Study Tips

One of the most intimidating aspects of college may be exams, but there are many ways to prepare yourself to be successful. As one professor said, “It’s a celebration of knowledge!” This statement is most certainly true, although it may be hard to admit. It’s your chance to demonstrate all that you know to not only your professors, but also yourself. Feeling prepared for an exam looks different for many people, but I will give you advice that can set you off on the right foot once the school year begins!

Have a Planner

First and foremost, have somewhere to organize when you have upcoming assignments, study groups, exams and whatever else you have. I highly recommend planners from Target by the brand Blue Sky, I have loved them for several years now! It’s very helpful to put important dates in ahead of time so that you are less likely to forget them. Personally, once I received a syllabus from a professor on the first day of classes, I went into my planner later on and wrote in important dates so that they would be there when I needed them. This is very helpful to gage when you have exams for which classes, and how you want to allocate your time to study for each course. You also can see when you will have more free time WAY in advance!

Try Guided Study Groups and Exam Reviews

Coming to college is a really exciting time in life, but recognize when to have fun and when to put school first. Penn State has a lot to offer academically and socially. It’s easy to get lost in all of it, but know that there are resources to help you succeed! Being responsible doesn’t just mean being smart by sitting down to study, but also getting the help that you need. For example, many pre-requisite courses have guided study groups offered once or several times a week even, that are designed to help YOU succeed. It can be hard to admit to yourself that you need help. Taking that step and attending a study session with other students can help better your understanding in a course, and you may also be lucky enough to make friends here as well. In addition to GSGs, many courses offer exam reviews. This can vary from course to course, but in many cases, a professor, teaching assistant (TA) or learning assistant (LA) will work through a practice exam in front of students. Personally these exam reviews made a huge difference in my Chem 110 experience. I loved Todd Pontius (right), who offered exam reviews for each exam and then some. My friends and I truly enjoyed attending his exam reviews and would get somewhat excited to take the chemistry exams. I acknowledge that these resources do not work for every student, but do not be afraid to try something new during your semesters at PSU despite what your friends do!

Understand Which Friends You Can Study With

If you’re anything like me, you’re going into Penn State with lots of friends from high school but they are ALL studying business. As much as I love these friends, I learned quickly it does not work for me to study with any of these people! I am very grateful to have met my best friend last year at WEPO (shoutout to Catherine Cavanaugh!), and her and I learned to study together. It can be helpful to have other people motivating you to study. This can allow you to find new study techniques or meet new people. 

Set goals of When to Start Studying

Compared to high school, you will likely need to spend more time studying for exams, and with that being said it’s better to start sooner rather than later. Of course it’s beneficial to study the material each night as it’s being taught, but with the amount of workload you have that may feel impossible. I would recommend starting a week out from any exam. Begin by going through any notes, homeworks and previous assessments. Organize whatever you’ve been told you need to know or think that you need to know in any fashion that works for you. I personally get distracted on quizlet, and find myself more successful when I make a study guide in word. I simply create a table with two columns, and create questions or concepts to quiz myself on. Others prefer writing flashcards. The most important thing though is to start early. It can feel terribly bothersome to study so far in advance at first. Over time you will realize that as you get closer to the exam, you know more than you thought and probably spent a relatively small amount of time studying each day. 

Keep Studying Interesting

Although you are entering a different world with the coronavirus, if possible try studying in new places to keep studying exciting to you! I highly recommend the Dunkin’ downtown, Irvings downtown or even sitting in a different commons area. Be willing to explore the campus and downtown, because this is how you will learn what works best for you at Penn State! Also, don’t be afraid to try exploring somewhere new alone. Entering college allows for you to become more independent, be willing to explore this new aspect of life when you start school!

Caitlin Wood

Team D Envoy