Study Skills You Need Now

Hello, my name is Jessica Delacalzada. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business finance from the University of Washington. I have been with CSF since 2008 when I was selected as a recipient for a CSF scholarship.

My tips for studying all have to do with creating structure. Whether it’s your time, your surroundings, or your notes, I’ve found that having a plan and structure in place allows you to maximize the hours spent studying and gives you a better shot at acing that test!

Time Management

First things first: read the syllabus for each class, and write out all important dates on your calendar (homework, quizzes, midterms, tests). This will give you a good visual representation of when you’ll be busiest and how far in advance you’ll need to be studying.

From here you can time block each week, dedicating an amount of hours to each course. Ultimately this will allow you to spread out all your studying so that you can learn gradually, retain more information, and avoid those stressful last-minute cram sessions!

Find a Study Group

This was a lifesaver for me! There is no better way to master course content than having to explain it to others. Find a study group for each class where you can compare notes, ask questions, and learn from and teach others.

Create an Ambient Study Space

For me, it was important to have a space that was conducive for productive work. I tried studying on the couch, or on the kitchen table with roommates, or at a coffee shop, and found that I would be easily distracted or that it would take me longer to understand the content. After a few semesters, I learned that the best setting for me to efficiently study was when I was in a quiet library at a desk surrounded by dividers so that I couldn’t be distracted.

I would also listen to classical music on headphones to further shut out distractions and would try to be equipped with water and a healthy snack so hunger pangs didn’t take my mind off my work. Different settings will work for different people, but the most important thing is to create a space that will minimize disturbances and that has everything you need for a productive study session!

Make it Stick

Some of my friends have photographic memories. They can read all of the content the night before a test, miraculously remember everything, and ace it (if you can do this, do not tell anyone or they will be envious!)

I, however, am not so lucky. I’m the type of learner who needs to write things down in order to fully understand and remember them. Here is what I found worked best when juggling multiple courses:

• Start by reading the required reading before class and writing down an outline of the information.
• Follow this up by taking copious notes in class when the professor is teaching and adding to your original outline.
• Finally, go back and add to the notes taken during the professor’s lecture, using supplemental readings, learnings from study group partners, and any other helpful information.

When it comes time to study for your courses, you’ll have a set of structured and in-depth notes to reference, and all that writing will have made retaining the information that much easier. It is a lot of work, but it will help you absorb the information and will make it a breeze when it comes time for the exam!

Sleep

This may be one of the most important ones. Cramming the night before a test is shown to lead to poor performance (I can attest to this!) but if you do the things above and are efficient with your studying, you will be well prepared for your tests. Take a deep breath, what you know is what you know, and get a good night’s sleep.