Best Study Habits for Students on the Go

Between college courses, internships, jobs, and extracurricular activities, life is pretty busy for the average college student.  Carving out time for a proper study session is more difficult than one would think.  Fortunately, there are ways around set study times, which might be even more effective than lengthy study marathons.  If you’re one of those students who are constantly on the move, then take a look at the best study habits for students on the go.

Flashcards Are Your Friends

Remember how you used flashcards in elementary school to help you with your spelling, or to help you learn a definition or a formula?  Well, now that you’re in college you can become friends with flashcards again, as using the flashcard technique can help you learn while you’re out and about.  If you find yourself on public transportation or waiting in line, pull out those handy dandy flashcards and start reviewing.  Treating flashcards like a game, will always make learning difficult subjects fun and will facilitate subject retention.

Study In Short Intervals

Make use of your time, by studying in short intervals.  Just like working out or sprinting in short intervals is effective for your fitness and health, doing the same with your study habits is just as effective on your brain and mental well-being  Keeping study sessions short, helps you retain what you are learning, because you are focusing on a few topics at one single time.

Learn by Listening

Another best study habit for students that has proven to be quite effective is using books on tape or recording yourself dictating definitions or pertinent information.  Set aside some quite time, and read your notes into a digital tape recorder.  As you go about your day, put on your headphones and listen to your recording.  You are always listening to sounds or music in your environment or surroundings, so why not incorporate your studies into that beautiful sound?!

Learn Study Shortcuts

A tried and true, as well as effective, study hack is using “practice” exams as a study tool.  Practice exams are helpful for busy students, because they get down to the nitty gritty of what is truly important to learn, retain, and recall for an exam.  Put together a spiral notebook with practice exams, and work on the exams while you’re commuting, eating lunch, or waiting in line.  When you begin to learn the pattern of what is on an exam, then you begin to understand what type of information you should be seeking to learn and study in the future.

Being a college student isn’t an easy task, especially with all of the demands placed upon you in this modern age.  Incorporating these best study habits for students into your daily routine should definitely help you with your studies and overall grades.  However, if you find yourself struggling, don’t hesitate to ask a friend, classmate, or professor for help or advice.  You can also reach out to tutoring services, for one-on-one tutoring or homework question help.  Fortunately, there are many options for you to succeed in college; your success is in your hands and at your reach.