7 Habits to Start for Better Grades in University

Written By: Ben Dela Cruz

Concept: Flor Angela Diaz

Sit Near the Front

It may be tempting to sit near the back, and I’ve done that myself for the majority of first year, but sitting near the front of class keeps you more engaged. The professor is right in front of you and you won’t be looking at everyone else’s computer screens.

Watch Lectures at Twice Speed

Sometimes, professors will give you videos to watch, either as a lecture or to prepare you for a lecture. Go to the “playback speed” menu on the video player and set it to 2x. They’ll go by quicker and you won’t lose interest or zone out after only two minutes. If it ever goes too fast, rewind it and slow down to take it in, then go back to 2x speed for the rest.

Switch Up Your Study Environment

If you ever feel stuck, tired, or just really unproductive, pack up your stuff and set up

somewhere else. The quick walk will clear your mind and reset your energy and you can get a fresh start. University campuses are big places, there’s always another spot to study somewhere.

Never Pull an All-Nighter

Okay, so maybe there was that one guy who “learned the entire course the night before,” but you still need 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep is where your brain actually consolidates your memory, moving it from short-term to long-term storage. Reviewing material at night can help if your brain processes it as you rest, but skipping sleep completely and usually hurts more than it helps. No one writes their best exam when they’re thinking of their mattress.

Review, Review, Review

Lectures are designed primarily to be an introduction to course concepts. They start you off on what you need to know to pass the exam, but just knowing what to do is far from being able to actually do it. Don’t tell yourself that going to every lecture makes you an expert. Reviewing your notes and practicing applying the lecture concepts are what really hammers in your knowledge. University is not high school; the majority of your learning happens outside of class, so be sure to take time outside of lectures to make sure you actually learn the material.

Practice Exams

That’s it. That’s the tip. Practice or past exams are some of the greatest tools at your disposal. They’re usually the closest thing to the real exam format, and professors will often re-use questions from them on the real thing. Just don’t work on them before you know everything; while they can teach you the material, they’re better used to really drive it home.

Take Breaks

Non-stop studying for hours on end can feel like a good idea, but sometimes you need to let your brain get some real rest and tackle your problem with a fresh mind. It may seem counterintuitive, but four hours of studying with a one-hour break can be much more productive than six hours of studying non-stop. Just keep yourself accountable and don’t accidentally spend three hours watching reels.

These are the tips that worked for me, and many of the most successful university students I know. Give it a try for a semester, and see the difference! Hope this helps.