by HORIS MANSURI
Relax! Take a deep breath. Really, as simple as it sounds, I think my first year of university would have been easier if I didn’t feel so pressured to do well. The way I see it, if you have a clear and stress-free mind during your first year of university you will pay better attention in class, retain more information and, overall, be a much more successful student. Yes, it will take some time to get used to university: finding your way to classes; waking up in time to make it to class; adjusting to taking notes in lectures; and even getting comfortable being in a class of more than 500 students. But in the midst of all the fast paced change and challenges, do not forget to relax and concentrate on what you need to do.
“…in the midst of all the fast paced change and challenges, do not forget to relax and concentrate on what you need to do.”
Oh! You don’t know what to do, eh? Well, I can suggest some tips and strategies to get you started but ultimately each person will have to figure out what is best for him or herself (and yes, this sometimes means making mistakes and learning the hard way).
1. Do not cram or leave things to the last minute. Study for tests/exams or finish assignments/essays a few days beforehand so that you leave enough time to review the material and be well prepared and showcase your best work.
2. Talk to someone who has already taken your courses and ask them the best ways to study and prepare for exams, assignments, essays, etc. Many courses at U of T have unique and different ways that one must study if you are going to do well (for example, in Organic Chemistry and Calculus, completing homework and doing practice problems is very important to do well, whereas in Biology memorizing lecture notes is very important).
3. Get a hold of past exams. These will be really useful in helping you narrow down what to study. In addition, for many courses, questions on this year’s exam may be very similar to questions on past exams and sometimes questions are direct repeats from previous exams.
4. Utilize your professor’s office hours. After doing your own review and writing down any questions or problems you are having, visit or make an appointment to see your professor. For instance, discussing questions and problems with your professor will give you an idea of whether you are stressing over something unimportant or maybe he or she will clarify a concept which just might pop up on the exam.
5. Join study-groups (optional). Sometimes getting together with some friends and comparing notes and answering each others questions is a good way to study. With study groups, however, you have to be careful because sometimes they can be unproductive. So make sure each person is prepared to contribute something to the study sessions and have questions and review notes ready beforehand so that the study groups can run efficiently.
And there you have it! A couple of tips to help you be prepared for your first year at university!
Taken from : The Muslim Voice Magazine
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Yep, sounds fun.