Practical Studying

by Ashley Hartley, Alumni of St. Mary's University College

Getting through University means taking the time to study. But with distractions like social media and video streaming, it is hard to get any studying done. Here are four study tips that follow students around at St. Mary's University College and helped Alumni Ashley Hartley survive the University grind.

I always had a love-hate relationship when it came to studying in University. The love came with the grade received from highlighted notes, study cards, and sticky notes. But, that grade with loaded with hours of procrastination, dread, social media and coffee. What always helped was St. Mary’s University College’s focus on their student’s need to stay balanced, which includes encouraging healthy study habits. Both the professors and the Learning Centre set out every year to increase efficient studying so students can reach their highest potential.

Here are some of the tips that follow students at St. Mary's:

1. Do not pull an all-nighter, it just slows you down: do not head into an exam exhausted because it is impossible to focus and all that studying went in one eye and out the other.
2. Have a study buddy: picking up the little details, tricks and theories that you may have missed is easier with someone else. Talking out main concepts and ideas in the course allows for a better understanding of the overall course content.
3. Review after every lecture: looking over the lecture notes each night to review, add, and change the notes will increase your understanding. It is also a good time to highlight or underline for quick reference.
4. Caffeinate yourself: seems silly, but the best advice I ever received as a student was to drink a cup of coffee or tea an hour before the exam. It wakes up your brain and also pushes you through a three hour exam.

The trick is to actually study and put in the time to prepare. It can be hard with a world of distractions at our finger tips, but studying can make the difference in the course experience.

Ashley Hartley
Alumni of St. Mary's University College