University courses are fast paced, lectures jammed with information, and they build in intensity as the semester moves forward. It’s very important not to fall behind. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of them.
It’s almost impossible never to fall behind – eventually everyone needs to ask for help. One of the best ways to ensure that you understand all the information is to ask different sources. If your professor’s explanation was confusing, then maybe someone else can break down the problem in a different way. Ask TAs, classmates, or tutors.
- Do the readings before class. Be prepared for the lecture, and have some idea of what will be discussed. Know the major categories and headings, and decide ahead of time what will be most important. This will help you take notes. Additionally, the professors assign textbook readings for a reason – they generally cover the same material as the lecture, but the explanation is put together slightly differently. Hearing an explanation after having read about the subject helps you to solidify the information and really understand it. The subject matter is also generally less intimidating if you’ve already looked through it.
- Get to class early and review notes from the previous class. Reading your notes will put all information from the previous class into your short term memory, and you’ll be more likely to understand the material that builds on it. Additionally, if you get in the habit of reading notes before every class, the information is more likely to go into your long-term memory, so that you can access it on quizzes and tests.
- Sit toward the front, in the middle. Give yourself the best possible chance to hear the professor and to see the screen or board. Squinting wastes valuable time. The lectures fly by, and the material builds, so it you miss something, you might get lost.
- Minimize distractions. Turn off your phone and put it away. Don’t sit beside friends. If your mind wanders, you might miss something important, and you’ll struggle to get back into the flow of the class.
- Don’t take too many notes. If you’ve already completed the readings, then you’ll have an idea what’s important, so you can be clever in your note-taking. Write down what’s most important, and not everything the professor says. Make sure that you follow along as well, and try to understand as the professor lectures.
- Don’t miss classes, and catch up with notes. Of course, the best way to fall behind is to miss a class. If you do have to miss a class, make sure that you copy down the class notes, and ask questions to understand the material.
- Ask for help when you need help, and get all questions answered. As hard as we try, we can’t understand everything in a lecture. If you come across information that you don’t understand, then ask questions. Keep asking until you understand it. You can ask in class, you can approach your professor in office hours, you can ask classmates or TAs. Make sure that you get help and figure it out as soon as possible, so that you have the best possible chance to understand all the material that will build on that understanding.
It’s almost impossible never to fall behind – eventually everyone needs to ask for help. One of the best ways to ensure that you understand all the information is to ask different sources. If your professor’s explanation was confusing, then maybe someone else can break down the problem in a different way. Ask TAs, classmates, or tutors.
