AskBeeGee: What are Some Helpful Studying Tips?

Jessie Ramcharran

When a student hears the word “study” they associate it with a boring notion. Students are sitting at their desk with opened laptops and notebook. Instead of taking notes and reviewing the material, students easily go on their phone and play video games, like Among Us.

Most students don’t like studying. They lack the interest to do so, especially now, since most classes are online. However, finals are coming up and studying is highly important. Yes, studying can be overwhelming but there are many tips to help students during this process. What are some of those tips? 

• Limit distractions like cell phones
• Create a study schedule
• Study in chunks and sections
• Organize your notes (ex. color code them)
• Create study groups via Zoom
• Fuel your body with vegetables and proteins
• Take deep breaths
• Change your environment

Some other helpful tips from students in one of the GNST 101 Seminar for Academic Success classes:

• Stay focused
• Make flashcards
• Create test questions from notes and test yourself
• Plan ahead of time
• To-do list and time management apps
• Talk to your professors
• Use all your resources around you
• Don’t stress yourself out
• It’s okay to ask for help

Make sure to write things down. “If it’s not written down, it’s not a plan. This is what I tell my students: if it’s not a plan and it’s just in your head, it’s an idea,” Director of Student Success Lisa Copenhaver said.

Another key point includes studying in sections, especially when it comes to textbooks.

“Breaking information into chunks and manageable sections of reading has been huge for a lot of people,” Student Success Coach and Academic Advisor Gretchen Nonemaker said. For example, “…they got four chapters to read for something and they got to highlight every single thing on the page and that’s how they’re going to learn and they’re realizing that’s not how it works and we try to tell them you highlight 30% of what’s on that paper and that’s what’s going to stick,” Nonemaker said.

“The key for preparing for finals and for studying is to study all along, of course, through the whole semester, and like I said make a schedule for yourself,” Copenhaver said.

For more information on studying tips or help, please email studentsuccess@hood.edu.

Ask BeeGee is your friendly source at Hood College for advice and answers to your questions.

If you have any questions that you would like BeeGee to answer, email blueandgrey@hood.edu