Making Resolutions for Better Grades?
Council leaders & advisors, these tips can be distributed periodically via social media sites over the course of the semester or presented during an “academic focus” portion of a council or chapter meeting. It may be a great way to get Gamma Sigma Alpha initiates involved in helping the academic culture of the campus.
Students occasionally make the mistake and ‘learn’ to study when exam time comes around, but the best time to make changes to your schedule and preparation activities comes at the early part of the semester to allow you to get ahead of the game.
Here’s how you do it…
Consistent Preparation–Needs to happen throughout the semester and is the MOST important:
- Go to class (we know you knew that)
- Take notes in class. Know the kind of notes you should take…do you learn best sharing notes with a friend to review the ‘take-away’ lessons? Do you like flash cards? Hand-written or electronic? Make these choices and stick with them.
- Take notes as you read. Highlight the book, or use your classroom note-taking strategy as you review the text.
- Participate in class. Close facebook and listen!
Preparing to get the grade:
- Reverse planning: Take a look at the course schedule and work backwards. Make your own plan to spread out the assignments and readings so that you don’t get overwhelmed or behind.
- Make lists: This is a great way to consolidate your responsibilities in each class and know which topics you should focus on each week leading up until mid-terms, then final exams. Include a ‘goal sheet’ that you can reference over the course of the semester to see if you are on target.
- Know your professors: Discuss class issues throughout the semester. Do not wait until after grades are released. If you are struggling, ask for resources. An introduction early in the semester can go a long way.
- Every day is important. It’s easy to fall into that habit of ‘blowing off’ the first couple weeks of the semester, but when you do, you’ll spend the remaining time just trying to stay afloat. Do the opposite and work just a bit everyday.
Maximize your study time:
- Use active studying techniques: flash cards, online tutorials, roundtable studying with friends.
- Know your memorization strategies: You may find success reading out loud, using acronyms, trying to visualize what you are learning or using association to tie the new subject with something you already know in your mind. All these techniques can be found in online resources with a quick internet search and may make the difference for you.
- Focus on the goal sheet: keep it updated and use it to know if you are keeping pace with what you want to accomplish this semester. Think about doing a buddy syster so that you have a friend keeping you accountable and you do the same for them.
- Keep alert: There’s a reason teachers forced you to do calisthenics in middle school. Take a brisk walk or break to stay alert and on task when studying.
Follow these tips for a successful semester & don’t forget to join Gamma Sigma Alpha!
Our thanks goes to The Student Academic Resource Center at the University of Central Florida for sharing some of these tips with us.
As a brohter its all good to see new chapters and lines start strong, but do us all a favor and continue to be strong. Keep up the good work to all charters and new chapters.