Top 10 Get studying tips

Once you’ve established where you’ll learn, think about when and how you accomplish your best work. If you’re a morning person, make time to study first thing. More of a night owl? Set aside an hour or two after dinner to cozy up to your computer. If the kids require your morning and evening attention, try to carve out a study session mid-day while they’re at school. Brew your usual cup of coffee, put on your go-to playlist, and do whatever you need to get into the zone and down to business.

Not everyone learns the same way, so think about what types of information help you best grasp new concepts and employ relevant study strategies. If you’re a visual learner, for example, print out transcripts of the video lectures to review. Learn best by listening? Make sure to build time into your schedule to play and replay all audio- and video-based course content.

Participate in the course’s online forum to help you better understand course materials and engage with fellow classmates. This might involve commenting on a classmate’s paper on a discussion board or posting a question about a project you’re working on. Read what other students and your professor are saying, and if you have a question, ask for clarification.

Make sure you are checking in as often as you can, too. The flexibility of online learning means that if you have 30 minutes before dinner plans, you could squeeze in a discussion response around your schedule. Set a goal to check in on the class discussion threads every day. And if you do feel yourself falling behind, speak up. Don’t wait until an assignment is almost due to ask questions or report issues. Email your professor and be proactive in asking for help.

Online classes may sometimes make you feel like you are learning on your own, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Most online courses are built around the concept of collaboration, with professors and instructors actively encouraging that students work together to complete assignments and discuss lessons. Build relationships with other students by introducing yourself and engaging in online discussion boards. Your peers can be a valuable resource when preparing for exams or asking for feedback on assignments. Don’t be afraid to turn to them to create a virtual study group. Chances are good that they will appreciate it just as much as you will.

“Oh, I’ll get to it soon” isn’t a valid study strategy. Rather, you have to be intentional about planning set study sessions. On your calendar, mark out chunks of time that you can devote to your studies. You should aim to schedule some study time each day, but other commitments may necessitate that some sessions are longer than others. Harder classes require more study time. So, too, do classes that are worth several credits. For each credit hour that you’re taking, consider devoting one to three hours to studying each week.

This is another very important study tips and tricks. Do not miss out any study sessions or lectures. Whatever might be the case, you feel the sessions sound boring or neither interesting, you need to be present as sometimes you will learn things better either by your staffs or some students who understood it better. Surroundings help you in some way or the other. Be punctual to feel responsible and to study well. Try to be involved in classes and try to understand what the professor is teaching. If you feel that the professor is moving fast with his subject, then feel free to inform him that you are not able to follow. Also, ask doubts and questions if you feel confused or lost. Clearing doubts is a best way to study effectively and clarify your questions at the same time.

Deep breathing exercises increase the ability of your mind to focus. Researchers at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience have studied the effect of breathing exercises on the body’s production of noradrenaline. Noradrenaline functions as a neurotransmitter, which affects your concentration. By regulating your breathing, you can optimise your levels of noradrenaline. The researchers concluded that “there is a strong connection between breath-centred practices and a steadiness of mind”. Here is a simple breathing exercise that will bring calm and focus to your mind before you study:

• Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose for 4 seconds.
• When you feel that your lungs are full of air, hold your breath for 2 seconds.
• Then slowly exhale through your nose for 4 seconds. Do this exercise three times in succession before the start of every study session. Try it out now to see how relaxed it makes you feel!