As college students you want to get the most out of your time.  So here are some study tips.

Try to do your homework as soon as possible after the class in which you learned it.  This is especially true for math.  Even if you have only 5 minutes before your next class, it is worth trying to do a problem from your homework assignment.  This will consolidate the information in your mind.  You forget a large portion of what you learned in any class after only a few hours if it is not quickly reinforced.

Switch subjects often.  Don't try to study the same subject for more than 1.5 hours or so.  Alternate subjects.  If you switch to a dissimilar subject which uses a different part of the brain, then while your conscious brain is dealing with say, English, your subconscious brain can be organizing concepts in math.

Don't stay up late studying.  Do your homework during the day or early evening and save the late night for getting a good night's rest.  For more on adequate rest, see the How to Stay Well page.

Use the "PQRST" method for appropriate classes.  For classes like history the PQRST method works well.

• Preview the material.
• Quiz yourself on your current understanding and what you think the author intends.
• Read the material assigned.  This means that you need to consciously think of how one sentence relates to the sentence just before it and to the rest of the paragraph.  And how does the paragraph relate to the whole chapter.  Look for topic sentences.
• Study the material you have just read.  This means going back and looking for main themes and specific facts with a mind to how they relate to the authors intended point.
• Test yourself to see whether you understand the authors main points.

 

• Math is not a spectator sport.  You must get busy with paper and pencil.
• You need to understand "why" as well as be able to follow through a procedure.  Be sure to ask yourself why this is working this way, whenever you do homework.  If you were to change the problem a bit, would it still work the same?
• Math is like a board game.  It has logical rules.  To play the game you have to understand the rules.
• Try to make math your own by playing with it.  You will soon see consistencies (when you are using the rules properly) and inconsistencies (when you are not using the rules properly).
• Avoid becoming dependent on a solutions manual or examples from the book.  Being able to follow an example is the lowest level of understanding.  You also need to be able to produce on your own.  And you need to be able to generalize and synthesize concepts.  These are higher levels of understanding.  You should expect to see problems on a test which assess your ability to apply a concept learned in class to a new and different situation.
• Football players spend hours each day in training .  Musicians spend hours each day practicing.  You need to think of doing math like musicians and athletes view their training periods.  Math takes a lot of practice to become adept at the procedures and to move to higher levels of understanding.
• Be sure to get help right away, when you find concepts that you don't understand.  Since math builds, a small concept not understood, soon becomes a large concept not understood if not dealt with right away.  And then you will find yourself hopelessly mired.  The best person to ask for help is your instructor.
• Study groups are great, but be sure that you don't become dependent on the others in your group to carry you along.
• Utilize the chapter reviews at the end of each chapter in the text.
• Don't think in terms of "learning and dumping".  Since math builds, you can't afford to forget what you learned several chapters before.
• Some math classes have Supplemental Instruction (SI).  Consistently attending SI may improve your grade if you find math hard.
• Use a "distraction sheet".  When you are studying, always keep a sheet of paper handy to jot down those stray thoughts that pop into your mind distracting you from concentrated study.  For example, if the thought that pops into your mind is that you need to remember to call Joe, then write it down on the distraction sheet.  Knowing that you won't forget now will release that thought from periodically popping into your mind.  Then you can take care of all the items on your distraction sheet after you are done studying.
• Whether in a math class or some other discipline, always practice critical thinking skills.  The principles of critical thinking can be found at this web site.  http://www.uwec.edu/Academic/Geography/Ivogeler/critical.htm

 

The Counseling Center (Foust Hall) can help with that.  They have individual counseling and sometimes group workshops dealing with test anxiety.  Here are a few gems I have gleaned from attending their workshops and my own reading.
 

• Allow yourself a limited amount of time to fall apart at the beginning of a test.  Say, the first three minutes.  At the  end of the time, tell yourself that it is now time to start the test calmly.
• Make a list of everything that happens in preparation for taking a test.  Rank order it with respect to the amount of anxiety that you feel when you think about experiencing each item on your list.  (Sample items might include:  hearing/reading the announcement of the upcoming test, studying for the test, walking into the testing center or classroom before the test, seeing the test being handed to you, opening the test, reading the first problem, feeling the thickness of the test in your hands, looking at the clock and seeing you only have 5 minutes left, etc.)
• Start with the item which causes you the least anxiety.  Mentally practice going through that experience CALMLY and with CONFIDENCE.  Then move to the next least anxiety producing item.  Practice it.  Keep moving up the list, until you can face the most anxiety producing item on your list and mentally practice experiencing it with calmness.  Now you are ready to face the real test.
• While you are taking the test,  your mind may keep telling you that you can't do math, that you've never been very good at it, that you are going to fail or go blank or any number of negative things.  If that happens, just MENTALLY (not out loud) scream "STOP" and your negative thoughts will stop.
• If you feel yourself getting anxious, modulate your breathing for a while.  Inhale slowly while MENTALLY saying "calm" and then slowly exhale while MENTALLY saying "down".  Calm down.  Calm down.