Study for 30 minutes; take a 3 minute break; upon returning take 2 minutes to review what you just read.

Study, Study, Study

  • GO TO CLASS! Going to class all the time can be very, very beneficial and can help to make the learning process less stressful. Also attend academic workshops, since most of these are free from the university and it doesn’t hurt to seek help.
  • Study! This may be a case of stating the obvious but you would be surprised how many students don’t bother.
  • Study with soothing music. Getting a comfortable atmosphere going can get a person’s brain going and ready to study, but stay clear of comfy seats, beds, and distracting music.
  • Study space. Your regular study space should be as quiet and comfortable as possible and large enough to have easy access to everything you need for studying.
  • Tutoring is not a negative thing. Get help early before the academic damage is irreversible. The university offers free tutoring in a variety of subjects.
  • Studying alone is important too. Study groups are great but in general studying alone is effective also.