Reading Tips For College Students That Will Prepare You For Success This Upcoming Semester

 

The reading demands that college professors require of their students is intimidating. Looking at the list of books on each course’s syllabus this semester can make any avid reader head for the hills! But with these reading tips for college students, you’ll increase your reading speed so you can get more done while remembering all the information for your exams.

Read in silence

Face it. College dorm rooms can get loud and rowdy. They aren’t always the ideal living situation for everyone making it challenging to focus and read. Instead, you should find somewhere that is absolutely silent. Ollie Campbell, CEO of Milanote and part of Navy Design‘s multidisciplinary team, knows how powerful working in silence can be for a person. Campbell revealed to Fast Company about what happened when her team designated part of their day to silence. She said that her team became 23% more productive, less stressed, and they were able to take Friday afternoons off. Explore campus and find a quiet reading nook to escape to so you can rest assure you’ll take in all the info you read.

Create flashcards with key concepts and words

When reading a textbook on a topic you’ve never explored before, the first thing that usually comes to mind is to highlight keywords and phrases to refer back to later on. This is no different from rereading, which eats up your study time. Business Insider explains that when you highlight a piece of text, you are telling your brain what’s worth remembering. But when it comes to exam time, you’ll have a hard time digging out those key concepts and words. When you create flashcards, you show your brain what is worth remembering and helps to force you to dig out the information from your memory.

Avoid skimming through the text

While it may seem like a good idea to flip through a textbook chapter, skim reading is unproductive and hurts comprehension skills. Skim reading means that you’ll end up going back through the text again and again. There’s just no time to do so! Learning how to speed read allows you to stay on task, be productive, and it helps you to focus better. After all, staying focused is a skill that will make going through college a lot easier. 

Take good notes

Taking notes as you practice speed reading is an even better way to succeded in a subject! Doing so takes practice, and we know a sure-fire way that can help you learn how to do so. College students who take our Mind Mapping Course use it to improve their note-taking skills in order to do well in school. No more rereading a text or having issues comprehending and remembering what you read five minutes ago. Taking good notes in a timely manner will alleviate those issues.

 

Find out more information today and learn how mind mapping can save you time. You’ll get more done so you can enjoy all the other extra circular activities available on campus!