Study Tips and Habits For School, College, University Textbooks

Now that you've spent all that money on textbooks, tuition and all the other expenses you didn't even think about, make sure you get value for your investment of time, too. Here are some things to keep in mind to help you make the most of the hours you spend cracking the books. Remember to use a book finder for those cheap college textbooks.How: Give your brain a break. The most effective way to study is in blocks of 20 to 50 minutes followed by a break of five to 10 minutes to rest your mind. While studying, ask yourself questions and review your notes regularly. Make a note of key concepts that you can discuss later with other class members and your professor.When: Daylight hours are best. It's been said that an hour of studying during the day is worth two at night. Do the work that requires the most concentration, typically reading, earliest in the day. That's when you're most likely to be rested and alert, making it easier to stay focused. Rushed, last-minute studying is usually not very effective. You'll make it easier on yourself if you put together a schedule. Be sure to include time for other activities too, to reward yourself when you've completed your work.What: In allotting your study time, you should place the highest priority on the classes that are most challenging for you. The order in which you rank the difficulty of your classes may change as the term progresses, so be flexible, particularly when you're approaching mid-terms and finals. By the way, you'll discover that if you study regularly, and stick to your schedule, those two critical junctures will be much less stressful.Where: Theoretically you can study anywhere, but be honest with yourself. While it's true that some people may be able to block out distractions and maintain their concentration in the middle of a rock concert, most people can't. Give yourself the best opportunity to benefit from your study time. That usually means finding somewhere that's relatively quiet and where your friends can't find you for a while. Better yet, you find them and make them help you study.Why: This could be the most important, yet most overlooked tip of all. It's easy to get distracted by the party down the hall or the big game coming up this weekend. But when you remember why you're here, why you're in school, and why this is important to your future, you help yourself stay focused. Remember that your future is created, not by what you do tomorrow, but by what you do today. So go hit the cheap textbooks deal finders!