Studying like a Librarian
Ask Questions and Do First Things First
How can I set myself up for success?
- Read through the syllabus or instructor plan completely at the beginning of the semester!
- Use a planner or calendar and write down when all of the assignments for all of your classes are due. Seeing everything written out will help you plan your time better.
- Read the instructions for your assignments to make sure you understand them.
- Specifically schedule time during the week to work on homework. During those times, put all distractions away.
What should I do if I’m struggling with class?
- Tell someone, and ask for help! You can tell your professor and ask for help, or meet with Academic Support and Tutoring. It’s better to get help sooner rather than later.
- Don’t feel embarrassed about asking questions. Chances are if you have a question, one of your classmates has a similar question!
What would you tell someone who’s having trouble balancing life and school?
- It’s very hard to balance life and school; you’re not the only one struggling.
- Do the best you can - that’s all you can do.
- Ask for help. Do you have any friends or family members that could help you out with certain life tasks? (cleaning, cooking, laundry, babysitting)
- Consider taking fewer classes the following semester.
- Be strategic with your homework: if a reading isn’t required, don’t feel bad about skipping it. Prioritize: do the most important things first so that if the smaller things don’t get done, it’s not as big of a deal.
- Make time to take care of yourself. Try to eat right, do a little exercise, and get enough sleep. You will feel better and will be able to get more done when you take care of yourself.
Rachel Kramer
Research Librarian
Take Care of Your Thinker!
The library is a place to study
We welcome you to make the library your regular study space or even just one of your study spaces. Often it is helpful to feel and experience the help that a library can provide while you are studying. Sharing common ground with others, who are also seeking out new knowledge and skills for the future, can prove to be a wellspring of encouragement.
To avoid feeling that you do not have any free time, like you are always studying, or that you may be in danger of burning out
Reward yourself when you are finished with an assignment or even a good portion of an assignment. Know that when you get to that place, you have promised yourself something good like heading outside for a while, meeting up with others, talking to your family, getting a treat, etc., and then follow through on this promise to yourself!
Start early to take ownership of your projects and assignments
Try starting an assignment earlier than you think you have to, while also setting a personal due date that is earlier than what is required. You may be amazed at how good it feels to take ownership of your assignments and not feel like you are under a constant state of stress. You will most likely be able to complete future assignments and projects in a more efficient and effective way because of this proactive approach.
Colin Porter
Research Librarian
Plan your Time, Take Good Notes, Study Well, and Find Refreshment
- Organization: Use a planner to jot down important due dates and tests for classes. I use my Google Calendar to set reminders for upcoming events. I even color code the tasks so I can stay extra organized.
- Time Management: Take time to work on assignments or projects a little here and there as you go. Waiting until the last minute to study or complete a project is stressful so manage your time throughout the semester to ensure success.
- Take Good Notes: I love to use GoodNotes on my iPad for notetaking. I like digital note-taking because I can access it from my computer or phone and then collaborate with others easily.
- Study Zone: Find a nice quiet, comfortable place to study. I prefer to work in my office at my desk or in a study room. I like to pop on my headphones with some relaxing music to focus on the task at hand.
- Refreshments: Pack a snack and a drink for study time. I like to have a refreshment available to keep me fueled while studying or working on a project.
Cathryne Nivin
Part Time Librarian
Cynthia’s Study Tricks
I recently completed a master’s degree and these are some study tricks I learned along the way:
- Take notes when listening to lectures, completing homework, or reading.
Writing things down helps me to remember them better. Once I write something down, I find that I can remember it for quite a while. This also works for images! While taking Geology, I redrew illustrations of complex geological processes and this helped me to comprehend and remember them well.
- Use flash cards—but go digital.
I still use flashcards when I need to memorize things. However, I don’t use paper cards; I use apps. I recommend the TinyCards and Quizlet apps. (These apps helped me get through Spanish classes!)
- Ask people to quiz you!
Pass your flash cards or notes to a friend or family member and ask this person to quiz you. Even if you get the answer wrong the first couple of times, you will find that repetition will make it stick in your mind.
- Listen to your assignments. If I am too tired to read, I will often listen to written materials and just take notes as I go.
- You can use audiobooks or apps to listen to books.
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- The Librivox app offers lots of classic books for free, but you might need to pay for more recent materials. There are also several apps for purchasing audiobooks.
- MCC’s Library Services offers a free scanner that allows you to turn print materials into MP3 files. (Just stop by the library and ask where to find it.)
- In a pinch, you can copy and paste materials into Google Translate and use the pronounce feature to have it read aloud to you.
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- Google Translate will hold large amounts of text, but it will only read 5000 characters at a time, so you will need to use the forward button within Google Translate to continue moving through the text.
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- I also recommend using this trick with the papers you write, before turning them in, because sometimes it’s easier to hear a mistake than to spot one in your text.
Cynthia Soll
Research Librarian
Stretch your Mind and Body
For tough classes, make flash cards and use them whenever you find yourself “waiting.” You can use different colored index cards to organize your topics by color. Punch a hole in one of the top corners and use a round clip to easily flip through and review them.
These colors allow you to focus on a specific topic and then move on to the next topic. Cards work really well for studying the vocabulary of a foreign language and when pairing pictures and descriptions for subjects like A & P. For math and science courses flash cards can be helpful in reciting and memorizing formulas.
Helpful tips:
- When it’s time to nourish your body and your brain, take 30 minutes off and eat without thinking about studying—this gives your brain some down time to refresh itself.
- If you typically sit as you study take a few minutes to stand up and stretch at the same time every hour—make sure to include stretches for crossing your arms and legs—right arm crossing the left arm, right leg crossing left leg, and vice versa (research shows that this actually helps refocus and “wake up” both sides of the brain).
Billie Farley
Part Time Librarian
Kristen’s Twelve Terrific Tips for College Success
- Believe that you can do it!
- Know your instructors’ names. Seriously – memorize their names. If they know your name and you do not know theirs –shame, shame.
- Read your syllabus or instructor plan thoroughly.
- If you have questions for your instructor, check the syllabus first and then ask your question if it has not been addressed.
- Log in to your student email regularly.
- Don’t wait too long to ask for help. Problems can get bigger and harder to resolve over time.
- The circle of help should start with your instructor and the course syllabus. Your instructor cares about you. That is why they are here and why they chose their profession. They are real people so talk to them when you need clarification or assistance.
- A caveat to #7 – try to do the assignment before asking for help. Do not expect people to assist you if you have not yet attempted the task.
- Become familiar with all the services available to you on campus – study spaces, tutoring, library, tech support, completion center, food pantry, counseling, weight room, walking track, success coaches, and others.
- Begin each week with a plan on how you will balance your work, home life, and academic deadlines.
- Set short term goals and cross them off a list as you move forward. Celebrate victories-whether small or large.
- Visualize your end goal(s) to be spurred along through hard times.
Kristen Cook
Coordinator, Research and Instruction (Librarian)
