Fail-proof study tips for university

Hello, friends! Today I am going to share my fail-proof study tips for university. Before that, a little update! I hope you all had a wonderful week. Has anything exciting happened for you recently, or is there something coming up that you’re really excited about? I was stressing the past few weeks about my road test to get my G license. I had the test Tuesday morning, and I’m happy to announce that I passed! Despite the fact that the car I was supposed to take for the test got a flat tire the night before the test and we couldn’t replace in time (it happened on Victoria Day so everything was closed). On top of that, it was raining, which makes me nervous while I’m driving. Nonetheless, I still managed to do it and I’m so glad!

Life news aside, today’s post was requested by a good friend that will be attending post-secondary in the fall. I thought that this post would help a lot of you out there who are concerned about your current study habits and how to take them to the post-secondary level. I am pretty confident in my study habits, which have been paying off for me since I started taking tests in grade one or two (thanks mom for instilling good study habits in me from a young age!). Yes, I had a 4.0 GPA for my first year. But I’m not saying this to brag; I’m not one of those people who just get things in class, and I really have to work hard to get to where I am.

The importance of studying

My study habits were successful in high school, but probably like many of you, I was afraid that they wouldn’t be good enough for university. Honestly, you don’t have to worry if you already have good studying habits. If you really feel that your study habits aren’t going to get you through this new stage of your life (and if you’re constantly pulling off the night-before cram session) you might want to think about changing these habits.

Below I share eight fail-proof study tips for university that I used to get through my first year. For those of you still in high school, you could try out some of these habits now (especially with ISUs and exams coming up!). That way you will be ready to kick butt when the new school year starts. For those of you already in post-secondary who have already realized that school is harder to tackle than you thought, you might want to try out some of these habits, too. Without further ado, let’s get on to my fail-proof study tips for university!

Don’t just copy the prof’s PowerPoints

I saw this happen a lot throughout my first year and I think this is one of the worst habits you can have. In my courses, the prof would usually post their lecture slides online before/after class. Some people would use this as an excuse not to attend class. This is not a good idea! The profs usually leave out key points from the slides and only include them in class! I had some profs who would only include about 50% of the material they discussed on their slides, so those who didn’t come to class didn’t actually get half of the course’s material! They might not even put them on the slides, instead of saying a point that they really stress by repeating it, saying it slowly, or outright saying “this will be on your exam.” If you skip class because “you have the slides,” you will miss out on these hints.

Okay, so what if your prof doesn’t post the slides online so you have to attend class? When those slides go up on the screen during the lecture, you’re frantically copying down the notes without actively listening. There’s a difference between listening to copy something down and listening to actually learn and comprehend. 

Some profs would post their lecture slides exactly when the class started, or after class. The first twenty minutes of the class would be spent copying the notes out, then the last half an hour to two hours are spent completely zoned out. Not going to lie here, I’m guilty of this, especially with those rough three hour lectures with material I didn’t care for. I would copy down the notes, then spend the rest of the time on Amazon, messaging my friend sitting right beside me in class (hey girl hey), looking for an apartment, or buying makeup on Sephora…yeah.

Time passed faster while doing this, but it’s not all that beneficial. When I looked back at the notes I took I thought “what the heck?! When did we learn this?!” I’d have to set aside more time to reteach myself the information that I absent-mindedly copied down. If I had actively listened during lecture, I would only need to take a few minutes to review the material later on. I didn’t practice this bad habit of zoning out in every class, and the ones that I actively listened during proved to be much easier for me to review later on (super tip: NEVER ZONE OUT DURING BIOLOGY COURSES, YOU’RE SCREWED! Sorry, carrying on…).

My best tip to overcome course boredom and actually make the most of your courses? Listen. Take in the lecture content. Engage yourself in learning. For myself, I have a system that optimizes my learning, and I’ll share it with you here:

Before class

A few days before class (or whenever you have time), look at your course guide for the semester to find out what you’ll be learning that week in lecture. Even if you don’t have the slides available to you, there will likely be some external information source (like a textbook) you can get some basic theory in. Take notes (handwritten notes, because of the kinaesthetic motion of actually taking them, are best for remembering the information!) for that week’s content. Highlight key terms or points. Do any extra readings recommended for your course, taking notes of the key points of those too. If anything confuses you, write it down as a question on the paper or on a sticky note so you can get it answered later on.

During class

Take the notes you made before to your lecture and have them in front of you. As your prof goes through their lecture slides, supplement your notes with points they highlight that may not have been included in the textbook/readings. As you’re listening, try recalling the information you read before class and make connections to it. Remember the questions you wrote down before class? See if the prof answers any of those questions during the lecture. If they say anything funny or make up some weird analogy to remember the content, write it down (they help a lot, trust me). If you’re using a laptop or other device, try to stay focused on your notes. Have your note document on full-screen mode and turn off notifications for any social networking sites so you don’t get off track.

After class

Many professionals and profs suggest reviewing the content you learned that day in the evening or whenever you have time that day. I tried doing this every day, but quite frankly I just didn’t have time. There’s a lot of work, a lot of lectures that move on very quickly, so it’s hard to stay on top of things if you’re going back all the time when you need to be working on assignments or studying for tests/quizzes.

A better way I found to have the content stick in your brain is to discuss it with your friends or family. Was there a cool point that your prof made? If your friend has a question about the content, try answering it. Maybe share the content you learned with a family member. If you really liked something that the prof said, shoot them a quick email to tell them how much you enjoyed it! And if you do have time, at the end of the week I like to review what I learned that week in my courses and get any remaining questions I have answered.

Actually do the course’s readings

This connects with the last point, which shows how important I think it is. If your course has supplementary readings, do them. I know they can be a pain (they really, really are sometimes…) and some of them are just. So. LONG. Most courses have several readings to be completed every week. It’s tiring, it’s painful, but it’s worth it. Usually, there will be questions on midterms and finals about the readings, especially in social science courses (economics, politics, psychology, etc.).

In addition, if you have to write finals with crazy long essays on them (I had several of those…ugh), referring to the readings in your answers will win you serious points because it shows your prof that you can connect the material learned in lecture to the outside world. I always feel proud of myself when I can refer to a point or comment made in a paper to something discussed in class, or when I sit in a lecture and think “oh yeah, I remember reading about this topic!” Additional readings are really just a way to get a well-rounded learning experience.

Pay attention to where you struggle

Sticky notes are your best friend in university. If there’s a part in your textbook that you don’t understand, or something in the lecture that makes absolutely no sense, put a sticky on that section. Write your specific question on that note so that when you get to answering the question, you’ll know exactly what it is you were struggling with. If you go to the prof or TA with questions, they will really appreciate it if you show up well organized, knowing exactly what you’re going to ask. It shows them that you value their time and genuinely want to improve your understanding.

If you get back a poor assignment grade or midterm, see where your biggest areas of difficulty are. Unless your exam is non-cumulative (which does happen sometimes) you will be facing this content again in the near future; if you don’t understand it by the final, you may be in serious trouble. Just use your mistakes as a learning tool! They essentially provide you with a roadmap for your learning. And when you finally do understand the areas you struggled with, you will feel so accomplished.

Don’t let a bad mark ruin your motivation for the rest of the semester

This point continues on from the last point. Unless you are a super machine, you will get a bad, if not failing, grade in post-secondary. I don’t say this to scare you, but to make you aware that a bad grade won’t ruin you. Case and point, I still finished with a 4.0 GPA despite getting a close to failing mark on a paper I wrote. Actually, the course I received that mark in ended up being one of my best final grades for the semester. This just goes to show that if you get a bad mark, don’t wallow in your own sadness. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward. My courses had so many assignments that this bad mark was essentially ignored when my final grade was calculated.

So, what happens if you mess up on a big assignment or final and fail or are close to failing the course? You may be surprised, but most people fail or almost fail a course in post-secondary school. It’s the time to try out new things, and maybe you end up taking a really difficult course that you discover you have no interest in pursuing further. Maybe you do enjoy the course, despite its difficulty. In the end, you’ve still learned a lot, whether those skills you learn are related to the course or to your own personal growth. In the end, every experience you have will only benefit you for the future, no matter how bad or hard a situation is. I can’t stress this enough.

Make cue cards with study questions as you learn the content

This is my favourite way of studying! As I’m going along with the course curriculum, making my own notes, I start coming up with study questions at the same time. Usually how this works is I have my textbook or lecture notes beside me, and then next to them I have a set of cue cards and two different coloured pens. As I read through the content, I come up with study questions based on the material that could pop up on an exam. They focus on the core concepts, certain examples that were stressed during lecture (prof code for “you will be tested on this”), or specific diagrams/graphs and the information on them that is relevant to the material being learned. Using one colour pen to write these, I then write the answer to the question in the other coloured pen to the right of it.

I make sure to do this throughout the semester. That way, when it comes close to midterm or exam time, I already have a review made for the entire course! This is way faster and much, much less stressful than trying to review everything the week (or for some, the day) before the midterm/exam.

Form a study group

When you’re stressed about an upcoming final, the last thing you want to do is be inside your own head (where negative thoughts tend to form). Sometimes when I’m studying on my own for a long period of time, I start getting thoughts like “I’m going to fail, I don’t know what I’m doing,” and other unhelpful things. Ironically, I usually do this to myself when I’ve reviewed a considerable amount and actually subconsciously feel ready for the exam. Crazy, right?

If you are one that gets nervous and stressed for exams, a way of overcoming this is to work in a group. By working with others, you get out of your own head and can study in a more relaxed environment. You can quiz each other on the course’s content, ask questions to clear up any final concerns you have, and also have some fun! My friends and I would usually make a study group in the last few days before a final, when we’ve all already reviewed most/all of the content. We had a small dry-erase board that we would brainstorm concepts on, and then we would quiz each other. After a bit of hard work and when we’re all feeling good, we’d usually take a YouTube/Netflix break as a reward. This made preparing for our finals way more relaxing. In addition, sometimes my friends would ask questions or make a comment about something that I hadn’t even considered (and it would end up appearing on the exam!)

This method of studying isn’t for everyone, but I do think that everyone can benefit from trying it. I am the type of person who has to study alone to truly absorb the concepts. That’s why I join the study group at the end of my studying, when I’ve covered everything and can use the group time for relaxation or brushing up on a few concepts I don’t feel 100% confident in. If you don’t have a group of friends that are in your courses, do a little bit of research on your campus. I can guarantee that if you do a search on Facebook you will find a study group for that course. All of my courses had a page on Facebook that was formed by the students where you could ask questions, post pictures of mind maps you’ve made to help others with studying or to plan a meet-up with some of your peers. There will always be someone there to help you succeed in your courses.

If in doubt, ask your prof/TA (just not during class!)

Sometimes no amount of practice, Google searches or pestering your friends will make you understand a concept. That’s when you know it is time to ask the prof or TA for the course. I can personally vouch that this can be very intimidating. Here you are, a newbie to the academic world, asking questions to the most esteemed and experienced people in the field. What if you sound stupid or immature to them? What if they laugh at your question?! What if they laugh at you, refuse to answer such a junior question, and fail you in the course?!?

Pause. Breathe. It’s okay, I’ve been in this exact situation. The first time I went to ask my prof a question I thought that they would laugh at me and think I was stupid. It didn’t help that it was in chemistry and I had the solution manual outlining how to do the question I wanted to ask about. But I just didn’t get it. Here’s what I did: I took a deep breath, told myself that it would be okay, and I went to their office hours.

So I walked into the office, introduced myself, and showed my prof the question I was struggling with. I showed him the entire question in the textbook, the papers I had tried working it out on myself, and then I showed him the solution manual (I would like to point out that the textbook and solution manual were at least 800 pages each). He said that we were going to solve the question together. I replied, “but the solution manual has already solved the question, so I know the steps, I just don’t get why it’s done this way.” He then proceeded to close the manual, shove it to the side of his desk, and tell me to start writing out the equation on the whiteboard on his wall across from his desk. He said we were going to do this the “right” way, not how the textbook described.

I was so scared as I started writing out the equation. He’s going to think I suck because I have no idea what I’m doing, oh god this is horrible. Those were the thoughts that kept running through my mind as he kept asking me what came next. I would warily say the next step; if I was right he would watch as I wrote it down; if not, he would actually very kindly suggest a different way of approaching it.

By the end, not only had I solved the question in a way I understood, but I felt completely comfortable. I couldn’t believe how nervous I had been to talk to my prof! They are regular people, just like you and I. My prof was so cool, and after we solved the question we ended up chatting for a bit. Turns out, his daughter was in competitive dance, so we talked about that for a while. He said that it’s a shame that students are so afraid to approach the prof’s: they’re there to help! He appreciated that I wanted to really understand the question, and said he wouldn’t forget me, “Jenna the Dancer.”

This experience applies with TA’s, too. They are all there to help you succeed and will not laugh or judge you for asking a question. They will appreciate it, because you will be one of the few that actually took the time to come see them and are showing an interest in their course. Going to office hours is also a great way to get to know some influential people around the school and get inspired. Introducing yourself to your prof one-on-one is the first step towards potential research opportunities that may come up. These opportunities are usually paying jobs and give you real experience in the field.

Your TA’s may have heard of some opportunities for work or research that you would be perfect for; if they know you, they may reach out and suggest you apply for the opportunity. So remember, no matter how intimidating it may seem to approach your prof or TA, it will help you in both the short term (to do well in your course) and long term (future job opportunities!).

All this being said, do not be that kid who raises their hand in lecture to ask a very specific question. No one will blame the prof for scoffing at you if you do this, not to mention your peers. Everyone is there to learn, not wait around while you ask your question. Unless your prof specifically says it’s going to be a review lecture (usually close to midterms or exams) when you can ask questions, keep them for office hours or after lecture. Sometimes your prof will be happy to answer a quick question once the lecture is over, but not a long equation or major concept. Chances are, there’s a class going on in the lecture hall your class was in right after you, so there just isn’t the time to answer your question. And do not ask a question when your prof first arrives and is unpacking their things at the front of the class; let them do their thing to prepare speaking in front of hundreds of students.

Do NOT leave studying to the last minute

I’ve kind of hinted at this throughout the post, but I will gladly keep saying it. Do. Not. Leave. Studying. To. The. Last. Minute. Clear enough yet? DO NOT LEAVE STUDYING TO THE LAST MINUTE! How about now?

Being very blunt here, you are screwing yourself over if you do this. Post-secondary isn’t like high school, largely due to the fact that there is just so much content to cover in a very condensed period of time. You will most likely be learning new things in lecture basically until the last class before exams, leaving no time for review. If you try to cram everything into a night or two of studying, there is just no way for your brain to grasp everything. Not to mention, you will overwhelm yourself to the point that you will burn out very quickly. If you are trying to cram last minute, you’ll also probably pull several all-nighters just to cover everything you need to. Being sleep deprived in the days leading up to your exam is a bad, bad idea. You want to be as well-rested and stress-free as possible. You do have time during the year to review; the tips I’ve mentioned previously will help you do so and avoid unnecessary stress. Don’t make this harder for yourself than it has to be.

Final thoughts

Well, I have given you all of my best tips for staying on top of studying and succeeding in the adventure that is your post-secondary experience. I hope that even just one of these tips resonate with you (*cough* especially the last one: DON’T PROCRASTINATE, PEOPLE).

When you are off at college or university, it is entirely up to you to decide what kind of student you are going to be. You no longer have people reminding you to hand in assignments or study in advance for tests; you are responsible for all of your actions from now on. Also remember: you’re now paying for your schooling (unless you went to a private school before and you had to pay then, but now you’re paying even more for school), so if you waste your time, you’re also wasting tens of thousands of dollars…just saying.

Some say that college/university is the time to have the greatest fun of your life. Others say it’s all about hitting the books. Why can’t it be both? When you manage your time efficiently, there will be plenty of room for work and play in your life. You’ll be so much less stressed going into finals season, but you’ll still be performing to the best of your abilities in all of your courses. Doesn’t that sound great?

If you work hard, apply yourself, and start practising good study habits, you will succeed. I believe in you! I hope that you’ve been inspired to take your learning into your own hands and now feel confident going into post-secondary school. If you have any questions, or perhaps even your own study habits that you think work really well for you, feel free to share them in the comments!

If you liked this post, I encourage you to check out these ones that will help you through the post-secondary journey:

• 10 tips for living sustainably in university
• What to remember when saying goodbye (to high school)
• How to be “successful”
• Lessons learned from first year
• Lessons learned from second year
• Expectations for the school year

Thank you all so much for reading. I hope these eight fail-proof study tips for university come in handy for you. I’m happy to share my thoughts with all of you on my blog, and it makes me even happier to know that my posts are actually helping people. If you have an idea for a post, if there’s something you really want me to talk about, let me know in the comments or send me a private message! I will gladly accept any request you have 🙂

Until next time!