How To Ace Your Classes This Coming Semester

Let’s face it, college life isn’t exactly all about studying and listening to usually boring lectures, it’s also filled with social activities such as hitting the coolest spot near school after one’s classes are over, going to concerts, or even going clubbing after staying at your tambayan[1] for a few hours devoted to chichi [2]time.  Although concentrating on your social life at this point is a good idea because in a way you are building your network, one has to keep in mind that you are in the university to study. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you ace your classes this semester:

Get A Recorder

Recording lectures is a good way for you to get all the information your lecturer spewed out without you having to bother to write anything down. You can just listen to the lectures over and over through your mp3 player when preparing for an exam. It is also ideal to jot down important notes from the recordings as soon as you get back home.

Take Notes

If you like it old school, take notes the traditional way with a pen and a notebook. The only problem with this method is that sometimes, you cannot write everything down. For those who have a typing speed of 60 and above, bringing your laptop to class is a good idea.

Learn To Say No

When your friends are asking you to go out on a school night, learn to say no especially if you have a paper or a project due in the morning.

Arrange Your Schedule Wisely

So you think you can do a 7am class? If you are not a morning person, you better not take a class as early as 7am because chances are, you won’t be attending this class as often as you should. Arrange your schedule based on your sleep cycle. For night owls, it is best to get afternoon classes instead of you having to struggle waking up the whole of the semester just to get to class.

Study Like You Mean It

Prepare for each class. If your professor tells you to read a material, you should read it and understand it. It is difficult for many college students to do this but think of it as a way for you to prepare for exam week. You should think of your parents too –they work hard to put you through school so man up to your end of the bargain.

Other tips:

If you did not understand the lecture, contact your professor. He or she would be happy to help you.

You can train yourself to be ready for an exam any day. This way, you will be studying like crazy. The pay off is good too –you will get better grades than last semester.  

Get your a** to class!

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[1] Hangout spot. In the University of the Philippines, there are designated hangout spots for every organization, sorority or fraternity.

[2] Chismis or chismax. These including chichi are colloquial terms for gossip.