Ten Tips for Starting Off Right This Semester

By Beth Harrison, University Learning Services

As parents of new (and continuing!) college students, we're always hopeful that the new school year will start off well for our students, aren't we? Here's a list from the University Learning Center archives of ten tips to help your student start the semester off right. They're good any time of the year, of course!

1. Go to all your classes and take notes. Edit your notes within 24 hours to organize and expand the information, then review your edited notes for a few minutes at the end of the week. Putting in this extra time after class will help you remember today's material weeks from now when you need it on a test.
2. Keep up with your reading assignments. Break down long assignments into manageable units. Read a few pages, take a short break, then go back and read some more. Remember to mark your text or take notes as you read.
   
3. Reward yourself for getting your work done. If you want to watch a TV show or movie, do your work first so the fun can serve as a reward for accomplishing your goals. You will enjoy it more when you know you are ready for class.
   
4. Learn to say no. Think about what you must accomplish each day. When your friends stop by to gab or go out, tell them to come back later after you have completed your work, or tell them that you will meet them later.
   
5. Evaluate your study environment. Does it provide what you need, eliminate distractions, and give you motivation? If not, find another place to study.
   
6. Set goals for each course. Decide what grade you will aim for in each course. Then make a plan for how you will go about achieving that grade.
   
7. Be an active learner. Study for exams by writing and reciting out loud. You won't learn the information by just reading it over and over. Writing and reciting are active strategies that help you learn.
   
8. Learn to predict exam questions. This is important for all exams, but it is critical for essay exams. After you predict possible questions, write out the answers and memorize the main points.
   
9. When taking exams, relax and be sure to read the directions. Answer the easiest questions first, skipping the ones that you do not know immediately. Then go back and complete the ones that you skipped. Leave enough time to do a quick review of your answers before turning in your test.
   
10. Come to the University Learning Center. Give us a call or visit our web site. Do not wait until it is too late. Stop in to talk about any classes in which you are having difficulty. Gathering suggestions on how to study can greatly improve your grades. ULC 621-4548; www.ulc.arizona.edu
    

Extra Tip: Have your student check out MASTR, the Math & Science Tutoring Resource program, for free drop-in tutoring in Math 105-129, Pima Math, 100-level Science classes, and Spanish 101-202. MASTR will be open in ILC 119 on Sundays through Thursdays, 5:30-9:30pm starting Sunday, August 26.

Dr. Beth Harrison can be contacted at eharriso@email.arizona.edu