A Stitch in Time Saves Nine

There is no way to learn the material for college courses without spending time and effort in studying. There is no shortcut in getting that knowledge. You must spend time and effort in the process. A certain number of hours of hard work is required. But you can make better use of that time through some common sense suggestions.

Consider some practical suggestions for the arrangement of your study schedule. In other words, you need a plan to arrange your time. It will pay a lot if you will set aside a few minutes or an hour as soon as possible after classes each day. Use this time to review the material covered in the class periods of the day. Remember that you will forget a large portion within twenty-four hours after you hear or read it for the first time. Try to find a time at the end of your regular school day or in the middle of it, if you have a vacant period. You can review what was covered in each of the day's classes before it has had time to slip out of your mind.

This plan is common sense. It is clearly easier to review something familiar and fix it firmly in your mind than to relearn the material you have forgotten. So find a few minutes to review today's work before you go on to tomorrow's. This is the time when you reorganize your day's notes, if needed, and fill in the gaps. These few minutes of review shortly after your classes may well give you more learning and more memory for less time and less effort than any other study time you spend.