How to ace your college classes and maximize your time
With midterms well underway, there’s nothing more important than mastering the study tips in college that will get you through (and help you ace your exams).
What does this look like?
First, you need to know what study techniques will get you the grades you want. That’s why I’m sharing study strategies for college students that ACTUALLY WORK and have seriously boosted my grades.
That’s not all….
By the end of this post, you’ll get a complete (but concise) list of the top must-have study essentials that you ACTUALLY NEED in college. These are tools that will maximize your productivity during your study time and help you get the grades you want.
Ok, let’s get to it!!
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STUDY TIPS IN COLLEGE + TOP STUDY ESSENTIALS
1. Keep all your study essentials stocked
What are study essentials, exactly?!
Here’s a list of all the study essentials you need to keep on hand if you want to be both productive and comfortable while studying.
I started incorporating these study essentials into my study routine in freshman year, and these items have SERIOUSLY improved my effectiveness, energy and enjoyment during my study sessions.
Some of these items are obvious and others not so much, but they’re ALL essential. I’ve linked to all these products on Amazon so you know exactly what to get!
Stationary:
- RELIABLE pens. (Gotta love the good ol’ BIC brand, or these colourful pens are amazing!)
- Composition books (the ones I’ve linked are affordable but still aesthetic)
- Index cards for memorization
- HERE are some plain white ones
- OR if you prefer, HERE are some coloured ones for colour coding!
- Small sticky notes (here’s a combo of small + large post-its)
- Small sticky notes or book tabs are great for marking pages.
- I use these to mark pages of textbooks, novels I read for class, or even my own notes.
- If you’re a geek like me, you might even have some fun using these to colour code and organize your ideas visually!!
- Large sticky notes
- I ALWAYS keep larger sticky notes on hand that I can scribble a quick note on (or use it as a way to make margin notes without actually writing in the margins).
- Highlighters (again, cannot go wrong with bic!!)
- Small pencil case
- Don’t you hate those clunky, unnecessary pencil cases that take up so much room in your backpack?
- I love my small pencil case because it’s super easy to carry around and fits exactly what I need.
- It’s perfect for a few pens, pencils, highlighters, an eraser, sharpener, and a couple Sharpies. What else could you need, really?!
- A planner/agenda to keep track of your assignments
Snacks & Health:
- GOOD water bottle
- Some of my favourite brands are: ThermoFlasks, Hydroflasks, S’wells and Nalgenes. These are all amazing water bottles that will last you a long time and are easy to carry around!
- Nalgenes are cheapest if you’re looking for the most affordable option.
- Reusable snack bags
- An essential if you love having study snacks but want to make sure you’re being environmentally mindful!
- These ones are super easy to clean and come in different sizes so you can carry a variety of snacks around!
- Gum
- Don’t ask me why, but gum seriously helps you think more clearly. I always do my most productive work when gum-chewing. So, yeah, this is an essential.
- GOOD travel mug
- Let’s be honest, coffee IS DEFINITELY a study essential
- It makes allllll the difference when you have a solid travel mug as your study buddy.
- I love my KeepCup, but YETI Ramblers or YETI mugs are amazing, too; or, Contigo makes a more affordable option.
Desk Organization:
- Dry-erase board
- These look sooo nice! They have a clip on top which often comes in handy. I love using them to write daily to-do lists without having to waste paper every day.
- If you don’t like the look of a white one, check out this marble dry-erase board. Another great feature of this one is that you can mount it on the wall so that you don’t have to take up more desk space!
- Laptop riser
- If you’ll be bent over a desk all day, it’s really important to protect your neck and back from getting hurt by that! Simply getting a laptop raiser is such a game changer.
- I didn’t realize how amazing these were until I started doing it myself!
- The one I’ve linked above (in the heading) is designed so that you can store small things under it so that you don’t lose as much desk space!
- External keyboard and mouse
- If you use a laptop raiser, then use an external keyboard (the one I’ve linked is bluetooth!) and mouse as well. It’ll make your ergonomics that much better and you’ll seriously be so much more comfortable.
- Second monitor
- Once I started using a second screen, it became insanely obvious that I will NEVER go back to just using my tiny laptop screen if I can help it.
- Think about how many times you have to switch back and forth between tabs. Wouldn’t it be so nice to just have everything you need up so you don’t have to tediously switch again and again?
- I know this one is a bit more of an investment, but the monitor I’m recommending is super affordable and seriously will make a huge difference.
- You don’t need a super fancy monitor (the one I linked is pretty affordable), just something that will give you two screen options!
Other Essential Tools:
- Posture corrector
- It sounds weird for this to be a study essential, but I have this and I usually wear it for at least an hour every study session.
- It just ensures that you’re not slouched over all day, so your back isn’t quite as sore and bent out of shape (literally) by the end of the study session!
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- These are a LIFESAVER if you’re studying in a common area on campus where people might be hanging out, chatting and making noise.
- Also… wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a proven fact that people bother you less when you’re wearing obvious, clunky, noise-cancelling headphones.
2. Keep an organized study space
As far as study tips in college go, having an organized study space makes all the difference. Even though you might switch up your study location, it’s still good to keep your desk organized in your apartment or dorm room.
Why does organization matter?
Well, when you tidy up your desk and return everything to its place and walk away from an organized space, it really feels like your studying is done and helps your mind transition into relax time.
Plus, who doesn’t love an organized desk? If everything on your desk has a proper place to go, it only takes a few seconds to tidy up at the end of the night.
I love using desk organizers like this to give all my supplies a place to go.
All my beloved readers who are dorm-room-habitants will know the importance of maximizing your space and keeping your tiny dorm room tidy in order for it to be liveable.
Am I right?!
3. Make a schedule
And stick to it!!
I honestly couldn’t live without a schedule. You don’t need to plan out every second of your day (this is just overwhelming), but aim to plan about 60% of your day. This will help keep you on track and is a great time management skill to have.
What study methods for college students would you add to this list? Comment below!
This post was all about study tips in college.
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