5 Tips to Ace Your Summer Courses
As summer is just around the corner, you might be starting to think about your summer courses. Follow these tips to help you prepare and ace your summer courses!
1. Come up with a plan
Thinking about what you’ll do during the term before you register for a class is important, as there are restrictions for taking summer school, and just like the previous term, you want to make sure you’re taking something you’re really passionate about because you will be investing a lot of time and effort.
It’s also important to keep a calendar so you can manage your time and make sure that you purchase everything you need before the beginning of the term or within the first week. Your timetable should allow you to manage your workload with your social life and well-being.
Know the drop deadline for your summer course, with the expedited schedule it may come up sooner than you would think. For some students dropping a course too late can mean having to accept a fail.
2. Have a ‘SMART’ Goal
Students take summer school for different reasons - the most common one is making up for missed credits or simply just to graduate on time. It’s important that you are clear on your reasons at the very beginning of the term so that you know what it is you want to achieve.
Your goal could simply be passing the course to improve your studying techniques. Whatever it may be, if you set a goal it will help you to stay motivated when things get tough. Since you’ll be spending a lot of time and effort towards it anyways, you’ll feel like you’re working towards something and be able to measure your progress.
3. Learn To Manage Your Time
Taking summer school isn’t easy - it can be just as short as 6 weeks, the material is so compact that assessments are assigned very often, so often that you might even find it almost impossible to deal with all the deadlines whilst maintaining balance; and trust us, your term will finish in just a blink of an eye!
One approach to managing your time is by looking into your course outline to create a timeline for yourself, indicate clearly your exam dates and when assignments are due, this method will not only help you avoid falling behind, it will also help you be more efficient so you don’t get stressed out and eventually set yourself up for disappointment!
Another approach is to break your procrastination habit - stick to your own goals and the schedule you’ve created for yourself so you can do well; your Math homework won’t solve its own problems, unfortunately.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Just like any course, you’ve taken - it’s important to ask for help when you find the material difficult to understand. Both your instructor and TA are there to help you to better understand the material so that you can score higher on your tests. With the majority of students on vacation, and traditionally smaller class sizes the professor will likely have more time to help you!
5. Enjoy the Sun and Relax!
Taking summer school can be tough and exhausting, and you might feel like you’re ‘missing out’ but it’s important that you take a break from school to maintain a healthy lifestyle while working hard.
This is the perfect time to explore your campus if you haven’t already - a weekend trip or simply a night out with your besties won’t hurt your marks. Do some activities that you enjoy doing rather than just staying in your dorm studying and cramming all season.
6. Find your method of organizing studying materials
When I was in my first year at McMaster, I had to constantly keep switching between my laptop, notebooks, and binders to organize everything.
I didn’t think it would affect me that much, however, when it came to studying, it definitely left me frustrated when all my studying material was not organized or in order. Make sure everything is easily accessible to you in a convenient way so it doesn’t hinder your studying!
7. Use a website blocker on your phone and laptop
Are you someone who gets easily distracted by going on social media and other websites? An easy solution: use a website blocker. By adding a website blocker to your device, you won’t be able to easily access your “distractions”, forcing you to concentrate on studying.
8. Make a summary sheet to summarize important concepts
A cheat sheet is a good way to sum up all the most important concepts you need to know. Try limiting yourself to one sheet of paper, so you filter out all the unnecessary information. Things on your cheat sheet should include anything from theory to equations, depending on what course it is.
Even if your professor doesn’t allow a cheat sheet on your test or exam, you can still put it to good use by using it as a checklist before your test to ensure you know everything.
9. Search online
Never limit yourself to the lecture notes, problems and in-person help that your school offers. There is a ton of accessible material via the internet - practice tests, notes, videos, flashcards, textbook solutions and more! Even if you’re having difficulty solving a problem or understanding a concept, chances are, others have been in the same boat.
There are a ton of online resources like Wize that can teach you all you need to know before that test!
10. Deliberately make yourself uncomfortable while studying
Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. You’re in your favourite spot and then you start getting sidetracked because you’re just so comfortable. Putting yourself in a place of slight discomfort will prevent you from slipping back into that zone and keep you more aware of what you’re doing!
11. Choose your studying environment wisely
The setup of your study space can greatly affect your productivity rates. It can often be quite difficult to work in cluttered spaces, so take the time to choose a space where you have some room to yourself.
Also taking the time to figure out what kind of environments you can and can’t focus in is essential. Are you someone who can thrive in a noisy environment or needs the silence to better focus? Try studying in multiple environments to figure out which type you prefer.
Looking to study effectively? This video will help you take great notes online using Google Docs!
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