Reviewing Notes for Your Exam

A problem I have in class that subsequently affects my study habits is the ability to keep an organized set of notes. For a lot of courses, professors will not have any sort of notes projected on a screen, just pictures to accompany the lecture that they speak. This is especially true for anyone that takes an art history course.

For me, the course of discussion would be my ARC500 course “Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture.” The professor teaches the course in her own sort of style. Instead of memorizing dates and plans, she lectures in a narrative of the history and the building typologies and their material and structural significance. What this makes for is an engaging lecture that’s easy to follow along with and not get tired of. However, it makes note-taking difficult as what I do write down tends to jump back and forth.

Back to my point, I find, and this is something that I’ve always done, that if I take all the notes I’ve taken that day, or that week, and then rewrite them in an organized format, I can retain the information much better. Not only am I making a valuable study sheet for when a test is coming up, but I’m re-reading and writing the notes, ingraining the information in my head.

I found that this method of study works best with the 20 minute test prep. All I had to do was tweak my method of study to match the method outlined in our text books.

So here’s what I do:

STEP 1: After each class, I gather all of the notes I took and rewrite them in a separate “study notebook” in a format that I can understand. This counts for the first step of the 20-minute test prep, the 20 minute review after each class.

STEP 2: At the end of each week, I take all of my revised notes, and create study aids. For most of my classes, this simply entails flash cards.

I also spend some time at the end of each week anticipating test questions. Doing both flashcards and test questions takes me a little longer than just 20 minutes.

STEP 3: When a test approaches, I find that I barely need to review my flashcards because I already know most of the material from re-writing my notes. But I do anyway, of course.

The combination of writing notes and reviewing flash cards is very effective for me when it comes to reviewing for tests. I find that my overall study time is drastically reduced with this method, and my overall grades are much better.

Plus, the biggest part for me is that I’m now absorbing what I learn in my courses. Instead of simply writing it down and remembering it for a test, it’s knowledge that I’ll carry with me into my career, which is what everyone should be doing in the first place!

Preppin Time :)

For me its always been a huge problem trying to study for upcoming exam/quizzes.  I usually cram the night before even sometimes right before class and then end up bombing them bad. Definitely not the best method to go about studying for a big exam, although I will say I did have a lot of time to spend with my friends just hanging out when I should have been studying. Anyway in coming to Syracuse university I picked up some new ways of studying for exams. The twenty minute test prep I’ve been taught to do is I feel the best way to really study efficiently it also correlates with time management.


Here’s how it works!


First you should take the proper notes while in class make sure you get the key points from any power point slide your professors show if they do so.

Next thing on the list is to create questions from the personal notes you took. The questions shouldn’t be given to you by the professor they should be your own. This way you will learn the information given easier and faster.

(Something to note while your reviewing the questions you made up is to have study aids handy so you refer to something while you study.study sheets, flash cards, outlines and summaries.)


Go over the questions for ten minutes reviewing and answering them as best as you can then when that ten  minutes is up  review the readings from those courses of the week.  


Not only can you se the twenty minute test prep for classes but for me since I’m an athlete I have an playbook in which I need to know certain plays and strategies to maximize my skills on the field. So I se the twenty minute test prep to help me learn my playbook better, and then I won’t have to think so much about what my assignment is when I’m actually playing out there on the field.


This strategy has definitely worked wonders for me I can no say I am over prepared every time I take a he exam or quiz.

Let's Get ready to Prep!!

What time of the year is it? Did you say Exam Prep Time? Well, if you did you were right.This week was the 6th week of the Spring 2011 semester so many students campus wide started studying for exams in their classes. One of the things that alot of students had trouble with this week was preparing themselves for the exams that they had to take. Many students decided to wait until the night before their exam to begin studying while other decided to pull all nighters instead of resting before their exams. While some students might think exam prep is easy and does not require much effort others including myself struggle with making sure that they are properly prepared for midterms. This week I used 2 techniques which included a Source Outline and a Topic Outline to help improve my preparation skills.

This week I had my first CHE 116 Exam on Thursday that was over 3 chapters which were Chapters 14, 15 and 16. These three chapters covered a wide range of information ranging from reaction rates to Le Chatelier's Principle to Acids & Bases. I learned a lot of really difficult concepts during the past 6 weeks so I knew that in order to get ready for this exam I was going to have to organize my notes and homework problems if I wanted to earn a good grade. Last semester when I took CHE 106 I would prepare for exams by reading the chapters one by one each day for 3 days then as I read I would write a summary of what I read. This method worked okay for me on the first two tests but on the last test this method did not work well for me at all. I also found that it was extremely difficult for me to stay interested in reading a chapter of the text a day. So this semester I knew that if I wanted to do well on all of the test I would have to change my study habits by taking action and adopting a new way of preparing for exams.

The first technique I tried this week was the Source Outline. In the Source Outline you list each source of information for the exam such as the textbook, lecture notes, homework and other assignments used in the course. For example you can use A for textbooks, B for lecture notes, C for homework and so on. Then under each of these sources you write the headings and titles so that you can categorize the content in each of the sources. It is very important to be specific when writing down the content you should include dates of lecture notes, dates of handouts assignments and chapter titles.The course syllabus can be used to help you identify major topic.

Source Outline for CHE 116

The second strategy I used to prepare for my exam was the Topic Outline. The topic outline takes the source outline and rearranges it into the topics that are studied in the course. It is really simple to do a Topic outline once you have done a Source Outline. The first step is you list each exam topic for the exam in outline form. Then you go back so that you can add dates & page numbers. Below is a picture of my Topic Outline:

Topic Outline for CHE 116

Both of these strategies helped me organize myself so that I could begin studying for my exam which is a very important step in the exam prep process. I really liked the Source Outline because it allowed me to organize all of the different sources that I use in CHE 116 that I needed to review for the exam. The Topic Outline was also beneficial to me because it helped me to further organize and combine all of the info for this course by topics and sub topics which made it easier for me to study. Furthermore it provided page numbers for specific concepts that I need to know so I did not have to search through the index to find the pages all I had to do was look at the outline to find the page numbers. These 2 strategies worked the best for me because I am a Linear Learner so I learn the best when information is presented to me in a sequenced, structured and organized way that has lots of details & facts which is exactly what both of these strategies provided for me.

One disadvantage of the Topic Outline is that it is kind of time consuming because you have to look through your syllabus as well as lecture notes and homework assignments to find out dates and titles. However I think it is definitely worth spending the time on making a topic outline because in the end nothing bad can come out of making one and by creating one you are reminding yourself of the topics that you learned in class.

Try making a Source Outline and a Topic Outline so that you can apply these strategies to your classes. If you want to have a successful exam day and if you know is best for you then you will use both of these strategies.

My New Test Preparation Abilities

Last semester when I prepared for exams, I usually prepared the same way that I studied in high school. But from Day one, I knew that the old method was not going to work...

I only had TWO exams last semester in which I knew that I could get higher grades and know most of the material.

Right now I have a big COM 107 Exam on March 28. (Yes, it's three weeks from now) and I want to get ahead with my studying. So I decided to try out three methods that could really help me to get an easy A on the test.

Topic Outline

As a visual learner, I want to be able to see the topics that are presented to me. I chose to make a topic outline in order to divide the Main topics that are in the syllabus and divide aspects that are mentioned separately. I also chose this technique in order to study more effectively and not having to wait until my professor gives out the study guide the week before the exam.

Source Outline

Now that I have written the topics, I needed to know where they came from. So, I decided to work on another outline, this time based on the sources. I did the outline in order to find the source in a convenient easy manner.Once again, I turned to the class syllabus to organize the sources. In the syllabus, my professor always gave a source like the main textbooks to read, but I also included the lecture days in order to go over my notes and review for the exam.

Study Schedule

Now that these two important tasks are done, WHEN I am going to study?

To save time and not having to study all the material a week before the exam, I designed a study schedule with a specific topic to study every day. It's better for me to study by topic and not study the entire study material.

I already took my first COM 107 Exam that had multiple choice and short-answer questions, so I already know that the second exam will have the same format and how the professor is going to evaluate me.

For the days that I am studying, I will be using the 20 minute Test Prep to create study aids and questions based on what I was asked on the first exam.

Once again, I'm a visual learner. I have to idea to study effectively for me and that is posting my study schedule on my dorm room wall to know and not forget on what day I am supposed to study.

My Thoughts

I cannot say that all of this has worked for me fully since there is a lot of time left until the exam date, but the strategies that I'm using are starting to be helpful for my study abilities. I hope that my abilities can help me get an A on the test and that others can use my abilities to succeed in the future.

Preping for your test for just 20 minutes !

Do you really want have a high grade for your exam but don't know how to study ?

What you can do is possibly try the strategy that i have been using called THE 20 MINUTE TEST PREP !

The 20 minute test prep is a strategy that helps you prepare before the big day of the exam and it also pushes you to study constantly without having to study for a long period of time. With the 20 min test prep, your memory improves because reviewing the information everyday allows your memory to recall the information faster.

Most likely, the question you are asking now is " HOW CAN I DO THIS " ?
The question you should be asking is "When can i do this"?

1. After each class, you should spend at least 20 minutes reviewing the notes from lecture or reviewing your study aid, flashcards, topic outlines etc. (Doing so will develop a habit on reviewing.) If you have a back to back class then you can do at the end of the day. You can also review your notes from yesterday to refresh your memory. Always have your study aid, you can always have a little bit of time to review even if its taking a lunch break or so. Look at the syllabus as well to see what the pattern is. Ex. If it is on definitions, then focus your time studying the definitions.
2. At the end of the week, you can spend 10 minutes reviewing the week of the course work and then another 10 minutes creating questions from your notes. After you can answer the questions without looking at your notes (sort of like jeopardy). Creating questions can also be the teachers questions on the test, you can do true/false questions, multiple choice, matching definitions or a short answer response. So if you have time, go to your teachers office hours and ask him/her if the question you've created will be on the test.
3. After one to two weeks, create an outline that lists all your topics in the course that you have just learned. Review one topic at a time. This allows you to be organize and if you want you can even put the date.If you are given terms to learn, like the main topics, create study sheet that indicates the term, definition and example.

(Picture above. My best friend; Mr. Topic outline)
My experience using the 20 min test prep for my Sociology Class and Woman's Gender

Using the 20 minute test prep has forced me to review at least 20 minutes a day but not only does it help me review, it allows me to understand what the professors has said over their lecture. When I would go to my Sociology and Woman's Gender class, I would have a difficult time understanding the topics my professors would discuss and i would feel lost and confused in that class. For these classes, i created a topic outline and i listed the topics that was discussed each week, list the definitions and examples that was related to the readings as well. Using the 20 minute test prep, i would actually re-read it over and over and finally understand what the notes meant. After reviewing so many times, i wouldn't get stuck on recalling the information from before. The questions I had to create also made me think about all the concepts that i have just learned and forming to to one question which was often difficult but at the same time, it benefited for me. I would have a lot of breaks between my classes which i would use to socialize or eat. Now that i carry my study sheet or my flashcards with me, i study when i walk or when i go eat with my friends. Sometimes i even explain what i had learned in class so it can help me recall the information faster as well. For both of my classes, i would focus more on the readings and the definitions because on the syllabus it had little hints that the course would focus on those aspects. So word of advice; THE KEY TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON YOUR EXAM IS IN YOUR SYLLABUS !

MY LIKES

What i liked most about this strategy was that it didn't take to much of my time. Before i would study for 12 hours straight before the day of the exam which HORRIBLE ! This strategy prepares me with managing time and helps me get a better grade, i mean who wouldn't want that ?

DISLIKES

NONE.. seriously.

IN CONCLUSION

My sociology exam is on Monday and honestly i can say that I'm not nervous about it because this strategy has prepared me to take the exam and get a HIGH GRADE on it. Today was my last day to review so tomorrow, I'm just gonna reward myself with some relaxation and some fun time with my friends... hopefully they are not studying the last day before the exam though. Perhaps they should read this blog and put it to the test as well, wouldn't you ?

Getting Your Priorities Straight

During a typical week, I’ll have at least two projects going on that are due in the next week or so. I always have a studio project for Architectural Design, and I’ll typically have some other project for another one of my classes, whether it’s the Faculty Interview Project for CLS105, or a case study for Structures I.

I’ll also have all of the smaller homework assignments throughout the week that need to get done sooner than the large projects. With so many assignments given every day, it can sometimes be hard to keep track of those larger projects, and consequently it’s easy to miss due dates, or get stuck with all of the work at the last minute.

To help me with managing all of my work, I’ve always liked creating to-do lists, and putting a big box next to each assignment that I can then check off. The simple act of making that fat check mark feels like an accomplishment. It’s good to have that feeling of accomplishment when you seemingly have an endless amount of work; it assures you that you are making progress.

Just recently, I've started using an app for my iPod called Toodledo. It’s essentially exactly what I’ve always done in an electronic format. This way, you can maintain your list and it will automatically organize itself. It will remove checked off tasks (or keep them there if you like to see the progress you've made), organize the list according to the priorities that you set for each task, categorize the tasks according to folders you assign them (such as which class they are for), and even remind you with an alarm of an approaching deadline.

When you create a task, you can give the task a brief title, assign it to a folder, give it a priority (-1 through 3), assign a due date and time, and give it a description. I like to keep things simple and organized, so I only have four folders: projects, homework, tasks, and leisure. Projects are the ongoing assignments that typically involve multiple deadlines and tasks that I need to get done, homework are the assignments that are given in my classes that are typically due the following class, tasks are important deadlines that are non-class related (such as payments) or other important non-school related tasks, and the leisure folder essentially contains all of the plans I make for myself such as dinner dates, television shows, or some other event for fun.

In order to specify certain assignments, I usually give them an acronym or a prefix. So for instance, all of the important tasks that I needed to get done for the Faculty Interview Project, I would put “FIP : ” before each one so it would read “FIP : transcribe interviews.” In this way, I could keep track of which tasks were for which classes/projects.

The nicest thing about this application is that not only does it help me prioritize and organize all of the assignments I have to get done in the coming weeks, but also that I can easily use it in conjunction with a number of other task management tools (I use it with Google Calendar a lot so that I can see what I need to get done and then plan a time to do it).

What I need 2 do, 2 do what I want!!

 Problem solving strategies… hmmm I wish I would have known about any one of these strategies a couple of years ago. Anyone of the strategies helped tremendously as long as you’re really committed to them. I found that the best strategy for me was to use the IS VS. WANTS  technique. I mapped out everything that I needed to do first for last week then right after that the desires came. As you can probably imagine I had quit a few ideas for this column but I tried to leave the little desires out that don’t really cause a big problem for me.                   

                                                               

This strategy helps with every situation to, for example for me I don’t like eating at the well-known dining hall named Earnie Davis. I’m not going to say all the food they have in there is terrible but it’s VERY close. Only reason why I even go is because it’s free and I have a massive hunger after I get done working out so it makes since to go there. On days when I know there’s no way I’d be able to stomach that food down I go back home and order Chinese or pizza and wings. In doing this I waist a lot of money and have to keep calling my mother to give me more; she gets mad at me now. The solution I came up with using the IS VS. WANTS problem solving strategy was to just go to a different dining hall. This way I save a lot of money, get different food that’s a little better, and I don’t have to force down anymore dry cheese burgers

Not only does this strategy help with getting a better meal and saving some money but it also helps with school work and time management.  I like going out on Thursdays with my teammates but I have two classes on Friday the first one starting at 8:25, so if I’m till 3 or 4 in the morning I would either be really tired in class, show up late, or completely miss it. I got my act together soon I started just telling my friends to just come to my apartment to hang out and play video games or something. I do still go out every blue moon on Thursdays but only when I know for sure that I have an A in the class

  

Problem Solving, One Step at a Time

Ever feel like the work is piling on and you are falling into a never ending abyss? I do, a lot of the time. It's Sunday at 3 PM, the next day you have a project due, and two tests. The weekend went to waste and you haven't prepared. I know that feeling. But before you fall into this pattern you have to take action, one step at a time.

ONE STEP AT A TIME: The one step at a time method is a strategy that places a focus on the consequences of a problem. When you examine the problem through the consequences, reality strikes in quickly, and you want to eliminate the problem quickly. Thus, possible strategy's are created and ultimately, the best strategy implemented. Thi

s method works wonders.

My Problem:

This week, I waited until the last minute to do my Buddhism readings, a poor decision. By noon, every Thursday, I am required to have completed a reflection about the readings for the week. This week, the readings were not only many in number, but very long. The social me decided to put this off to the last minute, but cramming Buddhism on a Wednesday night was not the ideal solution.

Tackling the Problem:

After CLS on Wednesday, I headed to the library to confront this issue. I laid out the consequences of what would happen if I did not hand in the reading by noon, Thursday.

1) I would not do the readings, not turn in a reflection, thus lowering my grade.

-Certainly this was not acceptable.

2) I would skim half the readings, thus compromising my knowledge of the materials, or write a poor reflection.

Then I made a list of possible solutions.

1) I could read an article from Blackboard and an article from the book then write about those.

2) I could split up the readings into chunks throughout the day, then write the reflection.

This seemed like a good idea, but still chunked a lot of work into one day. So I decided to tweak it. I would do as much of the readings over the course of three hours in the library. Anything I did not finish reading, would be covered on thursday. I then decided to leave the reflection for thursday morning. Some might question this decision, but it makes sense for me. I do not sleep late, so I might as well get a lot of work done in the morning. So I put this strategy into action, and through tough work and procrastination, I eventually got my reflection done on time.

Why it Works:

This strategy works because it places the consequences of your actions right in front of you. This method is especially good for people who tend to procrastinate, such as myself. Also, it inspires you to think of solutions quickly and makes waiting until the last minute seem like a bad option.

Coping my Problems using the COPER

Stressed of not finding the solution to your problems? Frustrated because you can't be happy ?
Tired of thinking 'WHEN IS THIS GONNA END' ?
Anxious because your thinking the problem would resolve itself sooner or later knowing that it won't unless YOU take action? ...




This is exactly how I felt when I couldn't do my Woman's Gender Reading in PEACE ! Fidgeting in my seat, distracted by my friend's loud voices, hearing music on people's laptop made me just want to tell everybody to BE QUIET ! ... but then who would actually listen to me. In reality, NO ONE!

While reading Dr.Blumin's book "It's all about choices", I realized that the title was really true and in order for me to solve my problem, it would be my choice to fix this annoying situation I was in.

Let's go into depth what that "annoying situation" was and I'm pretty sure everybody has had one of these...

MY PROBLEM


For my Woman's Gender class, I would have assignments for homework to read at least 10 set of pages for each particular chapter. Although they might not seem a lot, it's hard to process everything in your head and understand the terminologies. I would have to be extremely focus and re-read the chapters over again to fully understand the main concepts. What was bothering me was that I couldn't do so because of the surrounding around me. It was either...

• My room but my bed would be so inviting for me to sleep so that was a NO !
• The study lounge at Day Hall but my friends were always there which meant DISTRACTIONS !
• The bad staircase at Day hall, although it was quiet and peaceful, it would be cold there and it got UNCOMFORTABLE to sit on the steps for a long period of time and there wasn't any tables so of course, a BIG NO !
  

My solution to end this problem ?

I decided to use the COPER which was really helpful for me because it was visual and actually allowed me write out each step to my problems and what i would do to fix it. This method would allow me to organize what my problem was and it allowed me to focus my attention on what i can do to fix it or to have options on fixing it as well.
How do you use this brilliant method ?

First, you make 5 rows and two columns and then you write in each row..

• Current conditions
• Options
• Plan
• Execute the plan
• Reflect

On the second column you summarize your responses.

1. For current conditions, you write out what was your problems, when did it happen, where does it happen and what were the consequences of it. This step helps you analyze the problem.
2. For options, write out what options you are willing to take to solve your problems and why do you think this would work? Also, write out what do you think the results would be. This step allows you to brainstorm solutions for your problems.
3. For plan, write when will YOU take action for the Options. *include the date and time. This step allows you to have a set date and commit to it.
4. For execute, I didn't really understand what to write for this column but i just wrote what i did to accomplish my solution. This allows you to see what you've done to solve your problem.
5. For reflect, write out how effective your plan was and explain the impact of it. Also, explain if you need to continue this plan or have to consider another option.This allows you to see what was a successful or unsuccessful solution.

My Results

Overall, I tried this method and it helped me see what was a possible solution i can do everyday. First off, i stopped going to the lounge and started going to the library in Bird and Carnegie more often. Everybody studying at the 'quiet room' in bird library respected the fact that it was a quiet room and in Carnegie as well. Although it could get a little noisy in bird library(quiet room), i managed focus on my readings without any distractions. Carnegie was extremely quiet and i could barely hear a pin drop. The only bad thing about Carnegie is that on weekends, they close at 5 in the afternoon. At least i can get my work done on time and concentrate better without any loud noises. My attention span has increased when i read my WGS chapters and i can successfully understand it without any distractions which was often time consuming.

The COPER method has allowed me to actually think about my problem and think of possibilities on what i can do to fix it. It was a guide that allowed me to get up and take action and evaluate the results. I also like the fact that it took off a lot of stress, i mean who doesn't ?

Easy, Everyone... It's Just One Step!

Short story about last semester: I was taking CAS 100 and had received my graded essay draft for me to review it and let's just say that it wasn't very good. I have thought about dropping the class or continue my work thorough the semester. I kept on going, but I always taught that there could be more solutions that would have achieved more than those to simple ideas.

Luckily this semester, I'm taking the College Learning Strategies (CLS) class and various strategies have been shown for me to try. When I saw that there was a strategy that could help me to work on my small problems that could eventually grow BIG...

It all takes "One Step at a Time"

And that is the name of the strategy...

I decided to try it out, because the next time I have big problems with my classwork, I can establish various solutions that can work for me and can be beneficial to my GPA.

The idea is that you have to make a table like the one shown in the picture, describing the problem and the consequences this might have in the future. Then you can make possible solutions to the problem (up to 3 solutions) and finally choose what are you going to do.

I decided to use the strategy for my COM 107 class to increase my strategy for studying for my current events quizzes. I started by getting the problem that I really need to get better on the quiz. I listed the consequences of the problem like lowering my grade and not keeping up with current events. I did three solutions to the problem and ended up with printing the nytimes.com/ Front Page section on the web. It's more easier for me studying from there and saves me time from reading the printed version of the newspaper.

This strategy has worked for me and when I encounter a BIGGER problem than this one, I will really turn to this strategy to think about possible solutions to problems that I might have on my courses.

Now I want to know if you have done this strategy or have a better suggestion to implement this even better for me. What do you suggest??

Red Light/Green Light/Problem Solve

Last week I suggested a few time management strategies, this week I am going to share some problem solving tips. Problem solving is a complex mental process that is very difficult to master. This process involves a transition from a given state to a desired goal state. The more efficient that a person is at problem solving the better that person will be at completing tasks whether these tasks are school related or work related. Problem solving is something that I personally struggle with on a daily basis especially concerning homework.

This week I used the Ranking Priorities strategy to help improve my problem solving skills. I used this strategy in CHE 116 and MAT 285. I have a test on Thursday in CHE 116 so this strategy helped me to stay focused on completing homework & tutorials for this course as well as studying for the exam. Ranking Priorities is so simple that any one can do it and it does not take much time at all. The first step you take towards ranking priorities is making a list of all the assignments and tasks that need to be completed in a course for a week or a month whichever is more convenient for you based off of the assignments for that specific course. After that you use the letters A, B and C to rank everything on the list . For assignments that are absolutely essential you assign them the letter A, important assignments are assigned the letter B and optional assignments are assigned the letter C. Next you group the assignments by letter and use numbers to rank them such as A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, C-1, C-2, etc. If you are having trouble deciding which priorities should be completed first you can use due dates to determine what needs to be done first. The last step is you begin completing the A tasks first because these are the most important tasks to complete then you accomplish the list in order by doing each task in numerical order. Below are pictures of my Priority List for CHE 116 and MAT 285.

CHE 116 Priority List

MAT 285 Priority List

Remember the children's game Red Light/Green Light? In this game one child calls out traffic light colors to the other children. This game is a great way to explain a priority list. As you can see I color coded my priority list using the colors RED, Yellow, and GREEN. I used RED for my top priority assignments to remind myself that just like in the game I need to STOP and do these tasks before I do anything else. Then I used Yellow for not as important tasks that needed to be completed after the main tasks. The last color I used was Green for optional assignments because after I finish these assignments I know I can GO and do whatever I want to do. I color coded my priority list because I am a visual learner and it is easier for me to see things when they are in color & stand out to me. I put the priority list on my wall so that the lists are in front of me. One good thing about this is that every time I am at my desk I look up and see what tasks I need to complete which helps me to remember to do my assignments. A downside to this strategy is that it does not work for some courses such as my WRT 205 class. I tried using this strategy in my WRT 205 class but it did not work to well because in WRT 205 there are not really that many assignments due besides papers so there are really no ways to prioritize these assignments.

This strategy really worked for me because it forced me to complete the most important tasks first. Before I used this strategy I would always do the easier assignments that I liked doing before I did the assignments that were due first which was very problematic and added unnecessary stress to my life. This is because I would end up doing these assignments right before class was do so the assignments were also lacking quality. Now I am starting to develop the habit of doing the most important assignments before I do the shorter easier assignments which is saving me time and lessening my stress in my courses this semester. Furthermore I plan on using this strategy at work. I work at the Carrier Dome and I have to complete tasks before opening the stand such as making pizzas, making pretzels, doing condiment trays and more things. By applying this strategy to my work I will help organize the tasks at work and make work a little less hectic for everyone. Ranking Priorities works well for people who get stressed easily and feel like all of their assignments are due at the same time. People who need structure will also benefit a lot from using this strategy. Now you are ready to put the Ranking Priorities strategy to the test. So 1,2,3, Red Light, Green Light Problem Solve!!

The Frittter

While trying to find out which one of the was best fit for me, I found that all of them actually were beneficial for me and my schedule. the strategy that was most helpful for me though had to be the fritter finder. The fritter finder helps you figure out all the extra or down time in your schedule. For the average college student, time management is a big part of our lives. The absence of time management is could result in missed class, late homework, or even dropping out of school because its just to much to handle. The fritter finder helped me find the right times to sleep in between classes and helped me manage my homework, projects, etc better. The strategy helped particular on Mondays and Wednesdays that I have my writing 205 class, communications rhetorical studies class and my college learning skills class. I found that I have a lot of down time between my writing 205 class and my communications rhetorical studies class to schedule times for tutoring or to meet with my professors. There were other management strategies that help for other situations but over all the fritter finder was the best fit for me. 

Frittering my time

I wasted my time during the day. Although I have a lot of free time, I did use this time properly and thus affected my academic output. Then I was introduced to the Fritter Finder.

The Fritter Finder is a tool that lays out how much free time I have during the day. The parts in purple are the times during the day that I have free, while the rest is classes. It is evident that I have a lot of free time during my day, and I should use it to make progress with my work. Before I began using the Fritter Finder, I found that I was behind in both my Maxwell 123 class, and my buddhism class. I thought before that I would do my assignments at night, but the problem is I am not a night person. The fritter finder showed me that I have a lot of free time during the day and I should use it. The fritter finder also showed me that on the days that I have breaks between classes, I should use that time rather than waste it by doing nothing. I have found the time between Buddhism and CLS very useful to either get some CLS work done or make sure I am caught up on all of my work.

The fritter finder has been very effective in helping me better use my time. For example, I only have one class on Tuesday, and I have to have all of the readings done for my MAX and REL classes by Wednesday. Before frittering my time, I would have elected to do my MAX readings on tuesday and save my religion reading for Wednesday, the last possible day I had to read. After Dr. Blumin recommended that I use the Fritter Finder, I have found ways to get my work done very early in the day, so I have a lot of time at night to relax, rather than stress out about my work load. I chose this strategy because it really allows me to see all the time I had been wasting and makes me regret my past decisions.

10 Minutes Doesn't Seem So Bad...

If you have a lack of interest in a big project that is due, or you just can't quite get into a WRT research paper about writing a research paper, as riveting as the redundancy is, it can be extremely hard to find the motivation to get it done. The majority of our school work now is done on computers. We write papers on our computers, we render CAD models on our computers, we use Wikipedia for research on our computers, we write blog entries on our computers... Unfortunately, we also check Facebook and Twitter on our computers, we listen to music on our computers, we play games on our computers. How are we expected to get our work done when the same machine that is supposed to make things easier just seems to make things more difficult?

For me, this is always a big problem. The biggest hump for me is the one right before you start your work. But once I get over this hump, things seem to get much easier. The 10 Minute Method is perfect for giving yourself that extra push to start working.

Essentially, you tell yourself "I will work on my project for 10 minutes. And only 10 minutes." 10 minutes isn't that bad, right? And after those 10 minutes you can do something you want to do. You watch a bit of television, check Facebook, or something that just can't wait. And after a while, you set yourself up for another 10 minute interval.

What I like about this method is that there is plenty of room for personalization. You should never do less than 10 minutes at a time, but you can always do more. It's all psychological. You're basically "fooling" yourself into working, but telling yourself that you will only work for 10 minutes. Of course for many people, me included, after I start working I don't typically stop after 10 minutes, and I might continue working for an hour or even until the work gets done.

Of course, sometimes when motivation is a real issue, I will stop working after 10 minutes and do something else for a little while. And of course, this is totally fine. You don't want to over work yourself either. And then after 10-20 minutes of leisure, I'll do another 10 minutes of work, sometimes more. Sure it takes longer to get your work done, but at least it will get done, and you won't continue to put it off until the last minute.

So the next time you can't quite push yourself to get started, just tell yourself that it's only 10 minutes of work. 10 minutes isn't that bad, right?

Frittering to Find Time

Fritter Finder the best method to use for those people who say "I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING !". That is one of the biggest mistake's people say and honestly, I am one of them. I would procrastinate so much and leave all my assignments till the end of the day and stay up late till 2-3 in the morning completing my homework assignments. But now that i have found this strategy and used it for some of my course, it has become efficient to use and to look it for an idea what my week is and how will i use my time right.


Fritter Finder is an excellent method for exam preparation or time availability to catch up on readings, review notes before lecture or to do homework. To manage your time, Fritter finder allows you to visually see how much time you have available between, before or after classes. I didn't know how much time i had between classes to actually do some homework and fritter finder allowed me to see that and according to learning preferences, I am a visual learner so this was a perfect method for me to use in order to manage my time.

How to use this method ? First, write a schedule of your weekly classes from the time you wake up every day to when you are ready to go to sleep. Color the spaces of class time with different shades of color and the non-class time with a different color that represents your FREE time. Add the amount of FREE time, and from that time you can decide when you can use it to be productive. All the FREE time you find is the hours you frittered away.

This method is perfect for those who have a busy schedule like working jobs, extra curricular activities, sports, etc..


This method was really helpful for my Spanish 201 class and my Woman's Gender 201 class.

How ?


For my Spanish 201 class, i have to study every Monday and Thursday because my teacher gives out quizzes on those days. But for Monday and Wednesdays, i would have to do many readings for my WGS class, on top of that my 2 other classes assignments. So what i would do is on Monday and Wednesdays, between the classes of my SPA and CLS, I would have an hour break and i would do some readings for WGS in between classes instead of taking naps or socializing. By the time Tuesday would come, I wouldn't have a lot more readings to complete and I could study for my quizzes on Spanish. Instead of sleeping until class started, i can now wake up and review some of my Spanish notes or flashcards before my Sociology class started and then when Spanish class starts i can actually have a fresh memory of yesterday's lesson. The fritter finder also allowed me to find time to do my WGS assignment like essays. I could start doing the readings on Monday and then after all my classes i would start a rough draft on paper and then for Tuesday, bring in my rough draft to my professor to look over. By Wednesday, i would have the final draft and ready to graded.

I am planning on joining clubs such as community service since i have so much free time in my schedule and I plan on finding a job for this semester. With fritter finder, i can see what times are available so i can fit what i can do for non-school work.

So now that i think of it, I ALWAYS have time to do something during the week, i just got to fritter my time right !

An Organizer that you can DO for everything DUE

As a college student, keeping up with my work is very important in every aspect of the academic life. What I have done in the past, was looking at the class syllabus for every class and finding out when the next essay is due. But I found out that there is an easy way to keep up with your classes...

It's called the D's Due & Do Organizer...

It's perfect for those people who have a very busy life with classes and activities like sports and other extra-curricular activities.

The example that you see above (Excuse my handwriting), is a monthly calendar in my agenda that has all the due dates for each assignment. But also this organizer helps you to DO the work. You divide the day between two columns: one for the assignments that are due and another for the days to work on the assignments. For example, on February 23, I have the weekly journal due for CLS 105. In addition to the due date, I specified when I want to work on the journal. As you can see, I am planning to work on the journal on the day before (February 22). This also works for exams too. On the weekend from February 14-18, I have three exams back to back. Not only I am going to study the day before, but also I am studying during the weekend. As the month goes along, I plan to add more assignments to the list.

Now I can keep up with my work, have specific days to work on each assignments in order to not get very stressed, and have quality time for myself.

A Strategy that anyone can Do to help organize Due Date

Having trouble managing your time? If you answered yes to this question then I have a solution for you and if you answered no to this question keep reading to find out about efficient tips for managing study time. Time management is a topic that the majority of college students struggle with. Time management goes hand in hand with procrastination. In order to become successful student, time management must be mastered. I used several different strategies this week such as the 10 minute Technique, the 20 minute test prep, the D's Due & Do Organizer, and Jeopardy Note taking to develop better time management. The strategy that I benefited from the most was the D's Due and Do strategy. The D’s Due and Do strategy helped me plan and become more organized.


The D's Due and Do organizer is very simple to do and anyone can do. In order to do this strategy you need either a monthly calender or a planner. After you have your planner, you look through all of your syllabi then write down all of your due dates on the monthly calendar like this

February Monthly Calendar

Then after you write all of your due dates in your planner like I did for the month of February, you
then divide your weekly calendar into 2 columns a do column and a due column. In the do column you write down what is homework you plan to do and on the due column you write down the homework that is due for that date. Here is a picture of what my weekly planner looked like this week after I applied the D's Due and Do organizer to it:

Weekly Calendar for Feb 7-13

I am a visual learner so this strategy was very useful for me because I need to see tasks in order for me to complete them. So by writing all of my assignments out for the month and having them on both a weekly and monthly calendar it helped to see how much homework I had in class. In addition, this strategy also helped me to schedule realistic amounts of time for each assignment which is something that I have trouble with. I also liked the D's Do and Due because it forced me to set due dates for assignments so that I did not end up doing assignments on the night before they were due which as a result led to me having more free time.

I used the D's Do and Due for my WRT 205 class and for CHE 116. On Monday my first essay for WRT 205 is due so it was very important for to be organized this week. For WRT 205 I chuked the task of writing the essay. On Monday I wrote a 3 page draft then on Tuesday I went to the writing center to get tips for making my essay better then on Wednesday I wrote an introduction to the essay after that on Thursday i wrote the conclusion to the essay and finally on Friday I revised & completed my essay and I went to the writing center again. I also used this strategy for my homework assignments for CHE 116, every friday I have a homework assignment and a tutorial due. I usually forget about these assignments being due until thursday night or friday morning so I am always stressed and rushing to do these assignments. This week however since I broke down the homework into smaller assignments for example on tuesday I did 5 problems from my online homework then on wednesday I finished this homework then on Thursday I did 5 problems from the online tutorial and I finised the last 5 problems from the tutorial on Friday.

This strategy does not only have to be applied to course homeowork it can also be applied to a person's work schedule or extracurricular activities schedule and even exam preparation.

While this strategy was helpful for 2 of my courses it was not useful in all of my classes. This strategy did not really work for my ETS 107 class where I have to read a book weekly. This strategy did not work for me in this class becausewhen I read the book somedays I wanted to read more pages then I planned on and other days I wanted to read less. In addition, it was difficult to determine how long it would take me to read a chapter of the book depending on how interesting the book was or whether I felt like reading the book. Another reason that it did not work was that it sets dates so it strict and not as lenient as other strategies so it does not allow changes to be made to it. Overall I still like this time management strategy because it prevented me from procrastinating, kept me focused, and allowed me to finish work before it was due.

If you are having trouble with managing your time just remember that using the D’s Due and Do strategy is a very effective tool that you could try using. I would recommend this strategy to everyone and I am going to continue using this strategy for all of my classes.