i'm currently taking General Chem, i suffers a little during it. How to keep up since the first day and Have an A.
Can anyone share their experiences how to manages my time and my study habits ?
I agree with DentalDoge. For me, I try not to approach learning by remembering but by understanding. Once you understand well, you will remember. You might have to try many different learning techniques before finding some that work well for you.
I'm in my last semester now and my note taking, studying methods are completely different from the one I used first and second year. Something you can try are:
- taking notes directly in the power point slides by typing OR print out the power point (4 slides/page/landscape) and hand write the important things/exam materials that the prof comments in class as notes. (I prefer hand writing my notes and pay attention when the prof says "Study this/I will ask this on the exam". You can draw a star next to those important points so it narrows down the materials you have to focus on for the exam). I basically wrote what the prof says onto their own lecture notes. (noteception haha)
- recording the lecture besides taking your own notes and listen to them while you have time (i.e. getting stuck in traffic) (not very helpful for chemistry and biochem because I couldn't see what the molecules look like when hearing the recording lecture but work very well for BIO classes like genetics, anatomy & physiology, ...)
- staying on top of your homework/practice problems (really make sure you understand).
- doing the practice exams or previous years' exams over and over again until you understand how to do all different types of problems (if you don't, ask TA or go to tutoring center for help/or even the prof if you're comfortable).
- reviewing your notes + prof's notes for the most recent lecture at least every day that you have class so you remember what the prof talked about in the last class and can understand the new lecture better (I am not very good with reading the materials before class so maybe that's why I am not the smartest student. I tend to learn by reviewing my notes and the lecture notes mostly).
- highlighting important points that you want to remember especially when you are reading articles/e-books. (Colors make it stick to your brain easier or maybe I just have a hippy brain haha jk)
....I can't think of anything else sorry. I made fun of my brain and it went on strike. Don't be afraid to experience around and hope you can find your styles soon!
