I’m writing this because I’ve been asked for so many times, “Pa’no ka ba nag-aaral?” Sometimes, that question would be followed by, “lagi?” or “Araw-araw?” and many more. Yes, I do study everyday… in the classroom (except for Sundays). We all do, right? I usually review my notes if there’s a quiz or an exam, just like what many students do. The following would be a summary of my tips.
1. Secure a good seat on the first day of classes.
2. Make sure that your professor knows you.
3. Socialize. Have friends that you can call “allies” but not “hosts”.
4. Set a target grade: 1.00.
5. Keep a good notebook.
6. Listen well.
7. Ask your professor right away when you have a question in mind.
8. Read books and other materials that you think can help you.
9. Invest good grades from the start of classes.
10. Practice solving problems on your own.
11. Do not panic when taking exams or even quizzes.
12. Never take any course for granted.
13. Sleep for at least 7 hours a day.
14. Eat well.
15. Always pray and have faith.
additional:
The following will be a little more talk for each of the tips that I wrote. It’s up to you if you want to read on.
Secure a good seat on the first day of classes.
--- I personally prefer getting a chair that is near the board, and also near the projected screen. In this way, I’ll be able to hear my professor and read what’s written on the screen all at the same time. Another plus of getting this position is that you’ll find it harder to have a chitchat with your friend nearby. You’ll worry that you’re professor might notice you and stare at you with his/her big eyes. You don’t want that.
Make sure that your professor knows you.
--- Your professor should know that you exist and you are his/her student. Even if not all professors get to know their students by name, you should at least try to make your professors know you by face. You get what I mean? Haha! I hope so. Let your professors know a little bit of your personality. Remember, first impression lasts. It’s also important that you let your professor know that you are interested in his/her subject. That little thing may save you from a grade of 5.00.
Socialize. Have friends that you can call “allies” but not “hosts”.
--- I’m not saying that you should be a friendly-user here. My friend, Krissy, told me that having great friends/allies is one of the keys to success in college. Your circle of friends need not be the best or even the brightest. You should just go for a common goal that will benefit everyone in the group. You should always help each other out and be there for each other all the time. Also, true friendship is one of the best treasures here on earth that no one can buy.
Set a target grade: 1.00.
---This has always been my goal even if sometimes I fail to reach it. (Just like this term. I didn’t have a grade of 1.00 in any of my courses. Sad right? No.) My point here is that it is okay to aim high and dream big. (If you don’t dream big, what’s the use of dreaming?) NEVER make 3.00 your target grade because if you miss a bit, it’s gonna be 5.00 and nobody wants that. I encourage all others TO MAKE 1.00 YOUR TARGET GRADE. No matter how easy or hard your courses are, YOU SHOULD AIM FOR 1.00.
Keep a good notebook.
--- I keep a good notebook for every course. When I say good notebook, it’s not about the price of the notebook or its design. It is about the “notes” that are well-written and well-organized. I have this notebook from Loose Leaf where you can put in and take out pages depending on your preferences. (You can check out at NBS. It costs around P200 mainly because of the frame. You can buy notebook refills for P35 only.) Sometimes, if my professor discusses “fast” I’ll just write on my padded scratch papers then I’ll just rewrite it at home. If your notes are organized, your brain will be able to remember your notes much better than if your notes are always in disarray. I’ve read a book saying that as we are going through our lives, our brain is only using 10% of its full capacity. (So now you can imagine how much you can store on your brain.) From the same book, I knew that ORGANIZATION of thoughts would help a lot. That’s why mnemonic devices were invented. It’s like a computer. If you would just scatter files anywhere in your drive, it will be harder for you to recover it. Some studies show that notes written in blue ink are better remembered. Personally, black ink did the job.
Listen well.
--- Reserve the ‘daldalan” time during breaks. (Okay. I know it’s difficult. I also have to battle with myself sometimes.) Have you ever heard of the twenty-minute lapses? Sir Monterey told us about it. Every twenty minutes, our mind loses its focus. So we have to regain it back. The point is that we should focus on the lesson and not on anything else. It’s much better if you already understand the lesson when you are inside the classroom. Remember, you’re spending 1.5 hours per course. If you’re not learning anything, then you’re definitely wasting your time.
Ask your professor right away when you have a question in mind.
--- This is just a follow up on my “Listen well.” Tip. You should try your best to understand the material while you’re still in the classroom, so that if you have a question, you can ask it directly to your professor. Waiting for the end of the class, or even your professor’s consultation hours may lead you to forgetting your question or to having second thoughts of asking it.
Read books and other materials that you think can help you.
--- Reading is an opportunity for you to learn more. I am not a bookworm. I actually don’t love reading but I do it for my studies, for my parents, and for everyone I love. (Super drama? Haha.) My point is that you don’t have to really love reading for you to be able to read and understand a quite long scientific article. I advise that you choose the topic that you don’t understand much and read more about it. Reading ahead will do a lot of help, but personally, I rarely do that. Post-reading works much better for me because it’s like a review of the lesson covered but of course, you’ll find it more wordy.
Invest good grades from the start of classes.
--- Do your best every time… the first time. (By Madrid) I knew a lot of cases wherein a student gets a 5.00 for having an average of 59.00 or even closer to 60.00. The most common reason is a quiz, or a long exam pulled the grade down. I heard a lot of professors saying this tip over and over again. Sir Monterey told us that the first long exam is the easiest exam and that we should do well so that if in the next exam, we’ll not do well, at least, our score in the first exam may save us. (Note: The first long exam is the easiest exam. – this doesn’t apply to all courses. Swear.)
Practice solving problems on your own.
--- As students, we can’t help but solve problems. We all know that. As our professors are always saying, WE SHOULD PRACTICE. I don’t solve all the problems at the back of every chapter of the book. I just solve some, may be four to six problems depending on the difficulty of the subject. (Can you keep a secret? Sometimes, if there is no much time for review, I just reread my notes! The solved ones.) Oops. That is not a good practice because you don’t exercise your mind to think of a “way-out” of the puzzle. When I solve new problems (not the solved sample problems from my notes), I find other problems easier to solve.
Do not panic when taking exams or even quizzes.
--- I have classmates who panicked before and during exams. When I asked them why, tell told me, “Kasi baka malimutan ko yung inaral ko.. kasi baka hindi ko masagot.. kasi… blah blah blah..” I get nervous when the exam is near, but I try my best to stay calm when it is about to start. Breath in. Breath out. Think positively. Think that you’ll pass the exam, or much better, you’ll ace the exam! If you listened well and studied not only with your mind, you’ll be able to get through it.
Never take any course for granted.
---Yes, there are other courses that weigh more (3-unit courses vs. 1-unit courses). I have friends who skip a class for a 3-unit course long exam or even a quiz, and I discourage it. Let’s face it. Someday, there will come a time that we’ll all be having quizzes, long exams, reports, and assignments all done in one day. Sure it’s one hell of a day, but we should be able to manage it. You shouldn’t skip your SS or Humanities or even PE class for a “major” course because that course is still a part of load, and it will be a part of your Transcript of Records.
Sleep for at least 7 hours a day.
--- Because of the demands of our major courses, we couldn’t help but to stay up late and work on those requirements. The least hours of sleep that I had is 4 hours. Swear. My body can’t take a no-sleep-day. I can’t function well if I lack sleep. Third year-first term is the term where I had the least hours of sleep and I got sick four times during the twelve weeks of that term. I promised myself that I will not let a day pass without getting at least 5 hours of sleep (maximum). Everyday, I try my best to finish everything on time and sleep well. You should too. Here’s a link to a very nice article about sleep. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/02/secrets-to-a-good-night-sleep.aspx?aid=CD945
Eat well. Keep Hydrated.
--- Eat breakfast. It fuels your mind and body for the rest of the day. If you’re having an exam by 1:00pm, eat before 12:00noon. Your brain will not be equally performing well when you take an exam right after eating like when you take an exam an hour after eating. If you take an exam right after eating, your brain is busy doing two things: controlling your stomach for digestion and remembering everything that you reviewed.
--- Bring a bottle of water everywhere you go. From time to time, you need to rehydrate with water. I know a lot of people who will just rehydrate their bodies during lunchtime (or other breaks) with juices or other drinks with sugars. Sipping water from time to time helps your body to stay alert and awake. Water works wonders, remember? So I really encourage you to bring along with you a tumbler of water everytime.
Always pray and have faith.
--- All through our lives, God is with us. He’s always there for us, to listen to us. We can pray anytime, anywhere. We should continually thank Him for the never ending blessings that He had showered us, our family, and our loved ones. We should pray that He’ll guide us to the right path, let us make good decisions that is according to His will, embrace us with His loving arms, and keep us away from harm. Let our goal in life be: “Do everything that God has intended me to do.”
additional:
-So this is the end. Thank you for reading. I’m sorry if I’m a not-so-good writer. I hope these tips will somehow help you. God bless!
1. Secure a good seat on the first day of classes.
2. Make sure that your professor knows you.
3. Socialize. Have friends that you can call “allies” but not “hosts”.
4. Set a target grade: 1.00.
5. Keep a good notebook.
6. Listen well.
7. Ask your professor right away when you have a question in mind.
8. Read books and other materials that you think can help you.
9. Invest good grades from the start of classes.
10. Practice solving problems on your own.
11. Do not panic when taking exams or even quizzes.
12. Never take any course for granted.
13. Sleep for at least 7 hours a day.
14. Eat well.
15. Always pray and have faith.
additional:
Whatever happens, stay on track.-Ms. Comia
The following will be a little more talk for each of the tips that I wrote. It’s up to you if you want to read on.
Secure a good seat on the first day of classes.
--- I personally prefer getting a chair that is near the board, and also near the projected screen. In this way, I’ll be able to hear my professor and read what’s written on the screen all at the same time. Another plus of getting this position is that you’ll find it harder to have a chitchat with your friend nearby. You’ll worry that you’re professor might notice you and stare at you with his/her big eyes. You don’t want that.
Make sure that your professor knows you.
--- Your professor should know that you exist and you are his/her student. Even if not all professors get to know their students by name, you should at least try to make your professors know you by face. You get what I mean? Haha! I hope so. Let your professors know a little bit of your personality. Remember, first impression lasts. It’s also important that you let your professor know that you are interested in his/her subject. That little thing may save you from a grade of 5.00.
Socialize. Have friends that you can call “allies” but not “hosts”.
--- I’m not saying that you should be a friendly-user here. My friend, Krissy, told me that having great friends/allies is one of the keys to success in college. Your circle of friends need not be the best or even the brightest. You should just go for a common goal that will benefit everyone in the group. You should always help each other out and be there for each other all the time. Also, true friendship is one of the best treasures here on earth that no one can buy.
Set a target grade: 1.00.
---This has always been my goal even if sometimes I fail to reach it. (Just like this term. I didn’t have a grade of 1.00 in any of my courses. Sad right? No.) My point here is that it is okay to aim high and dream big. (If you don’t dream big, what’s the use of dreaming?) NEVER make 3.00 your target grade because if you miss a bit, it’s gonna be 5.00 and nobody wants that. I encourage all others TO MAKE 1.00 YOUR TARGET GRADE. No matter how easy or hard your courses are, YOU SHOULD AIM FOR 1.00.
Keep a good notebook.
--- I keep a good notebook for every course. When I say good notebook, it’s not about the price of the notebook or its design. It is about the “notes” that are well-written and well-organized. I have this notebook from Loose Leaf where you can put in and take out pages depending on your preferences. (You can check out at NBS. It costs around P200 mainly because of the frame. You can buy notebook refills for P35 only.) Sometimes, if my professor discusses “fast” I’ll just write on my padded scratch papers then I’ll just rewrite it at home. If your notes are organized, your brain will be able to remember your notes much better than if your notes are always in disarray. I’ve read a book saying that as we are going through our lives, our brain is only using 10% of its full capacity. (So now you can imagine how much you can store on your brain.) From the same book, I knew that ORGANIZATION of thoughts would help a lot. That’s why mnemonic devices were invented. It’s like a computer. If you would just scatter files anywhere in your drive, it will be harder for you to recover it. Some studies show that notes written in blue ink are better remembered. Personally, black ink did the job.
Listen well.
--- Reserve the ‘daldalan” time during breaks. (Okay. I know it’s difficult. I also have to battle with myself sometimes.) Have you ever heard of the twenty-minute lapses? Sir Monterey told us about it. Every twenty minutes, our mind loses its focus. So we have to regain it back. The point is that we should focus on the lesson and not on anything else. It’s much better if you already understand the lesson when you are inside the classroom. Remember, you’re spending 1.5 hours per course. If you’re not learning anything, then you’re definitely wasting your time.
Ask your professor right away when you have a question in mind.
--- This is just a follow up on my “Listen well.” Tip. You should try your best to understand the material while you’re still in the classroom, so that if you have a question, you can ask it directly to your professor. Waiting for the end of the class, or even your professor’s consultation hours may lead you to forgetting your question or to having second thoughts of asking it.
Read books and other materials that you think can help you.
--- Reading is an opportunity for you to learn more. I am not a bookworm. I actually don’t love reading but I do it for my studies, for my parents, and for everyone I love. (Super drama? Haha.) My point is that you don’t have to really love reading for you to be able to read and understand a quite long scientific article. I advise that you choose the topic that you don’t understand much and read more about it. Reading ahead will do a lot of help, but personally, I rarely do that. Post-reading works much better for me because it’s like a review of the lesson covered but of course, you’ll find it more wordy.
Invest good grades from the start of classes.
--- Do your best every time… the first time. (By Madrid) I knew a lot of cases wherein a student gets a 5.00 for having an average of 59.00 or even closer to 60.00. The most common reason is a quiz, or a long exam pulled the grade down. I heard a lot of professors saying this tip over and over again. Sir Monterey told us that the first long exam is the easiest exam and that we should do well so that if in the next exam, we’ll not do well, at least, our score in the first exam may save us. (Note: The first long exam is the easiest exam. – this doesn’t apply to all courses. Swear.)
Practice solving problems on your own.
--- As students, we can’t help but solve problems. We all know that. As our professors are always saying, WE SHOULD PRACTICE. I don’t solve all the problems at the back of every chapter of the book. I just solve some, may be four to six problems depending on the difficulty of the subject. (Can you keep a secret? Sometimes, if there is no much time for review, I just reread my notes! The solved ones.) Oops. That is not a good practice because you don’t exercise your mind to think of a “way-out” of the puzzle. When I solve new problems (not the solved sample problems from my notes), I find other problems easier to solve.
Do not panic when taking exams or even quizzes.
--- I have classmates who panicked before and during exams. When I asked them why, tell told me, “Kasi baka malimutan ko yung inaral ko.. kasi baka hindi ko masagot.. kasi… blah blah blah..” I get nervous when the exam is near, but I try my best to stay calm when it is about to start. Breath in. Breath out. Think positively. Think that you’ll pass the exam, or much better, you’ll ace the exam! If you listened well and studied not only with your mind, you’ll be able to get through it.
Never take any course for granted.
---Yes, there are other courses that weigh more (3-unit courses vs. 1-unit courses). I have friends who skip a class for a 3-unit course long exam or even a quiz, and I discourage it. Let’s face it. Someday, there will come a time that we’ll all be having quizzes, long exams, reports, and assignments all done in one day. Sure it’s one hell of a day, but we should be able to manage it. You shouldn’t skip your SS or Humanities or even PE class for a “major” course because that course is still a part of load, and it will be a part of your Transcript of Records.
Sleep for at least 7 hours a day.
--- Because of the demands of our major courses, we couldn’t help but to stay up late and work on those requirements. The least hours of sleep that I had is 4 hours. Swear. My body can’t take a no-sleep-day. I can’t function well if I lack sleep. Third year-first term is the term where I had the least hours of sleep and I got sick four times during the twelve weeks of that term. I promised myself that I will not let a day pass without getting at least 5 hours of sleep (maximum). Everyday, I try my best to finish everything on time and sleep well. You should too. Here’s a link to a very nice article about sleep. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/02/secrets-to-a-good-night-sleep.aspx?aid=CD945
Eat well. Keep Hydrated.
--- Eat breakfast. It fuels your mind and body for the rest of the day. If you’re having an exam by 1:00pm, eat before 12:00noon. Your brain will not be equally performing well when you take an exam right after eating like when you take an exam an hour after eating. If you take an exam right after eating, your brain is busy doing two things: controlling your stomach for digestion and remembering everything that you reviewed.
--- Bring a bottle of water everywhere you go. From time to time, you need to rehydrate with water. I know a lot of people who will just rehydrate their bodies during lunchtime (or other breaks) with juices or other drinks with sugars. Sipping water from time to time helps your body to stay alert and awake. Water works wonders, remember? So I really encourage you to bring along with you a tumbler of water everytime.
Always pray and have faith.
--- All through our lives, God is with us. He’s always there for us, to listen to us. We can pray anytime, anywhere. We should continually thank Him for the never ending blessings that He had showered us, our family, and our loved ones. We should pray that He’ll guide us to the right path, let us make good decisions that is according to His will, embrace us with His loving arms, and keep us away from harm. Let our goal in life be: “Do everything that God has intended me to do.”
additional:
Whatever happens, stay on track.-Ms. ComiaProblems will come our way. Tragic events may happen. You may have to stop for a while, but after getting through it, continue where you have left. It will never be too late to pursue your dreams. =)
-So this is the end. Thank you for reading. I’m sorry if I’m a not-so-good writer. I hope these tips will somehow help you. God bless!
