As I sit down to go over some notes and arrange my folders and such, I was struck by this question. It’s been a long time since I really had to spend a lot of time studying and though I’ve managed a 4.0 thus far on college career #2, it’s not due to stellar study skills. So I ask: How do you study?!?!?
I’ve contemplated things like typing the notes I take during lecture so they’re clear and concise. Not only will I be reviewing it while typing, but if I do it quickly enough it means I’ll probably remember any shorthand I might have had to use during lecture. The only problem is that my computer is shutting down every time I try to open a document (it needs a RAM upgrade) and my printer needs $50 worth of ink cartridges. I may need to take time to go over to the computer lab at school to do this. (Not a bad idea anyway, what with the 500 kids running around my house distracting me, right?)
I’m still without the textbook, but I’m not sure it’s going to be a problem. I have my old A&P text from the first time around (it’s dated 1992…yikes!) and my lab instructor told me that the one I have is pretty much considered the gold standard. Plus the lecture instructor doesn’t seem to be married to the textbook. I suspect that I may be able to get by with the online resources from the publisher, the old text I have, and the lab manual. That’s my hope, anyway! I’ve got the textbook on my swaptree want list so if it becomes available by some miracle I’ll be able to get it.
And frankly, I love that I can access the publisher’s online materials without the book. I can test myself with quizzes, get podcasts, and other learning activities. It’s a pretty awesome resource and completely free. Can’t beat that. I definitely intend to fully utilize this resource.
But there’s got to be more to studying, right? I mean, reading over the lecture notes, reading the text, participating in lab, doing the practice quizzes…surely there’s more to it, some better way to organize my time and make sure I am staying caught up? Tell me how you study, because I am determined to keep my 4.0 GPA. This is the toughest class yet and I don’t want to get behind even before it all starts!
