Tag Archives: Studying

Announcements, Lifestyle / Hall Life

How To Start Off the Semester Strong and Follow-Through

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The spring semester is here Marauders! That means it’s time to get serious and focus. Many of us always say things in the beginning of the semester like, “I’m going to really do well this semester” or “ This is the semester I get a good GPA” , but many of us end up getting burnt-out and quit. It is the honest truth, but I think it is time we stop lying to ourselves and start really trying our best. To help us get that GPA we want or the encouragement to keep going, I made a list of tips on how to start the semester off on a good note and follow through with our goals. I hope everyone has a good semester and excels in their classes!

 

  1. Write down test dates and project deadlines as soon as you get your syllabus

Using a planner to write down important test dates and projects can help you to stay on track in your classes. Writing down important dates can also help to remind you of all the different deadlines you have for each of your classes so you never miss an assignment.

2. Sit near the front of the room in your classes

This may sound weird to you, but sitting in the front of class can help you stay focused and let the teacher know you are serious about the class. This may also give you less temptation to go on your phone or browse on your laptop while the professor is teaching. This is also a way for professor to get to know your name easier.

3. Meet people in your classes so you can all study together or discuss the material and deadlines

Having someone you know in your classes can make them better and make you feel more comfortable. I like to know at least one person in each of my classes that way if I am confused about a deadline or an assignment I can ask them for their help or advice.

4. Study or read your textbook a little each day

Reading your textbook a little each day will give you an insight into what you will be learning this semester and can give you a chance to ask your professor intelligent questions about material. Also, when test time comes around it will make recalling the information easier.

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5. Ask your professor any questions you have or attend office hours

Attending office hours gives you a chance to personally introduce yourself to your professor and gives you a chance to ask them questions you may have forgotten to ask in class. During this time, you can also get help with the material that was taught in class.

6. Find your go- to study space

Each semester I like to find a new space to study for my classes. Having a space where you feel comfortable and focused can help you study better and help you do better in your classes. Some of the best places to study are the study rooms in the library, the quiet floors of the library or the area behind Starbucks.

7. Schedule “me time” every week as a treat to yourself

Give yourself a nice break after a long week of hard work. Treating yourself by doing something you love can make you feel better and make you appreciate all of the time and work your are putting into your life and studies.

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If you have any more useful tips make sure to tweet them and tag us! Our username is @VilleHousing !

 

Academics, Lists

Tips For Surviving Finals Week

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?“It’s the most stressful time of the year.”? Yes Marauders, it is Finals Week. Finals week is one of the most stressful weeks in the whole semester. Somehow during this time you have what feels like a hundred papers due and an exam in almost every class. Tensions can run high and you may pull all nighters just to prepare for your exams. To get through this tough time, I created a list of some tips I have accumulated to successfully get through the storm.

 

  1. Start Early.

If you start studying or creating a study plan early, you will feel less overwhelmed when finals week arrives.

2. Stay Well-Rested

Getting a good amount of sleep each night is essential to feeling well-rested. This will also give you higher energy levels to get the right amount of studying done each day.

3. Attend Office Hours

This is a huge tip! Attending office hours can be very beneficial because it gives you one-on-one time with your professor to ask any questions on material you may not understand. Also, this is a big way to show your professors you are serious about your work and you are trying your best with the material. This can be very beneficial when grading comes around.

4. Create a Plan and Stick To It

If you have a plan in place, you are less likely to stray from it. This will act as a motivator to get your studying  done daily and to cross things off your checklist. I have to say crossing things off your checklist is one of the best feelings.

5.  Don’t Stick Strictly to the Study Guide

If your professors give you a study guide, make sure you also look at information that was not on it. Professors mainly give study guides to give students an idea of what can be on the test, but they might also add other information to make sure you reading the material and know it very well.

6.  Take Study Breaks

Sometimes spending too much time studying  without a break can be bad for your brain. If you take small breaks in between certain content, it can be beneficial. For example, you can take a quick walk outside or watch a short video in between.

7. Do Not Study In Your Bed

One of my biology teachers taught me this tip in high school and it has always stuck with me. Your brain associates your bed with sleep and relaxation, so when you try to study in your bed, you are less productive and you can disrupt your sleep patterns. The next time you will go to sleep, your body will take more time to adjust to it and you may lose out on hours of sleep.

8. Create Acronyms or Rhymes To Memorize Lists or Difficult Information

This is a very helpful tip that I use when I study. When I have to know long lists of steps or types of information, I create an acronym to spell out the first letter of every word. This is kinda like how teachers would use PEMDAS in elementary school to remember math operations. For example, this acronym stands for parentheses, exponents, multiplication , division, addition and subtraction.

9. Review Your Notes Daily

Taking time each day to review your notes will pay off in the long run. When test time rolls around, you will know the information better and be able to recognize the words in the questions quickly.

10. Dress Nice To Your Finals

“Dress well, test well” simply implies that those who dress well on the day of their exam or presentation are likely to perform better, or at least feel, better. Dressing nicer makes you feel more confident with the information and may help you do better.

11. Put Your Phone On Do Not Disturb or Turn It Off

Your phone can take away time from your studying and distract you from learning the information. Turn your phone off during your time studying to avoid this distraction and to decrease your time spent on one subject.

12. Eat Healthy

If you eat foods that are unhealthy and that do not provide nutrients, they can make you feel groggy. This can make you feel lazy and make you not want to study even more. Instead of choosing fried food or a bag of chips , eat a salad or some apples. Your body will thank you later.

13. Have a Positive Mindset

You are not going to get anywhere or have any confidence in yourself if you do not have a positive mindset. Studies have also shown that if you write positive affirmations on your exams, you will do better because it will make you more confident in your responses.

14. Study With Other People in Your Class

Having other people to study the information with you, will help you learn the information as well as teach you new study techniques. This is also good because if someone knows some information better than you, they can help you piece together what you are not understanding.

15.  Treat Yourself

This is a tough week and you are putting a lot of time into your studies, you deserve to treat yourself with a candy or maybe a coffee you like. Don’t feel bad about treating yourself or taking the time to do something you love, you deserve it!

We would like to wish everyone good luck on their final projects and exams! Stay motivated and do your best!

 

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Health & Wellness, Lifestyle / Hall Life

Quotes to Get You Through Your ‘Burnout’

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As college students it is very common for us to feel the sensation of ‘burnout’. This feeling very often comes right after we come back to school from Thanksgiving break to make our final stretch. We are experiencing  a cycle of ongoing stress, we are tired, lose motivation and are focused on other things like the holidays instead of our upcoming tests. The last couple weeks of the semester are very hard and after a break we do not want to get back into the work loads ahead of us. If you need motivation to make that last push and ace your finals, here are some inspirational quotes to get you back on the grind.

 

  1. “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
  2. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to  bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer
  3. “Procrastination makes easy things hard, hard things harder.” – Mason Cooley
  4.  “A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under pressure.”
  5. “Destiny is for losers; it’s just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.” – Blair Waldorf
  6. “Sometimes, you need to step outside get some air and remind yourself who you are and where you want to be.” – Gossip Girl
  7. “There is no secret to success. It is the result of preparation , hard work and learning from failure.” – General Colin Powell
  8. “When it’s finals week and you’ve been studying for five hours straight, you need three things to get you through the night. The biggest Slurpee you can find, half cherry half Coke. Pajama pants, the kind that have been washed so many times they are tissue-paper thin. And finally, dance breaks. Lots of dance breaks.” – Jenny Han
  9. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
  10. “You are so close to the victory, don’t you dare give up now.”
  11. “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Kerim Seddiki
  12. “Don’t let perfection become procrastination.” Danielle LaPorte
  13. “Don’t study because you need to. Study because knowledge is power. Study because they can never take it away from you. Study because you want to know more. Study because it enhances you. Study because it grows you.” – Anonymous
  14. “Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” – William A. Ward
  15. “Don’t stop until you’re proud.”

Happy studying! Good luck on all of your upcoming exams and projects and may the curve be ever in your favor.

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