The semester has begun again. For many of us students out there, academic success is what we are striving for: whether it be to ensure better employment prospects, to be able to get into college or graduate school, or just to be good at something. However, maybe this last semester's grades just weren't quite what you had hoped it would be. Maybe you want to do better and improve. As a law student who has gone through many layers of education, I have noticed some trends in my own academic performance and in that of others that have prompted me to write this entry about some suggestions for how to succeed in academics. I will list 5 Dos that have led me and others to academic success:
1. Preparation before Class: Although you might hate the idea, reading assigned pages about the next lecture's topic greatly increased my ability to learn in class. I personally have experimented (in other words, reading my assigned readings promptly, procrastinating it for the last minute, or not doing it at all), and I can attest that I am more engaged in the next day's lecture and capable of comprehending what the teacher hopes to teach me if I have read diligently beforehand. Otherwise, how do you know what you are supposed to get out of lecture? You learn what the major points are through the readings and through self-learning so that when the teacher is "teaching" you, you will have already seen it and it wil be easier to remember. Seriously try it. It makes a difference. This leads me to the next point.
2. Attendance in Class: Although some times it may feel like the professor or teacher is rambling on and is not getting to a point, every teacher has something they want to teach you in a class. Make sure you stay alert and engaged in class so that when you leave class,you can tell someone else who wasn't in class what that teacher's point was. Many students feel they do not need to take notes, that they understand everything. But trust me, come exam time, you will want those notes to remind you what the teacher wanted to see you take away from the class.
3. Don't be Passive: Many times in lecture classes, you see the students' eyes glaze over. Their mind is wandering about what their lunch is going to be or whether their new crush thinks they look nice today. When you are trying to do your homework, you find that you are mechanically writing things down. Stop it. Focus and keep your mind active on what is going on in class or what your assignment is on, because that is what you will have to do on the exam or on a paper. So don't be passive. When the professor or teacher is talking, listen. I mean, really listen. If he or she asks a question, think about how you would answer it. It may very well be what he or she asks on an exam.
4. Practice Makes Perfect: If you have practice exams, TAKE THEM. And take them early so if you have questions on them, you can ask. They are most likely going to be similar to the thought processes you will have to undergo on test day. If you don't have practice exams, think of hypothetical questions for each topic and answer them. In other words, try to make your own exam! Re-write and review your notes, because on many exams, you may just regurgitate what you wrote in class and then elaborate. I have found reviewing my notes each week really helped hone my understanding. Practicing also makes you realize what you do know and what you thought you knew but really did not. When you hit that roadblock, read the textbook again or ASK. Work with other students on problems or go to your professor or teacher. But make sure you do not leave it to the wayside. Make yourself understand it. The knowledge may not be useful for you in the future, but the process and method of understanding and learning will follow you throughout your life.
5. Don't Procrastinate: I have found my own greatest enemy is myself. Procrastination has kept me from many better grades. Start early. Don't underestimate your time. Always overestimate how long something is going to take. Because chances are, it will take longer than you think! Make a calendar or chart of all the due dates for assignments and exam times. Then allocate REALISTICALLY the amount of time each one will take, when you will start, and how you will do it. Then follow it strictly. Time management is one of the most difficult things in academics, especially if you are like me and have a lot going on! Stay organized and don't procrastinate.
This quote depicts a great culmination of the overall theme in your search (and my search) for greater academic success.
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." - Lou Holtz
Stay motivated, optimistic, and determined. Attitude is everything. If you think you can do it, you can. With persistence to learn, hard work to finish assignments and study for exams, and enthusiasm for what each class is about, I have confidence in you and your ability to have a great semester.
Good Luck!
These are some excellent tips! I agree that reading beforehand is really helpful because I actually feel like I know what the professor is talking about...which almost makes the lecture seem more like a review because I already am familiar with the topics. One downfall of reading everything first, however, is the fact
ReplyDeletethat you don't know what the professor will emphasize on until the actual day of the lecture...so when you're reading, you have to read it all.
The third point you make is really important, and I'm glad you pointed it out! I do not get the feeling of "mechanically writing things down" during lectures, but it sometimes comes over me when I'm reading the book and I have to constantly tell myself to stop writing EVERYthing down and pick out the most important stuff and summarize the whole thing in just a few sentences. It's hard but it really helps!
I like to answer questions that teachers ask, but I'm always too afraid to raise my hand and actually answer it out loud! And then when I find out I did get the answer right, I'm like...darn it, I wish I'd been the one to raise my hand!