For some, preparing for college can give you the adrenaline rush due to the fact that you will experience being more independent, or even living on your own. However, on top of all that excitement and thrill comes the heavy responsibility of balancing your social life and earning good grades. You will soon realize that college work is way more intense compared to high school, which means you will need all the necessary supplies to help you survive.
This might also help encourage you to study creatively and find a study habit that works for you.
No matter how small your dorm or room is, you will need a study area, the one which does not include your bed. This is important because allotting a space specifically for studying helps to condition your mind and focus on your work. You cannot deny that reading in bed will only lead you into sleeping and waking up the next day unprepared. Here are the study space essentials:
Large Calendar
This will help you plot your important dates, deadlines, and events. You should have a huge one, preferably the one you can hang on your wall, to remind you of important things even as you simply walk around your dorm. To add creativity and productivity, you can use colored stickers to label events, deadlines, holidays, etc. Assign one color to each event to help you remember it easily.
Pen Holder
Of course, you have to keep your desk organized to help you focus on your studies. Aside from pens and highlighters, you should include school supplies such as scissors, glue, and stapler. You might not need them now, but trust me, you will eventually.
Post-Its
Every college student should have post-its. Although not everyone is fond of using these tiny pieces of paper, it could be really helpful once you get used to it. You can use it in a lot of ways — for a quick reminder or to-do list, to mark a book, or to simply document what you have in mind. You can also use it to cover parts of texts on your book as a study guide. The best thing about this is you won’t peel off the paper beneath the post-it.
Corkboard
Aside from the calendar, having a corkboard or bulletin board is one creative way to remind you of your goals. You need to have pins and bullets with you though. You can use this corkboard to pin up pictures of your family and loved ones and remind you that you are doing all these for them and yourself. You can also pin images of your goals and what you want to achieve in life to help you keep going.
Index Cards
According to studies, you retain more information when you actually write down notes using your own words while studying. These index cards can serve as your mini notes or flashcards when studying for exams and preparing for recitations.
