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Let’s face it, lectures are not for everyone. People learn in different ways, and for some people sitting and listening is not the way they learn best. Your first year and much of your second year of college consists of a lot of lecture style classes. Once you get into your major program that may change though. Have you ever gotten bored in one of these classes? Has your mind ever wandered during one of these classes? Have you fallen alseep durin one of these classes? If so, then lecture classes may not be the best learning enviornment for you. However, you still have to take these classes and actually learn the information. The question is how will you get through these classes with decent grades? With a little creativity, you can get through it! Here are some suggestions to try out.
- Make your notes colorful- Some people are more visual learners, and others need their brains to to switch thinking more often than others. Taking colorful notes could help out both of these kinds of students. Go to the store and grab a box of pens that come in a variety of different colors. When you are in class taking notes, change the color of pen you are using when the professor brings up different topic. This helps you stay focused on what is being said, because you have to make the connection that a new topic is being brought up. It also brings a change in the class to help your brain to make a switch, which can help you stay focused.
- Make your doodles significant- Many students like to doodle when they are in class. I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with doodling as long as it isn’t distracting you from what your professor is saying. I like to doodle, and I remember when I was in middle school a teacher noticed that I was doodling random things onto my notes. She decided that she was going to catch me not being focused in front of the whole class by asking me a question over what she had just said. When she asked me the question I gave her the right answer. Surprised at this she told the class that she doesn’t mind if we were doodling as long as if we could answer questions over what she was teaching. It was great proving her that doodling wasn’t always a sign of not listening. If you can doodle random things and still retain the information from the teacher, then keep on doing what you are doing. It is a good chance that your doodling may be helping your listening skills. However, if you like to doodle but find that you are struggling in class you can still doodle I just have a different way you can do it. One way to doodle in class is make your doodles relevant to what is being taught. If you are learning about the war of 1812, then draw some soldiers battling and put the information around the picture. If you are learning about Pavlov in psychology class, draw a picture of his famous experiement. To get your doodles done, you have no choice but to listen to the information that is being presented to you. It also makes studying for exams more fun as you will literally be studying doodles and cartoons.
- Feeling sleepy? Get some caffeine and sit up front!- Is there a class that you have a hard time staying awake in? I think most students can think of at least one class that they have had a hard time listening to, even staying awake in. What do you do? First of all, a little caffeine before class goes a long way. It doesn’t have to be soda or coffee though, a healthier option would be green tea. If it is a long class bring a little more of your coffee, pop, tea, or whatever you choose to get you through it. When in class sit at the front of the room. You will be less likely to let yourself fall alseep if your professor is standing right in front of you.
- Try to do your reading before class for a change- I know that it is hard to get all the readings done for your classes, but you need to try to get as much read before class as possible. Usually the reading that the professors want you to have completed before the lecture is the content that they will be teaching that day. If you have a little understanding of the topic for the day, it makes the class a little more interesting. If you are totally pressed for time and you can’t get the reading done, at least skim the material. Even that can help you the next day in class.
- If your professor puts material on Carmen, print it out and take it to class- If you have a professor that uploads the PowerPoints onto Carmen before it is taught in class, take some time to look through the material and print it out. Now all you have to do is add anything extra in your notes that your professor presents and highlight important points that are on your printed PowerPoint.
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That’s about all I got for right now. Do you have any specific ways that you get through lecture classes? Do those ways help you with your grades at all? If so, feel free to leave a comment! I would love to hear some feedback. Have a great week and continue to work hard, less than three weeks until finals! Good luck!
Best Wishes,
Christina Russell
Second Year Student