6 surefire ways to thrive in the classroom

Whether you began your academic journey at Concordia in September or just this term, you’ll want to make the most of your time at university. That’s why we asked the experts for some pro tips to help you find success — in the classroom and beyond.

1.  Manage your time

Student success mentor Seeba Chaachouh knows from experience that keeping ahead of the curve when it comes to assignments and tests is the key to avoiding a midterm or end-of-term meltdown.

“Start studying for your exams at least two weeks in advance,” says the upper-year student who’s majoring in journalism and political science. “This process will help ease the stress.”

If you have fallen behind, there’s no time like the present to start catching up, says Elaine Ransom-Hodges, a learning specialist with Concordia’s Student Success Centre.

“Make a to-do list and break it down using the Concordia Semester Planner or the Finding Time to Study Grid. With these tools, you can start scheduling time for those larger papers, projects and exams.”

Indeed, there are many online resources to help with time management, study habits, active learning, and preparing for and taking different types of exams, she says. “Visit our handouts page, and explore!”

2. Get the help you need

“If you need new learning strategies prior to exams, don’t hesitate to take an appointment with a learning specialist at the Student Success Centre,” says Chachouh.

What about you if you’re struggling with your research papers or assignments? “You can consult with a writing assistant for free,” says Ransom-Hodges.

There are also useful writing and research tools available online, she adds. “One favourite is the Assignment Calculator. It has all you need to do a great job.”

No matter what you’re struggling with at Concordia, chances are good that someone can help. “You can talk with a student success mentor, or attend a time-management or learning-skills workshop for tips on making it all work,” says Ransom-Hodges.

“If you feel that you are really overwhelmed and that your mental health is being effected, you can meet with a counsellor.”

3. Take care of yourself

How you treat your body can directly affect your ability to do well in the classroom.

Ransom-Hodges says it’s important to take care of yourself by getting a solid eight hours of sleep every night and eating as healthy as possible.

“Getting regular exercise is also really important,” adds Ransom-Hodges. “Make sure these things are on your schedule, in your agenda, or they will be pushed aside by your studies and other commitments. A tired, hungry and lethargic student is not a happy or efficient learner.”

4. Revisit, review, retain

Taking notes can really help the learning process, but did you know that most of what we forget happens within 24 hours of learning something?

That’s why Laura Mitchell, director of the Student Success Centre, says it’s important to take at least 20 to 30 minutes to go over your notes at the end of each class. Use this time to fill in any blanks, and to highlight and organize your notes into files.

“Revisiting right away is the best thing you can do to stop that information from being lost,” says Mitchell. “Also, just 10 minutes of reviewing your notes from the previous class as you go into your next one will help you know what’s important in this new set of information.”

5. Get to know your professors

“Because I’m an international student, I was not familiar with classes and how to prepare for my exams,” says Thungashree Maragowdanahalli Somegowda, a student success mentor studying engineering and computer science.

“Meeting professors after class and during office hours helped me a lot.”

Somegowda notes that many students hesitate to talk to their professors, but in her experience they’ve always been incredibly open. “They are always there to provide assistance to help us succeed,” she says.

6. Build a network, and find study partners

Mitchell stresses the importance of getting to know those who can support and help you, such as your classmates, mentors, staff, professors and student associations.

This is something Somegowda has found helpful in her time at Concordia. “Building a network is so important,” she says. “It helped me with courses, finding part-time jobs on campus and also making some good friends.”

Find out more about Concordia’s Student Success Centre.