A new year, a new semester. As college students start coming back from a relaxing winter break, it’s time to start preparing for the spring semester by throwing out bad habits. Many people make new year’s resolutions, so add a few college-themed goals to that list to start the year off right! Here are some good study habits for college students to help them achieve academic success and say goodbye to unhealthy habits in their personal and professional life!
Flickr user Penn State
1. Get a Head Start on Assignments
One good study habit for successful college students is not procrastinating or waiting until the last minute to start assignments. It is never a good idea and you won’t deliver your best work. It creates a stressful scramble that can hurt your grades and class performance. Instead, use your syllabus to your advantage and get started on things earlier—especially bigger projects. Even outlining, doing general research, or reading ahead can help. Spending an extra few minutes or an hour every day working on upcoming assignments will put you ahead of your schoolwork and help you a lot throughout the semester. Schedule a time to have a successful study session weekly in the library with study groups!
2. Get Organized
Staying organized is key to clarity and functionality, especially for highly successful students. But let’s get more specific than overarching: organize. Create dedicated folders or notebooks for classes, where you can keep all your notes, handouts, syllabi, and other materials in one convenient spot. Hang up a calendar and mark important due dates at the beginning of the semester. Clean your room and desk—seriously, this can make things easier to find and is scientifically proven to lower your stress levels. They say your room is a reflection of your mind, so it’s important to keep it clear. Being organized is a difficult habit to develop if you aren’t already organized, but it’s an excellent habit to have.
3. Go to Office Hours
If you’re struggling in a class, a particular element of a lecture is stumping you, or you’re unsure which direction to take on a project, go to office hours. Even if you just want to get a handle on where you’re at with the material: go to office hours. These are underutilized resources for college students even though they offer several benefits. It’s a direct way to interact with your teachers and improve your academic performance. Many students need a little one-on-one focus to help grasp a concept. Some teachers might even give you extra credit opportunities if you take the initiative. Going to office hours also shows initiative and might give you good rapport.
4. Meet with Your Academic Advisor
Advisors are gold mines when it comes to scheduling, college degree planning, major resources, and future career paths. You should definitely get to know them so they can get to know you, and offer you personalized help and advice. Academic advisors can suggest minors, and classes, and show you potential internships or networking contacts. So meet up with them more than just once during your college experience.
5. Say No
This is a big one, especially if you have an active social life. Time is a precious commodity in college, as is attention. You won’t be able to do everything you want to do at once. If you are a full-time student, have a part-time job, are a member of multiple clubs, play a sport, hang out with friends, and volunteer three times a week, then it’s easy to burn out. Manage your schedule (and your sanity) by saying no to certain things. Balance out your time and effort. Saying no to activities will allow you to pay attention to the things you actually want to do.
6. Go Outside Your Comfort Zone
College is a time of exploration and discovery. You should push yourself a little, just to see what’s out there. So try out for the school play. Audition for the choir. Read your poem to an audience. Volunteer to lead a project. Do something that intimidates you a little bit, and see how it turns out! You can even take a class that isn’t part of your major to see if you enjoy learning something different. This is also a great opportunity to meet people that aren’t usually in your social circle. Expanding your network will also help you after you graduate.
7. Get Active
Your physical health and wellness are important to keep in mind during college. Staying active and having a healthy diet will help your performance throughout the semester and keep your sleep schedule normal. Sleep deprivation, junk food, and a low fitness level can cause you to not perform your best. Even if you can only work out a few times a week and eat well, the health benefits of it all are worth it!
These good habits for college students will allow them to enjoy their college careers and be more successful after they graduate. Say goodbye to your old habits that no longer benefit you and create positive changes in college life.
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