Learning how you learn during your first year of college

You’ll learn a lot during your first year of college. You’ll learn plenty of academic material and facts; you’ll learn your way around the myriad streets and buildings that make up your school; and you’ll even learn the best (or least worst) foods offered at the dining hall. But perhaps the most important thing you’ll learn your first year is how you learn best.

Entering college, all students will have some idea where their academic strengths and weaknesses lie. Perhaps you paid attention in high school and listened closely to your teachers’ lessons. Perhaps this effort was enough to earn you As. If you plan on using this same method in a big, lecture-style class in college, it might work out fine—but then again it might not. If you find that your lack of adequate notes was to blame for a low score on a first test, well, at least you’ve realized you’ll need to change your learning techniques. Now it wouldn’t take a neuroscience major to figure out that better notes will lead to better studying, but realizing how you can improve academically in your first year is critical.  

And speaking of hitting the books, you’ll only make the rest of your college career easier if you figure out what type of studier you are. There are night owls, last-minute crammers and those who study at a slow but steady pace. Some study just before bed, while others use that time to unwind and instead study-up before breakfast. Try studying at different times of the day. Have some coffee, or hold off on the coffee. Study with a friend. Study alone. Just find out what works best for you, and you’ll have your technique honed in for the rest of college. 

Students can always recall their favorite teachers from high school (and, in all fairness, their least favorite).  College professors and instructors will also prove to be a varied—and often eclectic—gang. But as tempting as it will be to sign up for a class with so-called "cool," "fun," or "wacky" professors, try and gauge them more by their teaching styles. Some students will learn better from their books, and if it's an instructor who assigns a lot of reading, that teacher could make a good fit. Some professors will get up there and just wing it through their daily lessons, promoting discussion and feedback over word-for-word lectures. You might find instructors like this more engaging—or you may find them more distracting. But keep your classes varied and you'll surely encounter teachers who teach differently. Focus on their teaching styles so you can find the right fit. Most schools have a period of time at the start of each semester where it’s easier to drop or switch a class. Once you know your preferred teaching style, if you think a teacher may do more harm than help to your learning, get out of there!  

With so many changes and new events taking place that first year, don't forgot to focus on developing yourself as a student, as a learner. As important as it is to pay attention in class, pay attention to your learning style, too. While college isn't easy, it can be made easier—and learning how you learn will do just that!