With a crazy way to be taking classes for about 3 semesters, I set out to find the best ways to study as a college student.
As a college student, we are constantly in class and studying for the next test or quiz. But the real question is this: what is the best way to study as a college student?
ZU Media surveyed 36 college students and found that the five most effective ways to study as a college student are taking written notes using a physical textbook, reviewing notes, at least eight hours of sleep, studying with friends and using lists to organize their assignments.
The notetakers
For 26 students, written notes seemed to be the most effective study habit.
“I prefer a physical textbook because it is easier for me to shift through the content,” said Elaine Babikian, a sophomore business management major and Christian ministries minor. “I also remember where things are in a book, such as, ‘Oh that topic was in the bottom right corner,’ and I cannot do that with an online textbook.”
Sophomore journalism major Kane Casillas also feels that written notes are more useful than online notes.
“I have fewer distractions when I’m looking at a notebook as opposed to a screen,” Casillas said. “When I use online notes, I’m frequently tempted with access to the entire internet, and that never helps my study skills.”
Study buddies
Another study habit that students found to be very effective was studying with friends.
“Having multiple perspectives on a subject and being able to collaborate and benefit off of each other just helps me understand the topics better,” said Jacob Kefalas, a freshman unmanned aerial systems major at Arizona State University.
Joel Turk, a psychology major at Pasadena City College, said study buddies can keep you accountable and can offer different perspectives on how to approach class material.
Some of these study habits work better than others. Kylie Hull, a freshman kinesiology major at Azusa Pacific, thinks her least effective study habit is using typed notes or an online textbook.
“Many studies have shown that typed notes aren’t as helpful as handwritten ones, and I think it is the same with online textbooks. For example, in my biology class, I bought the physical textbook and it was very helpful for me to be physically holding something instead of it being online.”
The results show a general preference towards hard copy notes, textbooks and visual aids: a tendency which has become even more apparent as universities have indefinitely transitioned online.