Effective Habits for Effective Study

You can prepare yourself to succeed in your studies.
Try to develop and appreciate the following habits:
· Take responsibility for yourself:
Recognize that in order to succeed you need to make decisions about your priorities, your time, and your resources

· Center yourself around your values and principles:
Don't let friends and acquaintances dictate what you consider important

· Put first things first:
Follow up on the priorities you have set for yourself, and don't let others, or other interests, distract you from your goals

· Discover your key productivity periods and places:
Morning, afternoon, or evening?
Find spaces where you can be the most focused and productive. Prioritize these for your most difficult study challenges

· Consider yourself in a win-win situation:
When you contribute your best to a class, you, your fellow students, and even your teacher will benefit. Your grade can then be one additional check on your performance

· First understand others, then attempt to be understood:
When you have an issue with an instructor (a questionable grade, an assignment deadline, etc.) put yourself in the instructor's place. Now ask yourself how you can best make your argument given his/her situation

· Look for better solutions to problems:
For example, if you don't understand the course material, don't just re-read it. Try something else! Consult with the professor, a tutor, an academic advisor, a classmate, a study group.

· Look to continually challenge yourself