Study Tips

Why do some college students can’t make it to the finishing line?  

Throughout my international and multicultural teaching experiences at various institutions for more than 20 years, I have seen and spoken to thousands of students who played truant, missed lessons, came late for classes, had family problems, worked part-time, and so on.  

I have listed 10 common mistakes and reasons why college students fail and drop out in their first year.

1. Students lack self-motivation and are unwilling to commit themselves to self-improvement. 

2. They lack the will to persist because they have little or no career interest, no knowledge of employers' demands, and their parents want them to study a course they don’t like. 

3.  Less time spent studying; more on procrastination and other factors, e.g. job, social media, games, family matters. 

4. Students get disoriented at college and do not know how to seek help, such as English language, financial assistance, skill workshops, and personal support available to them on campus. 

5. Priorities of students include attending parties, outdoor activities, employment, social media, college clubs, which do not include study schedules.

6. Not having a clear idea of what college life is like or how to study effectively. They are afraid of exams, overwhelmed with the memorisation and the amount of work required. 

7. Students have a negative attitude about themselves; their friends; their tutors; their classes; their college; their neighbourhood; poor health and over stressed. 

8. Students are influenced by the environment, such as shopping, online games, and surrounded by high school friends who are not goal achievers, unsupportive family, and boy-girl relationships. 

9. Poor performers miss classes or attend lectures infrequently. They rely on others for their assignments, never turn up for group work meetings, never prepare for exams, and have no idea how to take lecture notes.

10. Students have chosen the wrong course. Poor grades on exams and coursework discourage them from reviving their study. They simply give up, not knowing how to deal with study challenges, and feeling hopeless. 

Through my observation on students of different cultural backgrounds studying at tertiary level, I also discovered that college dropouts are not poor in their intelligence. I compiled my findings about the mistakes tertiary students made and discovered that the challenges were that students are lacking the knowledge in study skills and positive thinking skills. 

My upcoming book has the solution to overcome the challenges with a study formula I put together over the years that aims to help students pass exams and get their degree. -Dr. Y

If you want to achieve something, you need to have a GOAL.  Goals are motivated by your dreams, desires, and plans, powered by discipline through commitment. Successful students regularly set achievable goals in their university studies.  A goal without a deadline is just a wish. You need to make realistic plans to reach your goals, at the same time you may expect issues to get in the way of your personal and academic progress. During the process of your studies, you may encounter the followings:

• Procrastination
• Anxiety
• Self-doubt
• Depression
• Poor health
• Relationship problems
• Financial issues
• Low motivation
• Moodiness

Setting goals and attempting to achieve them is crucial for college students, but what are personal goals examples for students to get a better idea of how the goal-setting process works? 

When I was a college student, I used to make long term academic goals. In a small red diary, I drew a pyramid with 4 stages. The lowest base of the pyramid started with my college certificate/diploma, then a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s degree, and finally a doctorate at the tip of the pyramid. I achieved all of them! 

Dreams do come true. Goals are achievable. All you need to do is believe 100% that it will come true. As a college student, it is important to set academic goals as your priority. Here are 3 of the 12 studying habits college students should make as their goals in the new semester.

When you put off studying until the last minute, you force yourself to cram for a test.  Start scheduling study time further in advance before an exam, so you don’t have to spend hours and hours the few days before or the night before trying to review all the materials.

Along with attending classes, actually doing the assigned reading for your class is an important studying goal. When you skip the readings, you force yourself to cram doing all the assigned readings before the exam when your time would be better spent simply reviewing your notes.

If you’re having trouble with a particular task, visualise yourself completing that task successfully. When you repeatedly visualize yourself completing a task, it makes it easier to perform the task in reality. So spend a few minutes every day visualizing yourself successfully completing your various study-related tasks. 

I hope this article helps you to start taking action for your goals. Get the rest of the studying habits in my upcoming book that aims to help students pass exams and get their degree. -Dr. Y

As a tertiary student, you are fully responsible for your own learning. In other words, your success depends on the effort you put into your journey of study. If your grades are not what you expected, it is not the fault of the lecturers or tutors, and do not blame your fate, parents, friends, any circumstances or anybody. You have to make a commitment right now to become an independent, skilled, self-motivated and disciplined learner. You will not be spoon-fed at college!

When I started my first semester at the University of East London (UEL) many years ago, I did not know what to expect. However, I was determined, excited and prepared to start my journey as a university student. I did not have problems in English language and communication. My challenges were that I did not know how to take proper lecture notes because some lecturers talked really fast and in different accents. I also had no idea how to work as part of a team effectively, or how to write academic essays since I was not taught about this in school. I had to learn the hard way.

Upon knowing what to expect in college, here are three steps to help you build a successful trait in your first semester. 

Step 1 - Be Present in Every Lecture

It is important to attend every class and tutorial. When you miss classes, you miss lectures, notes, class discussions, assignment explanations, and other information. You may also miss in-class quizzes and even tests.

Step 2 - Be Organized

Use a notebook, planner or diary for your assignments. 

Take your assignment notebook to every class and record each assignment. Break down the assignment into stages to accomplish each task.  Writing the deadlines in your assignment notebook or planner will help keep you on track.  

Step 3 - Be Good in Time Management

Time management is an important skill for all college students. The first step in time management is to look at your life in order to make sure that you’re not overextended. Always plan ahead. Take a look at what you need to do, think about how you can get it done most efficiently, and then write out a plan. Being organized is a tremendous time saver. 

Although you may have the freedom and independence as a student, you have to monitor your own progress as nobody will check on you whether or not you go to class or do your assignments. You are expected to study and do most of your coursework on your own and you are fully responsible for your own academic progress and the grades you obtain. So, make sure you read your college or university handbook on rules of assignment submissions, minimum passing grade, attendance requirement, and exams policy, to avoid being withdrawn from the institution.

This article states 3 out of 5 steps on building a successful traits in your first semester. Learn the remaining and extensive steps in my upcoming book that fulfills your expectations. -Dr. Y

Students who “study smart” will spend less time studying, less stress, complete assignments faster, and get better grades. Although it is usually best to have one place to study regularly, it does not matter where you study as long as the area is well-lit, quiet and comfortable and there is a surface for your laptop and writing. 

The hardest part about studying is getting started. Never put your studying off until later, don’t make excuses, and don’t wait until you’re “in the mood”. Begin with something simple or a subject that you like, and just get started. We all learn differently. Think about how you learn and adjust how you study accordingly.

Here are five tips to prepare you for the new semester. 

Tip 1:  Familiarize the campus – explore the location of the faculty office, library, labs, classroom, café, hall, car park, bookshop, restroom, gym, clinic, and other facilities available at the university.

Tip 2: Positive thinking – you need to be clear that good study skills have little to do with being naturally clever or gifted.  Success is all about strategies, practice and confidence. 

Tip 3: Plan a weekly study schedule – your action plan for study is literally intended to complete your assignments and prepare for exams.  Plan all the assignments for each subject according to the deadlines for submission. 

Tip 4: Perseverance – you must know that failure is the first step to success. Face all your difficulties by looking for solutions. Do not give up easily.  There is a solution for every problem. Be resourceful.

Tip 5: Balance between your academic and personal lives – plan for both your study and personal time, for example, group discussion, exercise, games and parties.  Keep the schedule flexible for unexpected activities.

Bonus Tips: Plan your online lectures. You can make a distinction between pre-recorded lectures and live lectures. Pre-recorded lectures are lectures that have been uploaded and can be watched whenever you want. Live lectures are lectures that require your attendance at that moment, otherwise you miss the class. For both of them, it is important to create a schedule for yourself. 

Hope the tips help to get your semester started smoothly. Read my upcoming book to learn more about online classes. -Dr. Y 

Are you spending too much time checking social media? Are you prone to texting and answering personal phone calls while studying? Do you find that a lot of time has passed while you aimlessly browse the web? 

Time is a resource. Like our energy and money, time is a finite resource and as such, it needs to be effectively managed. Time management is about planning and controlling the amount of time you spend on specific tasks. The following are some of the important skills students need to manage time effectively.

What is time management?

It’s almost impossible to use time well if you don’t know what to do with it. Students can benefit from having short- and long-term goals. 

By assessing what needs to be achieved within a given timeframe, tasks can be rated according to their importance. Setting priorities for each day, week, month and year can help students accomplish their goals. 

Once priorities are set, it is important to have a plan for getting them done. Some students are naturally organized, and others need some help.

Nobody performs at their peak under excessive stress. Students need healthy ways to manage the pressures of study while maintaining productivity.

Time Management Tips for Online Students

Your hectic schedule, combined with daily distractions, can easily get in the way of finishing tasks. The best online students know how to set aside time to focus. 

1. Plan ahead

Consider purchasing a calendar or planner you can use to plan your daily and weekly assignments. 

2. Don’t multitask

Focus on one assignment at a time and zero in on the specific task at hand, 

3. Set up your virtual office

Whether you study at home or your local café, it is important to work in the optimal setting needed to complete your work. 

4. Block out distractions

Make sure to avoid surfing the web excessively. 

Enrolling in an online degree program is a great way to further your education and ultimately advance in your career, but it is up to you to take charge of your learning so you can get the most out of your classes.

Now that you got the idea of what time management is, I hope you will plan your schedule and get started. To learn more on how to plan your day as a student, do refer to my upcoming book. -Dr. Y

What is a college assignment?

An assignment is a broad term, which encompasses various types of projects. Your professor or lecturer may request an essay, research paper, lab report, case study, oral presentation, programming assignment, and many other formats of academic writing. 

One way is knowing how to develop your writing

As a university student, you will frequently write lecture notes and essays, which is quite different from your general writing. I have taught academic writing most of my teaching years at the university. Here are some helpful tips to tackle your writing tasks:

1. Learn Academic Writing Skill – you need to write your essay in academic style and your lecturer expects that you possess this skill in the first semester.  You may attend a workshop to develop your academic writing skill if your university does not provide the writing class in time. Nowadays, most universities offer a pre-sessional English class that teaches academic writing and oral presentation skills for foundation year or pre-university and first year students when the first semester starts. 

2. Write the first draft – use a word processor and get your ideas down with a structure that includes an Introduction, Body and Conclusion. Use the outline as a guide. Provide the thesis statement in the introduction, and in each new paragraph include the topic sentence relevant to what you’re going to write in that paragraph. Use the supportive evidence you have gathered to support your main points.  You do not have to write the first draft perfectly. Do proofread and edit your draft for spelling, grammatical errors, word usage, and organization of points when done. 

3. Prepare the final draft – you may revise a few more drafts before the final draft.  Proofread and edit the final draft as you did in your previous drafts, and this time making sure that it complies with the rules such as format, word count, front cover, and so on. Submit your assignment before the deadline. 

If it is a group assignment, make sure all the team members complete their part to compile each section of the essay. In the past, I introduced Wiki to my students for group collaborative writing and created a discussion forum. But now, you have more useful apps like Google and Zoom, and download them on your phone to make studies a lot easier.

Reading and presentation skills are as important as writing. Refer to my upcoming book for more steps on tackling your assignments. -Dr. Y

Group work is one of the most common types of student collaboration. It’s also complicated and messy and never quite works out as well as we’d like. Some students feel like they’re doing most of the work. Others feel left out. Motivation wanes. 

Here are tips to being an effective group member:

Ways to work with others

● Respect the time of team members and show up in all meetings on time.

● Respect the opinions of team members, listen, take turns, and share your ideas.

● Support each other, share responsibilities, and play your part in keeping the group running smoothly and focused.

● Use technology for communication and discussion with team members outside campus (e.g., Skype, Google Chat, Google Docs, Wiki, LMS, emails, etc.). During the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities offer online classes, and students are studying from home.

● If someone in your group is either lazy or incompetent, do not judge on the standard of their work. Instead, ask them if they have problems with the task and offer a solution with the rest in the team.

● If someone suggests something you don’t quite understand or agree with, you can ask them to clarify or offer other suggestions.

Some students prefer to work on their own and against working in a group. This is not the case when you are studying at the university. You will be assigned to work in a group project as part of the assessment.

When working with other people, you have to contribute and allow others to contribute to the work. This is called collaborative learning. Being able to work effectively in groups is also a lifetime skill in the workforce.

I hope the tips give you an insight on team collaboration. For more strategies, refer to my new book. -Dr. Y 

Final exams and semester-end papers are among the most challenging aspects of the college experience.

There is so much to learn, keep organised, and remember as you head into finals. Applying effective study tips can help reduce stress and increase your grade point average. 

Here’s how to prepare for your exams with two of the five easy steps of study tips as shown in my new book that help you conquer your finals.

Step 1: Make a timetable or plan

Make a timetable or a daily planner. Plan which subject topics you will study on which days. List tasks involved. 

Here’s what you need to do:

• Buy a daily planner or something similar. You can also use a basic notebook or desktop calendar.
• Program your schedule into your smartphone or computer.
• Download the Power Planner app which is very useful.
• Only plan for a week at a time first, until you've figured out how your schedule works.
• Prioritise studying for approaching exams. Divide all of your studying up into the limited amount of time you have and spread the material out over the time you have before a given exam.
• Prioritise your weakest subjects or courses that you’re determined to ace.

Step 2: How do you revise?

Effective revision is not something that can be rushed. The earlier you start and the more organised you are, the greater your chance of success. 

Find out the format for your exam as this will determine how much of the syllabus you need to revise. There are various revision techniques including flashcards, past papers, mindmaps, group work and recording yourself talking and playing it back. 

It’s a good idea to have a routine with your revision where you aim to start and finish at roughly the same time each day. To learn the rest of the strategies in preparing for your exams, get a copy of my new book. -Dr. Y

Not everyone needs a straight-A result as most of us are average people. We don’t have to strive too hard to achieve a top score beyond our ability, but if you are determined to be successful, you will study smart to pass the exams and graduate.

Your focus should be the process, the journey towards your goal, not the product or the result itself. Here are two of the six steps to study more effectively and remember what you learn.

1. Study the material repeatedly in different ways

Research shows that different media stimulate different parts of the brain. The more areas of the brain that are activated, the more likely it is that you’ll understand and retain the information. Read, listen, write and say it to remember what you learn, such as a text, a term, a formula, and so on. For instance, to learn a specific topic, you can do the following:

- Read the lecture notes, recommended textbooks and journals

- Look up online resources like videos and podcast on the topic

- Create a mind map on the topic

- Teach someone what you’ve learned about the topic in a peer group

Of course, you won’t be able to do all of these things in one sitting, but you can do it at different revision times.

2. Take notes by hand instead of typing on your laptop

Even when laptops are used only for note-taking, learning is less effective (Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014).  Why? It’s because students who take notes by hand tend to process and reframe the information.

In contrast, laptop note-takers tend to write down what the lecturer says word-for-word, without first processing the information. Therefore, students who take notes by hand perform better in tests and exams as they are able to remember more on what they learn.

As a general rule, the more senses you involve and the wider variety of methods you use while studying, the more you remember.

William Glasser, author and expert in the field of education, says that, “Students learn 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, 50% of what they see and hear, 70% of what is discussed with others, 80% of what they experience personally, and 95% of what they teach to someone else.”

As you prepare for a test, do as many practice questions as you can from different sources. For further guides on how to remember what you learn, get a copy of my book Be A Graduate to learn more and jump-start your new semester. -Dr. Y

A relationship can vacillate between being a source of support and being an additional source of stress. Being a student, it is important for you to identify where a particular relationship falls on the stress-support continuum and to set boundaries accordingly in order to prevent decline in your study. 

How healthy is your relationship?

Consider the following questions for all of your relationships.

Balance

· Do you both maintain and respect healthy boundaries?

· Do you both feel free to express an opinion?

· Does your relationship allow for change and growth?

· Does your relationship get in the way of your study, work, or other commitments?

Trust

· Are you honest with each other?

· Are you able to be yourself when you are together?

· Does your partner/family member/friend say one thing but mean another?

· Can you depend on each other?

Respect

· Do you treat each other with respect and kindness?

· Is either of you overly negative or critical?

· Has either of you ever acted in a threatening manner?

· Do either of you have a problem controlling anger?

· Do you argue on a regular basis?

· Do either of you have a problem with alcohol or drugs?

Remember that in a relationship, happiness always comes first. To make each other happy you must not stop each other achieving your individual goals, and make sure you build your own separate, fulfilling lives. Your partner should improve your life, not be your life, and vice versa. Having a supportive network of family and friends can also help us to be positive​ when we go about our daily life.

To learn more about how to maintain healthy relationships as a student, and what kind of people you should be avoiding, get a copy of my new book today. -Dr. Y 

College is a time of dramatic changes. For some students, it’s the first time that they’re independently living on their own with the responsibility to finally take charge of their own life. College courses are also much more difficult than any other previous schooling, leading to burning midnight oil to study and huge amounts of stress. 

We know that eating a balanced diet, exercising and getting plenty of rest are key to maintaining good health. However, that can seem to be an impossible task while in college. Frequently, the appeal of sweets, fast food, caffeine and alcohol outweigh healthy options when you’re in the company of friends or under stress from coursework.

Here are some important tips which are easy to follow in 3 main categories to maintain an energetic and healthy student lifestyle.

1. Nutrition 

Eat a variety of nutritious foods. Your body actually needs more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and there is not one single source for them.  Your daily food selection should include a balance of good carbs, protein, fruits, veggies, and dairy products. 

2. Fitness and stress management

Sleep at least eight hours a night.  Not every student consistently gets eight hours of sleep a night.  As a student, sleep often seems more like a luxury than a necessity. Research shows that if you get enough sleep, you’ll be more focused, you’ll learn faster, and your memory will improve.  You’ll also be able to deal with stress more effectively. So, sleep at least eight hours a night. This way, your study sessions will be more productive and you won’t need to spend as much time hitting the books.

3. Social health

Get involved and meet people in a positive environment. Social health involves one's ability to form satisfying interpersonal relationships with others. It also relates to the ability to adapt comfortably to different social situations and act appropriately in a variety of settings. Often the adjustment to college can be difficult, especially when students are leaving the support from their parents they received for a lifetime. Joining a religious organisation, volunteering at the orphanage, or helping in some other form of charity can give pleasure to many people.

Living in a new norm of the covid19 pandemic, it is vital for everyone, especially students to learn how to cope with their daily routine and study. To read more of the above three categories of healthy living, get 'Be A Graduate' on hardcover or paperback, available online and at major bookstores, and ebook in most online platform globally. -Dr. Y

We all encounter the stresses of daily life, and college students in particular struggle with the adjustment to busy schedules and deadlines demanded from overwhelming courses and exams. The continuous pressure to achieve quickly during our early years of adulthood, leads to college student stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges.

College depression: What parents and teachers need to know?

College depression is not a specific diagnosis. It is depression that happens during college mostly due to anxiety from the new routine, being independent, disoriented, heavy assignments, working with others, peer pressure, parent’s expectation, unsupportive teachers, money issues, relationships, and exam stress.

Depression is a mood disorder that causes sadness and loss of interest for at least two weeks or longer. It is not just a bout of the blues or a sign of weakness, and you cannot just simply "snap out" of depression.

Some of the signs and symptoms that a student might be experiencing depression during college include:

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
• Irritability, frustration and even angry outbursts, out of proportion to the situation
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as hobbies or sports
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort

Depression might get worse if it is not treated. Untreated depression can lead to other mental and physical health issues or problems in college and other areas of life. 

How to prevent from attempting suicide? 

If you feel suicidal, give yourself the opportunity to express your own feelings, speak aloud that can provide relief from loneliness and pent-up negative feelings, and doing so may prevent a suicide attempt. I know you don’t want to die and nobody really wants to kill themselves. Before anything happens, speak to somebody, listen to an audiobook by Louise Hay, or watch an inspirational video on YouTube that can help you change your mind. 

To learn more of the signs and symptoms of depression, and the causes of students' anxiety, refer to my book 'Be A Graduate'. You can get it from major online bookstores worldwide or your local bookstores. -Dr. Y

During college, the biggest worries students face should be studying for their next exam, and the big party they'll throw when it's finished. However, a lack of funds may force highly motivated and successful students to take a semester off or even drop out of their college.

There are resources available everywhere and students have to be resourceful because it is the lack of resourcefulness that causes people to fail. Resourcefulness means having the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties. You are never short of resources. The dream is not the problem - it’s the dreamer, and that’s YOU!

It is not unusual for even the best high school students to find themselves struggling in college. Most colleges and universities provide academic support programs to help students succeed.

You should seek assistance as soon as you receive poor grades or feel that you are falling behind. If all the other students seem to know what they are doing and you are still confused by the third or fourth lecture, it is time to take action.

Speak to your lecturer or the college counselor if it is related to your grades. If they are not helpful, you can discuss with your parents, siblings, coursemates or close friends. 

Mindfulness, an important life skill that is not taught in school. The easiest formula for us to follow and practise is being mindful and living in the present. Mindfulness practices can help us to increase our ability to regulate emotions, decrease stress, anxiety and depression.

Here's a list of exceptional ‘resources’ for college students:

• A Vision for Success
• Make a Vision Board
• Prayers
• Meditation
• Support Services and Resources

Remember, always be thankful and show gratitude with what you have and whom you’re with. Good or bad. Say ‘thank you’ to God or the universe everyday and any time of the day, even though you have not received what you’re aiming for, or not being treated how you hope for. Good things will come to those who show their gratitudes even before they see and receive them.

To read further on how to be resourceful, get a copy of 'Be A Graduate'. -Dr. Y