How to Be Successful in College如何学业有成

麦肯齐·珀金斯

Nearly every college student detests cram sessions1. Intense， high-stress study sessions can have detrimental effects on both your GPA2 and your health. And while there’s no guaranteed roadmap to success in college， changing your study habits and adjusting your approach to your classes can make a big difference. The following tips are a great place to start.

Use two notebooks

Bring one notebook with you to class， and use it to scratch and scribble down everything you can. It doesn’t need to look neat—it doesn’t even need to be legible3. After class （within an hour or so）， transfer your notes to your second notebook. Take your time with these notes： highlight key points， mark subject areas your professor emphasized， look up definitions， and record questions for the next lecture.

The two-notebook method will help you retain information you might otherwise forget within days. Reviewing all the new material immediately after the lecture will keep it fresh in your mind. Plus， writing things down instead of typing them leads to better retention， according to the Scientific American.

Find a study buddy

Make friends with someone in your class during the first week of the semester and schedule a regular study session. During your study sessions， review complicated chunks of information and explain them to each other. Think of the process like storytelling—turn your homework into stories， and tell those stories to each other. In addition to making a new friend， you and your study buddy will keep each other accountable all semester long.

Get enough sleep

The importance of hydration， nutrition， and especially sleep cannot be overstated. Your ability to remember can drop by as much as 40 percent if you haven’t had adequate sleep. Aim to get adequate sleep as many nights as possible， and try to keep the same sleep schedule every night， even on weekends.

Know when you work best

Speaking of a sleep schedule， it’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all study schedule. There is plenty of research indicating benefits for both nighttime studying and early morning studying， so you shouldn’t feel pressured to maintain an uncomfortable schedule. As long as you are getting enough sleep and keeping up with your commitments， your schedule is up to you. If you work late at night， make sure to give yourself space and time to sleep in every morning （don’t sign up for 8 AM classes if you can help it）.

Not everyone is a morning person， and that is perfectly okay.

Try the pomodoro method

The Pomodoro Technique is a focusing method that relies on short bursts of intense work and plenty of breaks. To try the technique， set a timer for 25 minutes and work on a single task. When the timer rings， take a five-minute break， then set another 25 minute timer and get back to work. After four 25-minute intervals， take a longer break. You may find that the Pomodoro Method4 helps you get more done in a shorter period of time without feeling burnt out. Plus， short study breaks are known to improve concentration.

Optimize your learning style

Figure out your learning style， then adapt your study techniques to suit that style. Remember to experiment with a few strategies to find what works best for you. If none of the three primary learning styles5 feel like a great fit， you might benefit from a study strategy that combines two different styles.

Go to office hours6

And not just when you’re struggling. Open lines of communication with your professors early in the semester so that， when questions arise， your professor will know you have a vested interest in the class and the material. Developing strong relationships with faculty will also help you if you are considering applying for scholarships or you need letters of recommendation for graduate school.

Space out your studying

Spacing out7 your studying is beneficial for long term retention of the material. If you review your notes each day for 15 minutes， you’ll be able to retain what you learn in your classes for the long term. Try not to skip review days， or you risk losing what you have retained （especially if it’s new material）.

Sweat and study

There is a massive body of research that links exercise with good grades and improved learning and cognitive skills—especially if you exercise first and study second. If you are stuck in a study rut8 and your don’t have time to hit the gym， go for a quick walk. Fresh air and a change in environment will help you create connections and solve problems.

Change locations

If you’re struggling to focus in your study space， try studying in different locations. For some learners， a change in location builds stronger connections to the material that aren’t dependent on the location where they were originally learned; as a result， the information is more easily recalled later.

Consider a part-time job

If you’re having trouble managing your study time， you might think getting a job will only compound the problem. However， research suggests that students who work part-time jobs while in school tend to get better grades because the experience improves time management skills.                                                    ■

几乎所有大学生都讨厌恶补式的学习。高强度、高压的学习不仅会影响平均绩点，也不利于健康。在大学里取得成功并没有可靠的捷径，不过改变学习习惯与调整上课方式确实会行之有效。你可以从下面这些小建議做起。

使用两个笔记本

带上一个笔记本去上课，把听到的东西都匆匆记在上面。笔记可以不够整洁，甚至字迹潦草也无伤大雅。课后一小时左右，把笔记誊写到另外一个笔记本上。在这些笔记上多花一点时间：突出重点，把老师强调的主要内容做上标记，查找定义，并且记下下一堂课的问题。

使用双笔记本这一方法能够帮你保存信息，不然几天之后可能就会忘掉。下课以后，迅速复习所有新材料，能够让这些知识在大脑里保持鲜活。另外，根据《科学美国人》杂志的说法，比起打字，手写方式能够让你对相关知识的记忆持续更久。

找一个学习伙伴

开学第一周就在班内交上朋友，并且安排一个固定的学习时间。在学习过程中，重温那些难点，互相讲解。把这个过程看作讲故事——将家庭作业当作故事，然后把这些故事讲给对方听。你和学伴不仅成为新的朋友，还要在整个学期负责督促彼此的学习。

保证睡眠充足

及时补充水分，摄取足够营养，尤其要保证充足睡眠，其重要性如何强调都不过分。倘若睡眠不足，你的记忆力将会下降40%。应当力求每天睡眠充足，尽量做到每晚同一时间入睡，即便在周末也不例外。

找到最佳学习时间

说到睡眠时间，需要指出，并不存在一个人人适用的学习时间表。大量研究表明，清晨学习和夜间学习各有优势，所以你不应迫于压力维持一个令自己不适的日程。只要睡眠充足，并且能够如约完成要做的事，那么学习时间安排完全取决于自己。如果你工作到深夜，那就确保次日早上有地方好好睡一觉（可能的话，不要选早晨八点的课）。

并非人人都习惯早起，不早起完全没问题。

尝试“番茄工作法”

番茄工作法是一种保持专注的方法，表现为短时间高强度的工作和多频次休息。如果你想尝试这一工作方法，那就选择一项待完成的任务，将番茄钟设置为25分钟。番茄钟响铃时，休息5分钟，再重新设置一个25分钟的番茄钟，继续工作。4个番茄钟过后，延长休息时间。番茄工作法可能会有助于在更短时间内完成更多工作，而你自己也不会感到精疲力尽。另外，众所周知，在学习过程中安排短暂的休息，可提升注意力。

优化学习方式

找到自己的学习方式，然后相应调整学习技巧。记住要尝试几种学习方法，看哪种对自己最有效。如果三种主要学习方式都不大可行，那就不妨将两种不同方式结合起来，或许你能从中受益。

与老师面谈

不要在遇到困难时才想起这么做。新学期伊始就和老师们建立联系，这样，出现问题时，老师会知道这门课及其教材对你很重要。假如你正在考虑申请奖学金，或者因为申请读研而需要推荐信，那么与老师建立牢固关系将会使你受益匪浅。

片段式学习

片段式学习能让你长期对所学知识记忆犹新。每天花上15分钟时间复习笔记，你就能够牢记课上所学知识。尽量不要略过复习日，不然你很可能忘记学到的东西（尤其是新知识）。

先流汗再学习

海量研究表明，体育锻炼有助于取得优异成绩并且提升学习与认知技能——尤其是运动之后再去学习。假如学习没什么进展，也无暇光顾健身场馆，那就选择快步走。新鲜空气和周围环境的变化会促使你产生新的联想，进而解决问题。

变换学习场所

假如你在一个地方难以集中精力，那就试着在不同地方学习。对某些学习者而言，学习场所的改变可以加深他们对所学内容的理解，这些内容并非只能在最初传授的地方学习。这样，日后你更容易记起这些东西。

考虑找一份兼职工作

假如你不大善于管理学习时间，或许会觉得找份兼职只会导致问题更复杂。然而，研究表明，读书期间兼职工作的学生往往会取得更好的成绩，这是因为工作经历可以改进他们管理时间的技巧。              □

（译者单位：中央民族大学）