Section 1.1:  The University Study Tips Myth vs. Reality

Once again, I want to stress that I am not dismissing the study tips that the University teaches students to use.  However, in the seven (I know!) years that I've been in college, I have yet to meet anybody who actually uses them.  But, if they work for you, by all means use them!  For others who have been met with the big reality obstacle when it comes to using the University's study tips, I'm going to prevent a couple of alternative tips that have worked for me.  Again, take only what you need or what you think you'll be able to use once you change it up a bit.  I'll present some of the myths that I've been taught either through advisors or University study skills classes, and then I'll present an Utena alternative.

University study tip one:  For every hour you spend in class, you must spend two hours outside of class studying.

Utena's alternative one:  Okay, let's just throw this one out.

   I'm glad to see you're not too upset about that Kero.  The problem is that it's nearly impossible to spend that much time outside of class.  On top of classes, most students work or are involved in University activities.  And plus, you have to sleep (sleep?  what's sleep?).

So, what I've found that works for me is that everyday I spend a minimum of fifteen minutes a day for each class looking over notes or scanning the textbook (NOT reading.  There's a difference.  I'll discuss that further in Section 1.4).  Of course, in some cases, you'll have to spend more than fifteen minutes, but that's the bare minimum.

  But, Utena, I don't have fifteen minutes a day to spend on each class!!

Sure you do, Kero!  If you look around, you can find lots of spare minutes lying around your day.  How about when you're walking to your next class?  Grab your notes and take a glance at them.  (Of course, make sure you know where you're going beforehand and look up every now and then so you won't run into trees, cars, or other students.)  Or how about when you're waiting for your instructor to get to class, and you don't have anyone to talk to.  Instead of drumming the Star-Spangled Banner on your desk, pull out your textbook and scan the chapter for the day.

  But Utena, I want to watch TV!!!

Well, how about this, Kero?  Why not take your backpack with you and study during the commercials?  If you just have to watch The Osbournes for an hour every Tuesday, why not take a couple of your notes and/or textbooks.  With the amount of commercials that run on MTV, you could get about 45 minutes of studying done.  If you absolutely cannot study because the sound, trying timing the commercials.  Usually, each show runs a certain number of commercials that last for a certain amount of time.  So, for example, if you determine that the average time of commercials is 25 minutes, then turn it on mute and set a kitchen timer.

I know these are not the most ideal studying situations, but the goal is read over (and by reading, I really mean scanning) and have some sort of contact with the material everyday.  It's amazing how much of a difference simply reading over your notes everyday can make on your grades.  Plus, it'll cut down on your cramming since, by the time of the exam, you'll have read it so many times, you can recite most of the material spontaneously.

University study tip 2:  To be successful in class, you must read the textbook, and you must read it before class.

Utena's alternative 2:  Okay, we're not going to totally throw this one out, but I'm going to change it somewhat.  What I'm mainly going to do is throw out the word "read" and replace it with the word "scan".

(Kero read pic)  But, Utena, I love to read!!

Then you're a unique soul, Kero!  I haven't met too many students who go rushing home from the bookstore, nearly bursting at the seams to rip into their new Statistics book.  Instead, look at the syllabus, and then do a quick scan of the chapter of the day, reading the title, section titles and any definitions in bold prints and graphics.  The point is to get an idea of what the chapter is about.  Most of the "meat" of the chapter you'll get in lecture because most instructors know that student don't really read the book.  Scanning will give you a bit of an upper-hand so that when your instructor starts talking about triple integration, you won't panic as bad as the rest of the class because you'll have an idea of what it's about.

University study tip 3:  That wonderful block-out-time schedule. 

Utena's alternative 3:  Okay, so this is a little bit of a personal thing with me, but I thought I would put it in here anyway in case there's someone else who cannot schedule their day into neat little hour boxes.  I remember sitting in a study skills class, scheduling every minute of the day, even eating and doing the laundry.  Unfortunately, life is not structured to fit into nice little time slots so that caused me more stress because I became ruled by the day planner.  Now, don't get me wrong, day planners are necessary and there are some things that need to be done in any given day, but remember to leave it flexible for all those fun, unexpected things such as walking out of class only to discover that your car has a flat tire or an army of torch-bearing roaches that rebel and throw you out of your apartment (believe me, that can happen.  But that's another story...).

University study tip 4:  You need to take at least 15 hours and more per semester.

Utena's alternative 4:  There's a saying that says you shouldn't run faster than your strength.  Or maybe that's a scripture verse...nevertheless, the point is that it was said and it was said for good reason.  I've heard many students say that they needed to schedule at least 15 (sometimes 18 or more!) hours a semester, or they'll be neither some sort of failure or considered stupid by other students.  Unfortunately, many advisors encourage this type of thinking.  If you think you can handle only 12 hours per semester, then, by all means, take 12 hours.  Trust me, nobody will care (except maybe your advisor, but they have about 900 other students they're advising and don't always know what's best for you).  I have never once been in the bathroom and overheard other girls saying, psst...did you hear that so and so is only taking 12 hours this semester?  What a loser!  Why?  Because nobody cares. 

If you've read any portion of the rest of the website, you could clearly see that I'm rarely serious, but, for this subject, I am very serious.  I've seen many detrimental things happen to students who overextend themselves.  Some have become depressed, unable to sleep or eat or even get to the point of a nervous breakdown.  Some of them have turned to binge drinking, with has it's own life-altering consequences and even death, in order to escape from the stress.  Many students end up either failing or withdrawing from one or more classes in a state of extreme stress anyway.  So, before it gets to this point and you've lost a great amount of time (and, not to mention, money), evaluate and be honest with yourself.  If you think you can handle the extra hours, then schedule it.  But, if you think (or know!) you can't handle it, then don't schedule it.  Simple!

University study tip 6:  You need to have your major decided at the start of your freshmen year.

Utena's alternative 6:  Throw this one out as well.  You don't need to have a definite solid decision on what you want to be for the rest of your life the moment you walk through those hallowed halls.  As a general rule, the first two years are nothing but mandatory classes anyway...English comp., history, etc. so take your time, talk to people, do some research in areas that you're interested in.  Some people know exactly what they want to be when they grow up the minute that they're born, and it is those people that I'm jealous of because I'm the exact opposite.  I always tell people that I'll know what I want to be when I grow up when I finally get there.  Take your time.  Remember, this is your job and future you're talking about here.  You don't want to be stuck in something you hate.

University study tip 7:  To be successful in class, you need to sit in the front row.

Utena's alternative 7:  This one just absolutely irritates me.  A lot of times, students are often dismissed as lazy and unmotivated simply because they don't sit in the very front of the class. Utena says, unless it's a issue of not being able to see the board or hear good, etc., sit wherever you daggum please.  I, personally, have this strange problem in that I cannot stand it when people are behind me.  I don't know why, but it makes me extremely nervous.  So, as you might have guessed, sitting in front of the class in a very nerve-wracking experience.  I always sit in the back row, something of which does not affect my grade negatively.  If you love sitting in the front row, fine.  If you like sitting in the exact middle of the room or the back row, that's fine too.  If you feel that your instructor might be equating your academic knowledge with your seating placement, talk to him or her about it.

University study tip 8:  When it comes to studying for exams or doing assignments, start early.

Utena's...:  Well, I have to agree with the University on this one.

  What??

I know, Kero!  But, they're right.  Starting early has many positive results.  For one, if you run into a problem, you've got plenty of time to talk to your instructor or other classmates.  Two, it cuts down on the amount of stress trying to cram or get a paper done by the deadline.  And three, you never know what will happen.  I had a paper due and had completed it a day earlier, thankfully, because the day it was due was the day I decided to get bronchitis.

  Those are fine, Utena, but I need some tips about organization and note-taking.  And what is this "reading-scanning" principle thing?

No problem, Kero!  Let's move on to Section 1.2

Take me back to the intro!         Let's go on to Section 1.2! 

Surely I can find something better to do