In many ways, university is not like high school. Classes are larger, labs are longer, and finals are worth more. In a world where professors eat first years for breakfast, it’s important to realize early on that change requires adaptation. Quite possibly, the methods you used to get into university may not be the ones that will keep you here.

Learn to Summarize

During your lectures, you don’t want to worry about whether or not something the professor said was important or not. You also don’t want to waste time writing down every word they say. One of the most important skills you are going to have to learn is doing “live summaries” of your lectures. In other words, “make notes don’t take notes.” Instead of simply writing down everything that you hear, listen to the content and made a summary. This will save you time and will actually help you learn the material, because it forces your brain to make connections and actually understand the material before you write it down.

Study Early, Study Often

One of the biggest mistakes is never leaving enough time to prepare for a midterm or final. In the first few weeks, university can feel like it runs pretty slowly. You may even feel like you have nothing to do for your classes, but that all changes when October comes along and suddenly you have hundreds of deadlines headed your way. Don’t be the kid that’s up till 5am cramming for a 930am midterm! Start early. Try setting reminders to study or start your day by making a to-do list so you can grasp the reality of your workload. Review your notes every few days to stay on top of the material!

Test Yo’self

Verifying your knowledge of the subject material is crucial to your success. While reading your notes over and over again is good review, it doesn’t ensure that what’s on the page sticks in your brain. Start by making a fill-in-the-blank test to assess your basic recall ability of all the important terms. When you feel confident enough, take things to the next level. Pull out a blank piece of paper and clear everything off your desk. Write out everything you know about the topic you are studying. When you are done, compare your sheet to your class notes and identify anything you missed or explained incorrectly. This method simulates a test environment because it stimulates free recall and reasoning for problem-solving.

Study in Groups

Group learning can be exciting, especially when you are among friends. However, you should be careful not to study in a group when you are not very familiar with the material, because you might end up hiding behind the knowledge of your peers who are more prepared than you. You want to be able to share ideas with your peers and make connections that you might not have otherwise seen while studying alone. If you go into a group study session without any prior knowledge, it may be a waste of time.  In that case, studying on your own would be a more time-efficient alternative.

Listen to Music

Listening to 18th century classical music while you study has shown to excite areas of the brain involved in paying attention, according to researchers at Stanford University researchers. While the genre of music you should listen to during study sessions is not limited to classical music, you can be distracted if the music contains lyrics or it’s a song you love singing along.

Take Breaks

Don’t feel like you have to study for hours on end! Sometimes, all we can handle is an hour here or there. As you take the time to study often, the length of time you study for in one sitting becomes less important. In fact, taking breaks is beneficial because it allows you to come back to a subject with a fresh mind, making you more likely to catch mistakes.  Take a 20-minute nap to refresh yourself or go on a quick walk to get your blood pumping. Over time, you will find your own ways of refocusing.