Tip #1: Don’t Cram.
You’ve heard it before and you will hear it again. Procrastination does nothing to help you. Take it from someone who always procrastinates: you don’t have time to waste. You can’t sit around and not do your work and then turn around and complain about how much work you have to do. You can’t study the night before and then complain about how poorly you did. No one has pity on you for these things.
Tip #2: Take Breaks.
Studying for hours on end will make you burn out. Try studying for 30 minute or 50 minute intervals, then taking a 10 minute break. This will help motivate you, keep you focused and help you study better, longer.
Tip #3: Prioritize.
Which tests do you have first? Which classes are your most difficult? Tackle these subjects first, then deal with the easier ones that you understand more. Try studying with friends who have the same classes. See if they have tips or tricks for remembering or understanding different ideas that you may not have thought of.
Tip #4: Organize.
Simply reading over your notes for class won’t cut it. How do you learn best? Do you learn by hearing things? Try studying with a group of people and teaching each other the sections you each know best. Do you learn spatially? Take different sections and organize them at different stations around the room. You will learn to associate these things with those particular areas, and it will make them easier to recall. Do you learn best by writing? Color code your sections or key points when rewriting them.
Tip #5: Sleep.
College students, as a group, are some of the worst sleepers. When humans sleep, our brains put information into long term storage. If you don’t sleep, you aren’t able to remember nearly as much information. This means that we are paying thousands of dollars just to forget everything that we have learned. Do yourself a favor and give yourself the opportunity to remember what you are paying for.
