Reading to Learn
- Voleake Heng -
What: Make reading worthwhile by making it stick in your brain!
How: When reading, I look up the definition of main terms that I don’t understand and ask questions about sections that I don’t understand. I actively read by writing summaries or the main points after finishing half a page.
Why: With three or four classes, my reading load adds up. It would be very difficult to keep up with my reading if all I did was read the same thing over and over again because I didn’t understand it. That’s why it’s important for me to actively read by highlighting main ideas or things I don’t understand. To accomplish this, I can’t procrastinate; I have to make time to comprehend what I’m reading.
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Preparing for College
- Voleake Heng -
What: Learn to manage your time.
How: Plan out your schedule and plan specific times for you to do your homework, relax, exercise, work, and anything else you have to do.
Why: It is difficult to adjust to the college lifestyle because since kindergarten, you’ve had a planned schedule with classes back to back. Now that you pick your own schedule, you may have large gaps and it is your responsibility to use your free time wisely. You have to make sure you schedule in studying so you can pass your classes.
Sign up for CLAS Time Management workshops on MyCLAS.
No More Test Anxiety!
-Morgan Tibbetts-
What: Use the Examinator test pacing watch when practicing for exams and during exams.
How: Purchase an Examinator watch online through Amazon.com or Examinator.com. Make sure to practice using this watch during practice tests before you take an in-class exam. There are settings that allow people to view a countdown of how many minutes are left on the test, what number you should be on, and a vibration signal either a fourth or half of the way through the exam.
Why: I used to become so anxious that I would run out of time during exams. So, I purchased the Examinator watch. This helps me manage my time during tests. This watch does not make any noises, thus it can be used during testing. You plug into the watch: the number of questions on the exam, the allotted time to complete the exam, and the time when you would like to receive a notification (a vibration that the watch makes) during the exam. Before I had the Examinator, I would run out of time at the end of tests and would have to guess on several questions. To complete questions correctly, you need to know what number you should be on and how much time is left. This is exactly what the Examinator does.
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Daily Scheduling
- Morgan Tibbetts -
What: Write your daily schedule on a piece of paper.
How: Obtain any size sheet of paper (I use index cards), a pencil, your class schedule, and your class assignments. Cell phones or other devices with a “To Do app” can also be used. Write down or type your starting time and ending time for each assignment or activity you will be accomplishing in one day. Once you completed the task, check-mark that activity and move onto the next.
Why: This method of organizing helps me know what I have to accomplish in one day. It is such a rewarding feeling to check-off a task and move onto the next. It is very easy to fall behind in college because students are extremely busy. Time management is key to having a successful college career.
Sign up for CLAS Academic Skills workshops on MyCLAS.
Schedule In Study Time!
- Juanna Zhai -
What: Schedule Grid
How: Using either an electronic (iCalendar or Microsoft Excel are great!) or paper planner, block out sections of time for lectures, sections, organization meetings, as well as sections of time dedicated to studying—for example, reading for a class, doing homework in between classes, and going over notes. Even block time for study breaks so that you won’t get overwhelmed by looking at a schedule of sheer work!
Why: This really helps you organize your day and minimizes room for distractions. By following a schedule with breaks included, you’ll feel organized but (hopefully) not too stressed, and if this is successful, it’ll prevent you from wasting a couple hours on Tumblr or Facebook and turning in last-minute rushed papers and homework.
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Stay Focused & Retain Information with Reading Notes!
- Jamie Greenberg -
What: Re-reading the previous chapters and taking notes instead of just skimming.
How: Figuring out the primary topic of each chapter or section and then using bullet points to jot down specifics.
Why: when I have a lot to do, I usually forget what I have just read, but if I focus on one subject at a time and take down notes while I’m reading then I retain the info much better!
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Organizing your time for an essay!
- Niki Freed -
What: Planning ahead in order to give yourself enough time to write the best essay possible!
How: As soon as your professor assigns your class an essay, go home and create a game plan for yourself. Give yourself a couple weeks. Schedule when you will start brainstorming ideas, creating an outline, writing your first draft, peer revising, going to your professor or TA during office hours for help, and finally completing your end product. Do not be the student who finishes the essay at 5 A.M., wrote it in a state of delusion, and relied on coffee to avoid the pillow. There is no way this paper will be sufficient as a college level assignment if completed the night (or even morning) before.
Why: When students do not give themselves the time to think about what they are going to write, all of their thoughts will be intertwined, unclear, and simply a complete mess. If you give yourself enough time, you can think clearly and really analyze the topic. Why stress out at the last minute when you can relax and succeed?
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Flashcard Mania!
- Niki Freed -
What: Making flashcards to study for tests.
How: Go over to the campus bookstore and pick up an array of 3x5 or 4x6 flashcards depending on the amount of information you will put on your card. Use one side of the card to write the term, and on the flip side, define the term. Make sure to include any information that the professor said is important.
Why: Writing down the information as you study on flashcards will help you remember what you studied. Then, when the exam approaches, you have the ability to review the terms and concepts in an organized and efficient way. The more you study the cards, the more success you will have! If you really like to be organized, go ahead and color code the cards into specific categories to help you better understand the material.
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Reviewing for Better Understanding!
- Kristina Trejo -
What: Reviewing the most important themes in a class.
How: I color-code my reading notes to show the main concepts from lecture and reading.
Why: This makes it easier for me to retain the information because I not only hear the information in lecture from the professor, but I also recall it when I review my reading notes. For me, repetition is key to my understanding of the material!
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- Nick DeTore -
How to cut your misery in half and double your happiness!
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Class with CLAS - Episode 29
- Diane O’Brien -
“Class with CLAS” is the radio show that helps people do school better. This week, host Colenn Berracasa talks with Diane O’Brien of UCSB Athletics about becoming the Executive Associate Athletics Director for Internal Affairs, holding the antiquated title of Senior Woman Administrator (SWA), how athletes can be successful at UCSB, being a student-athlete at a small liberal arts college in Iowa, why majoring in English is useful, raising a daughter who is a student-athlete, and the importance of valuing student-athletes for more than just their prowess in sports.
Listen to “Class with CLAS” on KCSB and on Gaucho Skills.
- Erin Gray -
If you get an F on a test…
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Class with CLAS, episode 28
- Dr. David Novak -
“Class with CLAS” is the radio show that helps people do school better. This week, host Colenn Berracasa talks with David Novak, UCSB Professor of Ethnomusicology, about working on the radio, becoming a professor, how parents can inadvertently influence career choices, learning to appreciate college only after dropping out and working in Japan, getting college credit for real world experience, studying abroad, what the deal is with ethnomusicology, how to behave in the academic world, the awesome/sucks dichotomy in the arts, a new take on going to section, and how to come up with an original argument for a college paper that professors will want to read.
Listen to “Class with CLAS” on KCSB and on Gaucho Skills.
- Ed Hachfeld -
How to study for the math portion of the GRE!
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- Ed Hachfeld -
In math it’s really important to read the question! Find out why.
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