Hello Hawkeyes!

I hope you are all keeping warm as Iowa winds finally caught up with us.

Congratulations to first-years, y’all have made it halfway through your first college semester! Only 8 weeks to go, but who is counting, right?

As a sophomore year, I have tried almost every study tip in the book and I have compiled a list to share. So whether you are a first-year or beyond, here are some of my favorite study tips!

1. Color-Code your notes: I am a big fan of this method. My approach to this method is writing all my notes down in black and then going back and highlighting important terms in one color, and something I have questions on another color. This helps me not only comprehend what I am learning but also helps me see what I am having trouble grasping.
2. Ask Questions: Whether it’s in class or during office hours or even through email, using your professor and TA is the greatest study resource available for UI students. All our faculty are committed to our success and are more than willing to help us study. I recommend taking in a couple of questions on either lecture material or an assignment that way you can get the most out of the meeting.
3. Take breaks: Our brains can only hold so much information at a time and studying for long periods of time is not helpful at all. I usually stick to a 30-minute time block of just hardcore studying and then taking a ten-minute break, which can either can consist of taking a small walk or filling up my water bottle. Stepping away from my notes has really helped me retain more information.
4. Become a morning person instead of a night owl:  Our body and brains need sleep, which is why I avoid studying late into the night. Once 10 o’clock hits, my books are closed and put away, I know I cannot retain anything after that so what’s the point of staying up for nothing stay, instead, I can be productive and get some rest, which is very much productive. I think there is a stigma in college that the later you stay up the more productive you are, I think that is not reasonable at all. Get some rest, wake up early and do some light studying before classes!

I hope you take some of these tips into consideration!

Happy midterm season Hawkeyes <3