Page 218 - Keys to College Success

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STAY AWARE OF YOUR MONEY

Complete the following on paper or in digital format.
How good is your memory is when it comes to bills and due dates? Find out by answering the following questions. First,
create a hard-copy or digital table with headers as shown.

BILL EST. AMOUNT ACTUAL AMOUNT EST. DUE DATE ACTUAL DUE DATE

1. Off the top of your head, list your typical monthly bills, their estimated amount and estimated due date. Do this
quickly and do NOT worry if you are wrong.

2. Now go through your actual bills to f ll in the actual amount and actual due date. Then complete the following:
a. Name any bills you forgot to include in your f rst list.
b. For any bill where your estimate did not match the actual values, identify how far off you were in dollars and
whether your estimate was high or low.

The third part of when is how close to original learning. Because most forgetting
happens right after learning, the review that helps you retain information most effec-
tively happens close to when you first learn the material. If you can, review notes the
same day you took them in class, make an organizer of important information from a
text chapter shortly after you read it, or write a summary of a group study session
within 24 hours of the meeting.
The final part of when is when to stop. Take a break, or go to sleep, when your
body is no longer responding. Forcing yourself to study when you’re not focused won’t
reward you with increased retention, and may in fact
have detrimental effects.

Where
Where you study matters. As with time, consider your
restrictions first—there may be only so many places that
are available to you, close by, and open when you have
study time free. Also, analyze previous study sessions to
determine what places work best for you.
Many students like to study in a library. Your main
library may have a variety of possibilities such as quiet
rooms that don’t allow talking, social areas where
study groups can discuss materials, rooms where com-
puter terminals are available for research, and so on.
Also, keep in mind that many discipline-specific build-
ings have their own smaller libraries where you might
consider spending some study time.
Dorms or other living spaces (rooms or common Every campus has a variety of study locations available. Explore
areas) and outdoor areas can be useful study spots. outdoors and inside buildings to find your favorite spots.

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