It’s not unusual to feel nervous about your first mid-term or exam at the university level. Many students are surprised that the level of effort required to achieve top marks in high school often translate into poor grades in university. In university, your schedule may vary widely depending on the day. You may start early in the mornings on Mondays and Wednesdays, but have night classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Whatever your schedule, it is essential to be strategic in planning your study time. If you have a two hour gap between classes, use this time to study on campus. It will be easier to do it during the day than at night where there are more social events.
Increased independence is one of the perks of being in university, but many students find it difficult to keep up-to-date with readings and assignments. Many professors will not test you every class, but simply expect that you’re keeping current with the expectations laid out in the syllabus. Skipping this work can lead to overwhelming stress at exam time. Attempting to learn all of the concepts at once in a short period of time is not conducive to your best work. Instead, try to keep up to date with all readings and assignments and take notes you can refer to when it’s time to study. Studying is about reminding yourself about a lesson, not learning it for the first time.
Similarly, it is very important to attend classes regularly. Many professors don’t take attendance, so there may be nothing stopping you from skipping classes. But classroom interaction is a very important part of the learning process. The lectures your professor gives will make concepts easier to understand. Most professors will allow students to ask questions, allowing clarification about any aspects of the lesson that may have been confusing. Even if you may not be brave enough to speak out in class yourself, hearing the questions and opinions of your fellow classmates can be useful as well. In addition, professors often give hints as to what areas to focus on come exam time, but if you skipped class that day, you’re out of luck.
It’s very important to hone your time management skills now that you’re in university. While achieving your degree is your primary purpose for being at university, it’s important to find a balance with social activities as well.
Keep focused on the habits you need to cultivate to achieve your goals, and the transition from high school to university will be a smooth one.