Students blog

As the finals frenzy kicks in, college students are eager to come up with any tips or tricks to help study. Through my journey in college, I have tried all of the “best tricks” to study, and compiled a list of five that helped me during finals season. Whether you have hours or minutes to study, these hacks are the ultimate roadmap to acing your exams!

The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can help significantly with your productivity. To implement this technique, you start with setting a timer for 25 minutes and focus on studying during that time. Then, when the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. Repeat this process four times and then take a longer break (around 15-30 minutes). This method helps you stay focused and prevents burnout!

Active recall

This method is my personal favorite, active recall is a study technique where you actively quiz yourself on the material you’re trying to learn. Instead of re-reading notes, try to recall and explain the information from memory. I like to pretend I am teaching the material to someone. This helps reinforce what you already understand as well as help identify the topics you need more help in!

Flashcards

Flashcards are a great tool for condensing information into small, easy to remember pieces. Create flashcards with key terms, concepts, and questions on one side and the answers on the other side. I personally use Pearson+ to create flashcards straight from my E-Text! An additional trick I like to use is writing the topics in different colors to distinguish their chapter, subject, or section.

Group study sessions

Studying with friends or classmates can be an effective way to prepare for finals. By explaining concepts to each other and discussion, you deepen your understanding of the material. Plus, you may learn some new study hacks! Some fun ways to study my friends and I use are turning the material into a Jeopardy or Family Feud game.

Healthy Habits

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during finals season is extremely important! A well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep can significantly impact your cognitive abilities. You want to keep your mind sharp and focused! I like to eat oatmeal and fruit on the morning of a big exam. I’ve also found that doing yoga the night before helps me be more relaxed and less anxious on test days!

In conclusion, acing your college final does not have to be stressful or overwhelming. By implementing these five easy hacks, you can increase your chances of success. Remember to stay organized, take breaks, and prioritize taking care of yourself. Most importantly, do not be afraid to ask for help! With a little discipline, you’ll be well on your way to conquering your finals.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

College campuses are some of the largest populated areas within metropolitan cities and small towns. Throughout our fast-paced lives juggling school, work, extracurricular activities, and our social lives sometimes we forget to take care of our community. While being confined to a campus has its restraints there are still ways to help the environment around you!

What does living sustainably mean?

To live sustainably is to sustain life on our planet, making sure we are being conscious of our water usage, recycling, and even electronic usage.

Why does it matter?

Sustainability is necessary to maintain our quality of life and ensure we are living in a safe and healthy environment. We want to keep our planet and ourselves as healthy as possible which is why we must contribute.

How can we contribute?

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Some of the greatest ways you can aid your environment start at home! For college students this looks like reducing the amount of water you’re using in the shower or brushing your teeth. Turning off water when you are not actively using it helps conserve water usage. Find out where and how you can recycle plastic and reusable products within your community, and reuse some materials for fun D.I.Y projects!

2. Join Your Campus Green Club

Campus Green Clubs (or other environment-related clubs) are dedicated to keeping the environment clean. Joining and helping out is a great way to contribute to your community as well as meet new people. Green club activities usually consist of campus clean ups, turning scraps into compost, and more.

3. Help Out Your Community Garden

Offering to help your local community garden contributes to limiting food insecurity. You could even learn and try exciting new recipes from the crops you harvest.

4. Go Thrifting

Thrift shopping is one of the most popular methods of living sustainably amongst college students. If you’re wondering how thrifting is contributing, shopping second hand limits the amount of clothing and materials that will be thrown into landfills. Thrifted items are able to be repurposed and redesigned into fun and unique pieces. Other items can be thrifted as well such as books, toys, electronics, and furniture.

Try these tips to move towards living more sustainably in your college community.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

For many of students, the shift from high school to college can be an extremely challenging and nerve-wracking experience. For most students, it is their first time away from their families and friends, navigating through a new state, city, or town. Starting fresh and making new friends can seem like quite the hassle. As a sophomore attending my first year on campus post-covid, here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned on how to make friends on campus:

Get Involved

Campus involvement is a great way to meet new people and build relationships. What does it mean to be involved? Being an involved student means you are an active member of clubs and organizations on your campus. Joining clubs that are aligned with your personal interests, beliefs, and ideas can help you connect with people that you have something in common with!

Use Your Residence Hall

Some of the first people you’ll meet in college are your roommates. Get to know them and build a connection, share your interest, and invite them to attend events with you. Many college relationships and connections are built by being in the same place at the same time. Try speaking to your dorm neighbor or attending activities your residence hall may be hosting.

Social Media

Most colleges have a student activities council or some form of event coordinator. Follow your school’s social media pages to stay up to date with events that are happening around campus. This is a good way to reach out to other students and ask if they’re attending events. Check your school’s page for incoming freshmen. There are tons of new students who possibly don’t know anyone on the campus; reach out to people and get to know them!

Join A Work Study

As college students a little extra change in your pocket is an opportunity most of us won’t pass on. Working on campus will not only help you get familiar with your school but help you gain job experience and, of course, meet new people.

And Last but Not Least, Attend Class

As I mentioned earlier, being in the same place at the same time is how most relationships in college form. Attending classes, lectures, and tutoring allows you to connect with others easily. Offer to create a study group or GroupMe for the class. This is a way for everyone to get to know each other. If this is too large of a step, start with introducing yourself to the person that sits next to you.

Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, even just a little, can make all the difference during your first weeks on campus. Be bold and take the first step to create friendships that will enhance your college experience and may last a lifetime.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!