ACES Tips from an Upperclassman: "How to Stay on Top of your A Game" By Haichatou Sall
Managing 4-6 classes per semester can be a little stressful sometimes. Midterms are approaching and on top of that, quizzes, exams and reading assignments may be close to each other. To get on top of your A game, you need to stay organized! You can start by making a list of all of the assignments and exam dates that are coming up. You can do this by setting a goal to reach before due dates .
1. Make a calendar: This is going to be your study schedule, just as you would schedule your lunch break or sleep. Customize it, make it your own! Establish a routine and find a good place that is best for you to study. This is more like a challenge to stay on top of your A game.
You can set dates and times to study for a class. It is important to have breaks when studying. So, don’t forget to also take breaks and do things that you enjoy throughout the day. For example, exercise or watch a show. Whatever helps you relax.
Sometimes we over prioritize one class over the others. That’s why when making a schedule, we need to make sure to include every class in our calendar
2. Use the technology available:
Watch Youtube videos about the topics that needs more revision.
Use Quizlet! (one of the many online tools for studying) I can’t even stress enough how much Quizlet have helped me. Quizlet is an online learning tool that anybody can use to make their own notes via flashcards. These notes can be studied with different methods such as multiple choice, fill in the blank, card matches. The questions you got wrong will keep on appearing when repeating the test until you master it. You can go to quizlet.com to make an account or download the app on your mobile device to get access to it wherever you are. Personally, I have a long commute so I take tests on my way to school or go over the notes that I made.
3. Make study groups ( If you don’t have one already): Study with a friend or two because we can all learn from our peers. Even if you think you got this already, you can help a classmate out by explaining something that they have trouble understanding. This is the time to test yourself and see if there is anything you need clarification with. More importantly, when teaching somebody else, the topic will stick more to our memory.
4. Be positive: Surround yourself with positivity, but this has to start with yourself. Getting ready for an exam with a positive attitude will probably have a great effect on your learning process.
Happy studying!