Summer courses are different from your average semester course as the material is condensed into five to six weeks. If you plan to take a summer course you may worry about how you will manage everything on your plate. No fear! The Office of Summer and Winter Programs knows exactly how to help. Here are four tips on how to ace your summer course:
1. Learn Time Management
With the pressures of making the most of summer, you still want to allow time for all the activities you have planned. With that being said, be sure to mark any important dates for your course including deadlines, major assignments, and exams. Then add any events you have coming up, work shifts, trips, and fun plans you have coming up. This will give you a clear picture of all that’s going on. You can devote time to prepare for all the summer activities you have coming up as well as balancing your academics.
2. Find Your Study Method
Finding a study method that works for you may be challenging but is 100% possible. Developing good study habits can set you up for success in both your summer course and throughout your college career. Depending on the courses you take you may also need to study in various ways. Although one fact remains certain for all study sessions, the brain is more effective at absorbing and retaining information if you have multiple, shorter study sessions than if you cram everything in all at once. Here are various study methods that you can try out:
- The SQ3R Method
- Active Recall
- Spaced Repetition
- Pomodoro Study Method
- Color Coded System
- Mind Mapping
3. Take Good Notes
When it comes to summer courses, they operate on a more compressed schedule where note-taking skills are crucial to studying. Your notes will guide you throughout the course, especially when it comes down to exams. Being able to look back on what you’ve learned in the duration of the course allows for the material you’ve learned to stick in your mind.
4. Take Plenty of Breaks and Enjoy Your Summer
Although taking a summer course may feel overwhelming, we are here to remind you that taking a break is still important. This is the perfect time to get ahead however, be sure to enjoy the warm weather and relax. Do activities that take your mind away from the courses you’re taking and come back to your academic assignments with a clear mind and a focused perspective.