10 Great Study Tips for Freshmen

College is a whole new life. And, many freshmen make the mistake of thinking of it as a sort of extension of high school. This strategy isn’t the best one, because it doesn’t take into account the level of difficulty and expectation that faces a college student. Getting off on a good foot academically is critical because it’s much more difficult to recover from a bad start than to maintain a good one. Here are ten tips for staying ahead of the academic game your freshman year.
1. Plan – You’re going to be busy. You don’t want to totally sacrifice your social life to stay on top academically, but you need to keep things in priority and perspective. A little planning, including a calendar that lists all test dates and due dates is a great way to keep track of things. You can visually see what you have to do by when, and then fit in fun activities during slower times. In addition, when you have a social activity that is really important, you can get school work done ahead of time so that you’re certain to be free.
2. Establish a study routine and a study place. Determine where you can study best and at what time of day. Maybe right after classes and before dinner is best for you, or maybe your best time for studying is between dinner and bedtime. If you make it a routine to, for example, go to the library to your favorite corner with your cup of Starbucks every night from 7-10 during the school week, it will become just another regular part of your day. Sure, there may be days when you need more than 3 hours, but with this regular 3 hours allotted; you should be able to stay on track. Most professors estimate that for every hour you spend in class, you’ll need 1-2 hours of study time.
3. Know the resources available and use them. You’ll find that there are labs, videos, computers and tutors for your use. Know what’s available and make use of it. Don’t be afraid to talk to your professor when you’re having an issue.
4. Study with others. If you have a study group or partner for each of your classes, it can make studying easier and more fun. Plus, you have some accountability built right in. If people are expecting you to show up, you’re more likely to do so.
5. Start with the easiest stuff. When you’re studying for an exam, don’t start with the material that is the most difficult. You’re much more likely to get frustrated. Start with the material that you know the best and work up to the hardest material.
6. Devote time to every class every week. In some classes, you will have just 2-3 tests plus a final in a whole semester. These 2-3 grades will make up the bulk of your final grade. But, just because you don’t have anything due or any test this week, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t study this week. If you wait until just before a test to go over three weeks of material; you’re pretty much doomed. Study for every class every week; going through the current material. Then, when it comes time for a test, you’re not trying to learn brand new material.
7. Know why you’re here. Most students who drop out of school in their first year do so because of too much partying. Remember that, while the new found freedom that comes with being away at college is great; it’s not why you’re here. Balance your workload and put your grades first. There is still time for partying – even with good grades, but it must not be the priority.
8. Take a break. You need about a 10 minute break every hour or so of studying. It will make you more productive in the long run.
9. Take care of yourself. Eat well and get enough sleep. It’s very difficult to do well academically when your body is running on empty.
10. Enjoy it! College is tough, but it is one of the most memorable times of your life!

Phyllis Z. writes about how to obtain a distance education from institutions with the best online university ranking.