How to Study Effectively

Studying effectively takes determination, effort, organization and practice. If your study skills are rusty (or never were very good), the best time to improve them is before you go back to school. You'll be busy enough when school starts!

Set up a study schedule.
Your schedule should be flexible, but it should be written down.A schedule helps you get organized and make decisions about how much time to spend on what (so you don't spend too much time on relatively unimportant assignments). Start by writing down exam and assignment due dates and work back from there. You may find that you can't afford to take a full two days off every weekend, but do schedule some time for recreation.

Study every day, during your best hours.
Shorter, more frequent study times are more effective than longer study periods once or twice a week. If you must study for longer than two hours at a stretch, give yourself a short break and switch to a different subject. Whenever possible, choose the time of day when you are most alert. Forcing yourself to study when you are exhausted or distracted makes it much harder.

Keep your schedule flexible and as creative as possible.
Review your schedule regularly - unexpected events and assignments that take longer than expected will require you to make adjustments. You can borrow or trade, but never steal study time. If you need to "make" more study time, try using bits of free time between classes or using time that might otherwise be spent waiting - for a doctor's appointment or on the bus, for example.

Set short-term goals.
If graduation seems a long way off, try setting more immediate short-term goals. Interim goals such as reading two chapters by the weekend, doing well on an assignment, or passing an exam are much more meaningful on a day-to-day basis. Reward yourself when you achieve an important goal - give yourself a couple of guilt-free hours at your favourite pastime, for example.

Make sure your goals are realistic.
Don't take all of the most difficult courses in your first term "to get them over with." Adjusting to the program takes a little time so try to balance your workload in each term. If you can, make your first term your easiest.

Compete with yourself.
See if you can increase the length of time you can concentrate, improve your mark on the next exam, or accomplish more in a set amount of time.

Think and say positive things about studying.
If you have a negative attitude ("I can't do it," "it's too hard," "it's boring"), you are making the job harder and more unpleasant than it has to be. Approach studying in the same way you would approach any other type of work - take a positive attitude and tackle it head on.

Fight off the urge to procrastinate.
Sometimes breaking large tasks (like assignments) into smaller, more manageable tasks makes them seem less daunting. When a task can be completed in a fairly short time, you are less likely to waste time getting started. Refuse to listen to the excuses you give yourself for putting things off.

Make it easy to start studying.
You need a quiet place you can use all the time - one with a desk or table, a comfortable chair, and good lighting and ventilation. Have everything you need organized and handy. If you can't keep your mind on your studies for very long, start with short but more frequent study sessions.

With practice, you can improve your ability to concentrate.