2.6: Study Skills- Know Yourself

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As you saw in Unit 1, the secret to success does not lie in how intelligent you are; it lies in how intelligently you approach your studies. One aspect of this is knowing yourself.

Different Styles

Everyone is different. Look at these two students:

Jack gets up every morning at 5:30 a.m. He eats a healthy breakfast, then he starts his work. If he has a class that day, he is always there in plenty of time. He sometimes does his homework in the college library or in the cafeteria; he can work wherever he happens to be. Jack always listens to music on his phone; he says it helps him to focus. He often does two or three things at the same time: he eats lunch, does an exercise in his textbook, and texts his friends all at the same time. Jack often gets together with other students to talk about their classes and to support each other. Sometimes he is distracted by his friends if they want to play a video game, but he always gets his work done on time.

Julia, in contrast, is a night owl. She hates mornings, and she struggles through them with lots of coffee. She often gets to class just as the teacher is beginning the lesson. Julia does her best work at night, after her children are in bed. She often does homework at midnight. She always works at her kitchen table; she rarely works in the college library. She likes to work in silence; she finds the TV distracting, and she doesn’t like music. Julia prefers to work on one task, finish it, and then move on to the next. She learns best on her own; she doesn’t like to work with other people. Sometimes she procrastinates* when she is not interested in the class, but she never hands in her work late.

Procrastinate = to put off doing something that you are not interested in, or that you will find difficult.

Who is the better student, Jack or Julia?

There is no correct answer. Both Jack and Julia are keeping up with their studies, even though their styles are different. The key is that both have found an approach to studying that works for them.

What Is Your Study Style?

Think about how you like to study. Answer the following questions.

1. Do you prefer to study in the morning, in the afternoon, or at night? Or can you study at any time of the day?

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2. Where do you like to study? At home? In the library? In a fast food restaurant? On the bus? Is there a place where you find it easiest to get down to work?

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3. Do you like to watch TV or play music while you work? Or do you prefer to work in silence?

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4. Do you multitask? Do you work on several things at the same time? Can you do homework, cook dinner, and text your friends at the same time? Or do you prefer to do one thing at a time?

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5. Do you like to take frequent breaks while you are doing homework? Or do you like to work solidly and get it done?

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6. Do you often procrastinate? If you do, why do you think this is? Do you find the work boring or difficult, or is there another reason?

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There are no correct answers to these questions. The important thing is that you learn what study style works for you. It won’t be the same as your friend’s or roommate’s style—you are a unique person with unique circumstances and preferences.

Learn to understand your own style, then think about how you can use that style to help you in your studies. For example, if you know that you are a morning person and that you are always tired at night, you should not leave your homework until the night before it’s due. You will be too tired to do a good job.

Use the space below to make notes on how you can use your own study preferences to develop habits that work well for you.

Things I can do to help me study more effectively:

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