Some students spend so much time studying because they did not learn what was being taught in class the first time. If you follow these five tips, you will learn how to understand each lesson, so you will not have to put in extra time studying. This does not mean you will not have to study, but this will become a guide, so you can use your time more wisely. While you are in class, sit back and learn as much as you can, and you will almost certainly get better grades and have more free time.
1. If possible, try to sit near the front of the classroom to eliminate distractions. Most teachers will not have a problem accommodating you if you ask them to sit you in a specific location in order to help you focus.
2. Avoid distractions such as chatting with friends, looking around the room, doodling, dozing, or daydreaming. Keep busy by participating in the discussion, asking or answering questions, and taking notes.
3. Contribute to classroom discussions. Raising your hand and offering your thoughts or ideas will help the discussion progress, make the teacher notice that you are taking an active role in your education, and help you sort out what you do and don't know or fully understand. Try not to feel intimidated about raising your hand and answering questions. Start offering answers to questions or topics that you feel comfortable with and eventually this will become a habit. Eventually, you will build enough confidence to contribute on a regular basis.
4. Listen not only to what the teacher is saying but also to what your classmates are contributing to the discussing. You can learn a lot by listening to your peers, and sometimes hearing different people say things can make the lesson more memorable.
5. If you are in class and something doesn't make sense, make sure you get your questions addressed early. Ask in class, look through the textbook, attend office hours, or email your professor. Regardless of how you choose to address it, make sure you don't wait and let the confusion compound.
While you will still need to study, following these steps will prevent you from needing to bombard the teacher with questions right before the test, teaching yourself the material, and stressing for fear of not knowing what's going on. It will also help you know what parts you need to pay special attention to while studying and what parts you know you are confident in and can skip over. Become an active participant in class to streamline your study process, leaving more time for you to do your own activities.
