I love reading the tips everyone has posted so far. Here are mine:
General Tips
- A good study environment is important. Find a quiet space, good lighting, clear table with no clutter, and sit upright in a chair. I used to study while laying in bed which was a TERRIBLE habit - it was bad for my posture and I would get sleepy.
- For concentrating, I discovered exercising before studying helps boost alertness. I will walk around to different areas when taking study breaks. If I feel groggy, I will shock my senses by getting a drink or splashing water on my face.
- I like studying in groups. When I'm not sure about an assignment or the class material, I check with other students in the same class. In high school and university, we used to make Facebook groups or use Group Me app and add everyone in the class. We would all help each other and it was definitely a life saver!
Subject Specific Tips
- Math or Computer Science: I find youtube videos explaining how to solve the problem. There are always experts out there who explain it better than my university professor. If I'm stuck on a problem I check Math Exchange, Stack Overflow, Chegg (this is not free), or Google to see if the problem has already been answered online. Don't just memorize answers, practice your approach to the problem.
- History or Humanities: I make an (you need an account to see links) while reading the textbook and I highlight vocabulary words, important dates, and major themes.
- English: I will annotate while reading and I also read Sparknotes or No Fear Shakespeare if it's available for the book. If I'm writing a paper, I always read what I wrote out loud and get someone else to read if I have enough time.
- Foreign Language: I make flash cards and I practice conversations with other students.
I don't know what subject you are studying but these are the tips I have. I haven't taken a lab science or business class beyond the intro level so I don't have specific tips for those.
