Study Habits of a Successful Student

Starting college is an exciting, expansive right of passage for many. After the excitement of picking your college and educational path, comes the hustle and bustle of preparing to “go to college.” Sales abound during the summer for your dorm room “must haves” as you are busy gathering all the things that you may need during the school year- books, clothes, furniture, reliable transportation- all the good things. However, while it is easy to lose sight of the point of these busy times, you are in school with a purpose- to learn and graduate. After the dust settles and classes get started, your focus will quickly turn from preparation and anticipation to hard work toward being a successful student. But what habits make a successful student anyway?

1. Show up to class regularly and on-time.

First, how can you learn material that you are not even present for? Missing classes or arriving late creates holes in the content of a class, making it harder to follow and feel confident in the topic you are learning. Not only do you miss out of material, but you are also probably distracted by showing up late and causing a ruckus, making it harder to focus on and retain the information you need. It is also rude to disrupt the focus of other students who are paying to learn and wanting to succeed.

2. Always come to class prepared.

If there is a book or workbook required for a course, make sure you bring the required materials to every class. Trying to follow along with content when you are missing the materials that are being used can be a disaster. There is no need to create extra stress- pack your bag the night before, make sure you have what you need. If you can’t focus without your trusty, lucky pencil-notebook-eraser-whatever, make sure it comes along too.

3. Create regular, calendared study time patterns.

It is really easy to get distracted in general, but college has so much to offer in terms of activity and social surroundings, it can feel near impossible for some. While it is important to have fun and keep a well rounded, enjoyable life- even during busy or challenging times- it is also important to not lose sight of your goals. Moderation and discipline are key here. Make appointments with yourself for study and homework time so you don’t get so busy it gets squeezed out altogether. Put these times in your calendar and keep the appointments as if you are unable to miss them. If a true emergency or timing issue arrives, just be sure to replace the study time and schedule another appointment for the week.

4. Schedule large projects.

Just like your regular study time and homework time, you will want to schedule a time for large projects as well. If you know you have a big deadline in 3 weeks, break it down into chunks to be sure you get it done without the stress and risk of going at it last minute. Break big projects down into personal milestones and attack each milestone with calendar appointments and mini-deadlines. The work gets done, you have time for revisions (to bring forward your best work), and the stress you feel is much lower than it would be otherwise. This way, when you are out being social and having fun, you don’t have to feel guilty or worry about your work getting done. A time and place for everything.

5. Create or find a distraction-free work zone.

Some people do just fine with tons of noise and action during study time and others need near silence in order to work. By the time you graduate High School, you likely have a good idea of which camp you belong to. Honor your needs and find a place to study that will work for you. It may be your school library, your dorm, the park, a local coffee shop- wherever you feel comfortable and able to focus on the task at hand.

College will be a time of learning and growth, both personally and educationally, and these tips will help get you well on your way to having a successful learning experience.