Study tips to start the new semester off right

Courtney Green, News Editor

Fall semester has only just begun, but it’s a good idea to go ahead and draft your study plan now before classes become too overwhelming. Lucky for you, Spinnaker tracked down some A+ study tips from your fellow Ospreys.

A tip many Ospreys had in common: Don’t procrastinate.

“You’re not going to get a good grade–I’ve learned from experience. Take notes in class. Don’t skip lecture if they don’t take attendance. That one will catch up to you,” Paul Bahri, a sophomore, suggests.

“Try to study actual concepts and understand the material you’re being tested on,” senior Timothy Delcharco suggests.

Junior Devan McKenzie had a more immediate study tip. “Review your notes immediately after class.”

Seniors in the Spinnaker office also offered their own study tips.

“Find a study buddy,” video director Katie Bowers suggests. “I find that when I’m by myself, I’m less motivated.”

“Study at least a week before your exam,” radio general manager Madison Roberts suggests. “Don’t just study the day of or the night before. Also, ask everyone for help.”

Sunshine Ramirez, creative services director, had this to say: “Listen. If you hear something in class, write it down.”

“Read over your notes, revise them as you see fit. Figure out what’s the most important thing in your notes, and study at least 30 minutes each day,” copy editor Tori Johnson suggests.

“Power-points are going to be your best friend. In all my classes, all my professors puts the most important information the power-points, so I just study those. I also will do the assigned reading they give and then for each paragraph, I will write a summary of it in my own words. For exams, I make flashcards,” TV general manager Aisling Glocke shares.

Spinnaker Editor-in-Chief, Lianna Norman, shared the juiciest tip of them all: “Designate at least 20 minutes each day on studying for a class. Do the readings and make notes before class so that the lecture is more of a review. That way, when the final comes around and everyone is stressing, you can just sit and chill, knowing that you’ve been learning all semester.”

And my study tip is a simple hack I came up with last Fall: If you have a lot of reading and you’re super stressed, find an audiobook version to listen to passively or take active notes on. If you’re one of those people who are good at multitasking or can listen to something while doing something else, this can help free up some time. It works for me, but it might not be for everyone. Try at your own discretion.

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