September is National School Success Month and there are many factors that can be combined to improve the academic skills of students at CSU-Pueblo.
Here are some tips to enhance current college students’ abilities to study, prioritized their time and schedules and to become better students in general.
Some new techniques to gaining better study habits are motivational and are not excessively complicated. Studying any college course material requires time and work. According to the Adprima Web site, in order to become a good college student, it depends on effective and efficient study habits.
“I have found it easier for me to focus on one section at a time until the information isfresh in my mind otherwise studying can get overwhelming,” said Johnny Pantoya, a 27-year-old junior studying mass communications at CSU-Pueblo.
Finding a relaxing place to study is important. This can be different for everyone, but the Adprima Web site suggested finding a quiet place away from distractions such as televisions and cell phones. Studying and quizzing with someone has proven to be very helpful.
“I have found it easier to study when I play relaxing music in the background and I often turn my phone off, especially if I am studying for an exam,” said Joshua Carnias, a 21-year-old junior studying computer information systems at CSU-Pueblo.
Another important factor is to comprehend the course work, which can improve study sessions. In addition, it lessens the stress of studying in a limited period of time.
An informative Web site titled Suite101 stated that students should take 10-minute breaks every hour while studying. It mentioned that taking short breaks can alleviate students’ study experience.
Also, students should remember that doing something active such as taking a quick walk or eating a snack during these study breaks can rejuvenate them and help their study techniques.
“Staying up all night to cram for a test is the worst thing students can do because exhaustion makes it harder to study both physically and mentally,” Carnias said.
Balancing time schedules when it comes to busy college students can get difficult especially when life gets in the way. The best ways to get everything accomplished is to focus and set goals. Set realistic goals for the day, a week or even the semester, according to Ecampustours, an educational Web site specifically for college students.
Prioritizing tasks means figuring out which tasks are most important and which ones can be put on hold. Organization is another attribute that will help students achieve their goals in a timely manner, according to Ecampustours.
Always try to avoid procrastination. This happens to be the main downfall for students trying to achieve time management skills, according to Adprima.
“To manage my time I try to plan a week in advance and I always give my professors and employer’s proper notice before hand if anything in my schedule seems to come up,” Pantoya said.
The first step for a student that is having trouble understanding material is to turn directly to the professor. If this does not help, a peer might be able to explain the topic or answers in a more comprehendible way. There are other ways to get help if a student still struggles.
“Homework should be collected by the professor before the end of class, and returned to the student immediately. If the student is struggling with a course, the professor should help the student work the problem out so the student understands the material,” said Peggy Dagendesh, a junior studying accounting at CSU-Pueblo.
One way that CSU-Pueblo offers assistance for students looking for help with their writing is at the Writing Center in the Psychology Building in room 232.
The Student Counseling Center also offers personal and confidential counseling for students which is in the same building room 236. Tutors are available for students who struggle to understand material struggling with any of their classes and this is located at the Student Support Services in the Occhiato University Center room 035.
