University of Virginia Health System

Many of the skills you began to develop in high school will be put to work for you in higher education. Perhaps the most important of these is time management. You get to choose what you do with your day and your night-no parent or teacher is there to tell you when to get up, eat, bathe, study, play, take your vitamins, meet the teacher, look for a job, join a club. Your decision to manage your time effectively can make all the difference in how you survive mid-term and final examination periods, and at points when you are scheduled to take one of the major national tests.

If you are uncomfortable with how to proceed on your own, avoid unnecessary stress by inquiring as to whether your college has a learning center (which is what they are called in most colleges). The skilled professionals in such offices can help you lessen any tension or anxiety you might experience about taking important exams. If this service is not available, here are some activities that can help you avoid being over-stressed about your work and approach exam time with a positive attitude.

• Ask yourself what you want to accomplish this term. Set some realistic goals for yourself that reflect how you will utilize your time in order to reach those goals. For example, take a sequenced and balanced course load so that you take prerequisites first. Don't overload yourself in one area such as labs or writing courses, and don't take more than the recommended number of course hours.

• Explore the resources that your school provides to support you. Go to office hours and review sessions whether they are with the instructor or the teaching assistant. There you will have the opportunity to discuss points raised in class, or ask questions about material that can be clarified in a one-on-one interaction.

• Think about where you do your best work-maybe your dormitory is not conducive to intensive studying. Is the library better, or is there a special place where you concentrate best?

• Allow time for fun and chores.

• Set priorities! Set priorities!

• Space your study and preparation time so that you are not overburdened at a crucial time. Construct a "can do" schedule. Make daily calendars as well as calendars for the whole academic period. This way you can note the due dates for papers and exam dates. Avoid putting things off that you have to do. One of the big dilemmas for college students seems to arise when major papers are due at the same time you are preparing for a major exam. A plan that earmarks priorities will help you make more effective use of your time. List tasks you have to do for a week or two weeks, so you can anticipate what needs to be done. You may prefer to plan your time daily or weekly instead of hourly. Do what works for you. With priorities, you will do the most important item first.

You are probably thinking that these points are ideal for the perfect student but won't work for you. A perfect student may only be in the eyes of the beholder. But when you let yourself get behind or put things off, you can run into a last minute crunch that would not make you a happy camper.

Maybe there is another way to achieve what is needed for your courses. Have you tried studying with a group or even one other person to get a different view? Have you developed the kind of schedule that includes free time to socialize or exercise? In the planning of your schedule, you should list activities you want to do as well as activities you have to do!

Rather than cramming all your studies into a little bit of time, spread your study hours out over several days so that you can understand and know the material. Be sure you have allowed quality time to prepare well.

• If you have been going to class and doing the reading and other assignments, you know what to expect for the exam. That way there will be no surprises. You know the concepts and skills the course sought to develop.

• Discuss coursework with fellow students.

• Review work as you go along. Ask questions when you need clarification on the materials or assignments. Summarize what you need to know based on readings, lectures, and class notes. Organize and jot down thoughts for essay questions.

• Practice problem solving; evaluate the features of types of problems and strategies for solving them.

• If "old" tests or study questions are available (sometimes instructors give students access to these materials through hand-outs, office hours, or through the library or study center), use them for review by answering all the questions. If you do not understand how responses on specific items are derived, ask the instructor or teaching assistant.

• Some tension is normal.

• Try not to fall into the all-nighter trap.

• Relax. Make time to relax. Try to keep your regular eating and exercise routine.

• Keep a positive and open attitude that you can do well.

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