You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your classmates. So you’re a week into a group assignment, and things aren’t going as smoothly as you’d like. Maybe some group members are MIA, or others are scatterbrained. It happens to everyone. Despite following all the right preventative measures (staying organized, using a group chat, etc), you’re still running into issues. Now what? Whether your group members are lagging behind, there’s miscommunication, or something else, here are some possible solutions that just might save your grade.   Create Detailed Structure Sometimes, going beyond just your teacher’s recommended timelines and deadlines is needed to keep your group on a steady pace towards the finish line. Take charge of the situation and create a list of self-imposed “mini” deadlines to keep everyone on track. (Hint: This is a great way to begin establishing yourself as a student leader !). For instance, two days to create a rough outline, five days after that for a complete draft, three days later showing a full draft to your professor, etc. Make sure you cultivate a dynamic in which people are comfortable communicating any issues they encounter as well, so you know ahead of time if they’re struggling (and not the day before it’s due). Oftentimes it’s easy to squander time one way or another, so set clear expectations and roles on Day 1.  Hold Others Accountable Even with all the structure and planning in the world, some people still miss the mark on getting their pieces of a project done on time. But how do you bring this up without causing hurt feelings? Be sure to keep the conversation clear but compassionate. Hold them accountable to the deadlines you all agreed upon by first talking it over calmly in private. Sometimes it’s just an honest mistake, but be cautious going forward. If it happens again, mention the issue to your professor to keep them in the loop. If the project turns out less than stellar, your professor might give you some leeway grade-wise if you inform them of the issues you’ve encountered ahead of time.  Get it Done Early for Revisions Nothing is worse than finishing an assignment the day of, then noticing a litany of small mistakes that you have no time to fix. Prevent this by doing everything you can to finish the assignment a few days before the real due date, and review everyone’s work with a fine-tooth comb. Your professor will not only thank you, but reward you with a better grade!  With all these tips in mind, you’ll be able to overcome the problems associated with a not-so-fantastic group, and get a decent grade once it’s all said and done!  WRITTEN BY Brianna DiGeronimo The College of New Jersey Brianna is a rising senior at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) studying English, with minors in Communications and Marketing. She loves playing video games and the kalimba (albeit badly). She is currently an intern at Macmillan Learning (BFW Publishing) in the Marketing department. ... View more

Plan Ahead! College students are expected to seamlessly juggle classes, coursework, jobs, clubs, volunteering, bills, debts, AND keeping up with an active social life. Students can fall into the pattern of instant meals, binge drinking, and procrastination as a way to put off their responsibilities. However, there is an easier way to deal with the stress of a chaotic college schedule: planning. There is a little bit more work upfront, but implementing a planner, an online calendar, and a to-do list can lead to less stress, more free time, and a better grip on all facets of college. A   physical planner   with a place to note monthly, weekly, and daily obligations and due dates, is the key to knowing how much time you have to truly complete tasks with your best effort. I use a planner from Target however, a bullet journal can also be equally as effective. Ryder Carroll’s   “The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future”   is a great resource to get started with bullet journaling. For the monthly pages, I note blocks of time I work, have interviews or important meetings that I need to prepare for when large projects or due, and (very important) vacations and fun events. For the weekly page, I will rewrite the big due dates from the monthly page in order to break it down to just the week at hand (to avoid being overwhelmed). This is where smaller due dates and errands can be added to the list as well. To-do lists:   To make the most out of your study time, be it a block between classes or a whole evening, a to-do list can provide clarity and increase productivity. Making a short list for each day of the week will decrease the overwhelming nature of an all-encompassing to-do list. Color coding your to-dos based on class or importance is an easy (and cute) way to sort a lengthy to-do list. Making sure to note the priority of the task is important because it can be easy to accomplish the more fun or easy tasks before the more challenging ones that may be due sooner. Finally, I use Google Calendar as an   online calendar   to set up my semester. This tool is free, user-friendly, and links up to any Google account. During enrollment season, I will enter in my upcoming classes using the recurring event function. This way I can easily know my availability for work and social things. Planning can be overwhelming but there are infinite benefits to even implementing some of these tactics. Productivity has been linked to   increased happiness, higher quality of work, and less stress. Check out   Matt D’Avella   or   Nathaniel Drew   on YouTube for more productivity inspiration. Happy Planning! WRITTEN BY Katherine McGaughey University of Kansas Katie is a senior who is double-majoring in exercise science and psychology at the University of Kansas. Originally from Wichita, she loves exploring new cities and has traveled to eight of the top twenty most influential cities in the world so far. She loves cooking and finding the best vegan eats. You can usually find her in planning her next adventure, enjoying a concert with friends, or late-night studying at the library. ... View more

Get yourself on the right track! In college, you are bound to encounter stress on more than a few occasions, especially if you are involved in an organization or have a job. You may at some point question if you are even cut out for college or your major because so many assignments and exams jumble up at the same time as one another. I am here to tell you that this stress is manageable if you follow these key steps. Mental health services are available for students -- take advantage of them if you feel like college is too much There are plenty of resources for stress management at your university. There is therapy for individual stress, group therapy if your stress extends within your friend group, and there may be relaxation rooms to help you take a step back and cool down mentally. In addition to trying therapy and other mental services, there may also be on-campus psychologists or psychiatrists who could give you their recommendations for relieving stress as well as being other people you could be comfortable talking to about your stress. If your psychiatrist evaluates you and sees that prescribing medication, such as an SSRI, is a possibility to relieve stress, be open to it because these medications are helpful with balancing your mood. This medication may or may not work for you as everyone’s body reacts differently to each medication, but it is better to try to feel better than not at all. There are plenty of SSRIs available if one does not work for you, and the benefits outweigh the costs of taking the medication as a prescription. You understand your body best, so speak to your doctor if the prescribed medication does not work for you. Taking the medication should also not be the end all be all to relieve your stress, and the other steps below are available to alleviate that as well. Use aromatherapy Aromatherapy is a natural way for you to use your senses in order to help you calm down. Aromatherapy costs a little bit to use, but the cost is very little considering the benefit of being able to relax can be priceless. You can purchase aromatherapy devices or lotions from companies such as Air Wick, Glade, and Bath and Body Works. Give yourself a break You do not have to tackle all your work at once; if you do, your final product could be sloppy. It is better to space assignments out because your brain needs time to relax. Your breaks should not be too long, though. You need to still tackle ackle your assignments in a timely manner. It's all about balance! Positive self-talk. You are your biggest critic. Don’t overthink or doubt yourself if you get a poor grade. If you get a bad grade, you get a bad grade. You can bring your grades up but shouldn’t feel as though you’re obligated to get straight As in college. Your future boss will still hire you if you get a B or a C in a class. You are only human, and as long you did your best, you shouldn’t be critical of yourself. Being critical of yourself adds to your stress level. Give yourself a break. All in all, stress is natural in college and you shouldn’t be afraid to face it during your journey. Sometimes classes will hit you like a truck, but all you can do is pick yourself back off the ground and keep on trudging. There is light at the end of the tunnel and the light is your future degree. WRITTEN BY Jacob Concolino University of Kentucky I am currently pursuing a BS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kentucky. I am also pursuing a minor in German and have been to the country twice. I can speak some German, and I listen to every genre of music from German to country to rap to pop. ... View more

You can have it all! Are you planning to go into college with a major that will require difficult courses as well as getting involved with many organizations? Are you stressed that you will not have the ability to juggle all of this while also having a social life? Well don’t you worry, I was in your shoes, and if you follow my advice you’ll surely be able to survive college while also excelling emotionally, academically, and socially. Put everything you have planned into a calendar Staying organized is key to being successful. When you have everything in a calendar, it will allow you to plan out your day with schoolwork and maybe squeeze in time with your friends. Never plan all of your assignments at the last minute. Spacing it out will lower your stress and allow you to be more flexible for possible activities that were not planned, such as a trip to the gym or playing volleyball outside a dorm or a short trip to a fast-food restaurant like Cook-Out to grab yourself a milkshake or a quick bite to eat. Give yourself short breaks Never try to do everything at once. That is stressful and difficult to achieve. Give yourself breaks to eat a little snack, eat a meal, watch some YouTube, or whatever else may be helpful for you to destress. Try to limit each break to about 30 minutes so that you can get back to work. The number of short breaks will depend on the amount of work that is supposed to be completed. Just be wary of how long you are not working on your homework. Give yourself enough sleep, but not too much sleep Sleep is essential to allowing your body to relax and recover from the day. That being said, sleeping too much is usually unhealthy because it can be a sign of exhaustion or stress-related. Lacking sleep and sleeping too much will be detrimental to your long-term health. Try to get a nice 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Never skip meals Eating food is very essential for the human body to receive energy. Skipping meals can lead to a lack of focus as well as obvious health issues. Always try to eat three meals a day with a snack between lunch and dinner and another snack before dinner. Never eat a snack less than two hours before you go to sleep as your body has less time to digest the nutrients, which could lead to heartburn or weight gain. Don’t be hard on yourself if you miss an assignment You are only human. Learn from these mistakes rather than dwell on them. Dwelling is a slippery slope, so the best is to learn and move on. College doesn’t magically stop for you; you need to know that the world will move on without you. However, you can always bounce back from a poor grade. If you did the best you can on assignment, then you shouldn’t be hard on yourself about the outcome. All in all, college may appear to be stressful for students, especially those with a rigorous course load, but the work is worth all the effort. Sometimes days will feel harder than others, but you just have to get back up on your feet and keep working the best you can. You are your biggest critic. WRITTEN BY Jacob Concolino University of Kentucky I am currently pursuing a BS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kentucky. I am also pursuing a minor in German and have been to the country twice. I can speak some German, and I listen to every genre of music from German to country to rap to pop. ... View more

Choosing a field of study doesn't have to be scary!   Picking a major is vastly different for every college student. Some students arrive at college and already have an idea of what they want to study. Alternatively, other students arrive and have no idea what they want to study. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, it is OK. Major selection is one of the most difficult decisions in college and every school has a unique process. At some schools, incoming freshmen declare their major upfront whereas at other schools students wait until their sophomore year to declare their major. No matter which way your school sets up the process to decide your major, you’ll need to make this decision at some point in your college career. Here are some strategies that may help you. Be true to yourself One of the most important parts of this process is self-reflection. Students must reflect on both their current studies as well as where they want those studies to take them after they graduate. When selecting a major, it is crucial to think about your strengths and weaknesses and how those factors contribute to who you are as a student. That being said, if you know your academic interests do not align with your career interests, that is fine. The courses you choose do not determine your career path! Engineering, for example, is one of the few careers that it is crucial to major in as it teaches you concrete skills in order to prepare you for that career. However, many careers are different from engineering in the sense that you do not need to learn a trade to do it; rather, you need to cultivate and develop sets of skills that inherently exist in everyone. Drown out the noise Parents, teachers, and friends will tell you what you should do and which major is best suited to your interests. I would urge you to listen to what those people have to say, but make sure you follow your own passions. This is your journey; you should shape it yourself in order to take full agency over the process. Focus on what you want to learn not what you think will make you money This is a very common misconception among college students. People sometimes focus on the dollars they envision at the end of the process, rather than enjoying the process intrinsically. This can impact your success as a student; you may be less engaged or less interested in what you are learning in the classroom. This can have an opposite effect than the one initially intended. The less successful you are in school, the harder it will be to find something to do after -- and you don’t want to commit to a career that you might not enjoy! All in all, the major selection is a process that calls for careful thought as life becomes far more difficult if you are doing something you do not enjoy. Most importantly, it is perfectly fine to know what you are interested in studying, but not know what you want to do for a career. College is not just memorizing and regurgitating historical facts and math equations. Every semester that you complete will give you foresight into the future about what you may want to do; therefore, do not worry if you don’t know exactly what career path you want to take because chances are it will become clear as time passes! WRITTEN BY Noah Skelskie Emory University My name is Noah Skelskie and I am an intern in the Macmillan marketing department. I am a rising junior at Emory University and was born and raised in New York City. I enjoy watching any and all sports but most of all, my New York Mets (unfortunately). ... View more

How do you choose your classes? For all those indecisive intellectual magpies out there, this article provides some tips for choosing the elective course that will brighten your day without overburdening your semester. Try Something New It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it’s sometimes surprisingly hard to follow. If you can overcome the fear of crossing academic lines, you’ll likely find that cross-disciplinary study holds   numerous benefits, as it can open your mind to practices that might later impact your area(s) of study. For example, I took a popular course on child development and media in my sophomore year and ended up using one of the theorists from that course in my English senior thesis two years later. You never know what will prove beneficial in the future. Choose by Professor, not Subject This was one of my favorite pieces of advice I got when entering college. As counterintuitive as it may sound, sometimes it’s more worthwhile to choose a course by its professor than by its subject matter. Professors can be the difference between months of half-hearted work or a semester of rich exploration. Ask your upperclassmen friends or check sites like   ratemyprofessors.com   before choosing a course with a professor whose teaching style you may not enjoy. You can always get the textbook or read up on the subject later if you are still interested! Class Size = Class Vibes It’s fairly self-explanatory, but you can often judge a class by its class size. Larger lectures tend to cover lots of material with less chance for personalized learning, while smaller courses generally review less material more thoroughly with more chance for discussion with peers and professors. Choose the course with the best learning environment for you. Weigh the Relative Gains While that class on video game programming might seem cool, if you already have a busy semester, choosing an elective course that entails lots of course work or long hours may not be the best idea for your overall academic and mental health. Even though intellectual curiosity is a great gift, sometimes you need to weigh the relative gains of learning a new skill against the relative costs of coursework and class time, exams, etc. If you are really struggling to keep up after the first couple of weeks, there’s no shame in dropping a course! You can almost always retake it another time when your workload is lighter or during the summer. Buy Yourself More Time If you really (really) can’t decide between two courses, sign up for both! It’s far easier to drop a course after the first couple of weeks than it is to pick up an extra course later. You never really know until you step into a classroom whether that course you’ve been panting after all semester will be plain terrific or terrifically plain. Hopefully, these suggestions will help you feel more confident and empowered the next time course selection rolls around! Visit College Quest to discover other useful tips on handling the wonders and woes of college life. WRITTEN BY Emma Hodgdon Tufts University Emma is a recent grad from Tufts University with a BA in English who loves playing the cello and reading all things Gothic. She spends her free time experimenting with calligraphy, learning to speak Chinese beyond the names of dim sum dishes, and desperately trying not to kill her poor succulents, Verotchka and Geraldine. ... View more

Professors are people too.  Professors are human beings with thoughts and emotions just like you and I. Students can give themselves a huge advantage if they have strong professional relationships with their professors. There are many ways to do this, but here are my five fail-safe methods to win over the hearts and minds of your professors. Go to office hours. Office hours are a forum that exists for students to meet with professors and ask any and all of their questions. It is important to go to office hours early in the semester to introduce yourself to the professor so they can put a name to the face, especially in larger classes. Office hours allow students and professors to develop relationships that go beyond the typical roles in the classroom. Students who go to office hours can get the opportunity to receive academic advising, mentorship, and obviously help with their class. Ask questions and participate in class. Even if a professor’s lecturing makes you want to pull your hair out, it is crucial to answer the professor’s questions and ask those of your own. Although it may seem futile in bigger classes, participation is incredibly important in showing the professor that you are engaged in the class and taking it seriously. Put your technology away! Having spoken to many professors about this topic, it seems widely accepted that technology is the biggest distraction students face in the classroom today. Whether it is your iPhone or your laptop, it is crucial not to let your devices take away from your academic success. Don't miss class. In larger classes, especially those that do not take attendance, it is counterproductive to miss class even if you are able to stay up on the work. The experiences and insights you gain when going to class are unparalleled and can not be replicated by simply doing the readings and homework. Even if you are able to do well in the class without going, professors oftentimes notice the absence of students whether it is occasional or consistent across an entire semester. Ask what they are teaching next semester. Professors have dedicated their lives to the subjects that they teach and often times are pleased when a student expresses interest in their work. Therefore, before it is time for course registration, it is a good idea to reach out to your professors about what courses they are teaching in the coming semester. This demonstrates to the professor that you enjoy their teaching style and class. WRITTEN BY Noah Skelskie Emory University My name is Noah Skelskie and I am an intern in the Macmillan Marketing Department. I am a rising junior at Emory University and was born and raised in New York City. I enjoy watching any and all sports but most of all, my New York Mets (unfortunately). ... View more

How to actually be productive in the library. For college students, the library is the hub for printing and copying papers, looking for scholarly sources, and, of course, doing homework. Being productive in the library, however, can be challenging: distraction, procrastination, and exhaustion are usually associated with the library. Even the most dedicated lib-goers (library-goers) sometimes struggle with finishing all of the work that they had set out to do when they arrived at the library in the first place. Being a frequent lib-goer over the course of my undergraduate career, I have compiled a shortlist of what to do -- and what not to do -- in order to make the most of your time in the library. Do... Be organized. Before starting your journey to the library, decide what you want to work on and what you want to accomplish.   What homework is due the soonest? When is that test I have to study for or the due date for that paper I have to write?   Asking yourself these sort of questions will help you prioritize your work. Prioritizing, along with figuring out how much time you have to spend in the library, will help you determine what to work on as well as what books and notes you’ll need to bring. Take care of yourself. The library is normally associated with stressful cramming and long nights of studying or writing. There are many ways to ease your stress and boost your morale. Listening to music, taking periodic breaks, and eating snacks are quick fixes to stay focused and get as much work done as you can. Utilize the café. If your library has a café, be sure to take advantage of it. The lib-caf at my school is my favorite place on campus because of the social yet productive atmosphere. The café is a great place to work on group projects because, unlike the rest of the library, talking at normal volume is encouraged. If you work best with background noise, no other on-campus space beats the lib-caf! Work with friends. Going to the library with friends is a great way to keep yourself motivated. Your friends make sure you’re staying on task and won’t be afraid to call you out if you keep procrastinating or talking too much. It’s also comforting to have friends with you while you work to remind yourself that you’re not alone. Doing homework is stressful, but knowing that your friends are in the same boat as you may ease your stress and provide an outlet for talking about the workload. Don't... Overwhelm yourself. Thinking about all the homework you have to do is stressful. Instead of thinking big picture, try breaking down your homework by class, time commitment, or due date.   Which class do I have the most homework for? How long do I think it will it take? When is it due?   These questions are essential for prioritizing your work and avoiding getting overwhelmed. While it is good to try to get as much done in one sitting as possible, you also have to think realistically about how much can   actually   be done. Over-caffeinate or under-sleep. While it might sound tempting, drinking too much coffee or losing sleep in order to finish all of your work won’t pay off in the long run. Neither practice is healthy for you, and oftentimes, you end up producing poorer quality work when you overdose on coffee or underdose on sleep. Aim for 1-3 cups of coffee and 8 hours of sleep per day in order to maximize productivity. Talk too loud. Despite serving a wide variety of purposes, the library is still a library. Whether you choose to sit in the café or elsewhere, you must respect others around you. Being surrounded by other stressed-out college students makes it difficult at times to remember the library’s rules, but always keep this one in mind to avoid being asked to quiet down by a librarian or fellow student. Get too distracted. Between music, breaks, snacks, and friends, staying on task at the library is difficult. If you find yourself procrastinating too much, try recalling what needs to be done in order to refocus your attention on your homework. Setting specific time limits on your breaks -- as well as how often you get to take them -- can help you focus as well. As for music, jazz and classical are common genres that students listen to when they need to remain motivated in order to meet the homework goals they set for themselves. The library is a popular study area for much of a college’s student body. By staying on task, keeping organized, and using your support system of friends, success at the library is entirely possible! WRITTEN BY Kelly Vena The College of New Jersey Kelly Vena is a senior at The College of New Jersey, where she is finishing up her English major and Communication Studies and French minors. She has worked as a marketing intern at Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers, the high school textbook branch of Macmillan Learning, since the start of the 2018-2019 school year. Kelly has been a writer since her senior year of high school, and her poetry has appeared in two publications as well as multiple editions of TCNJ's literary magazine. ... View more

Foolproof steps to accomplishment. Coming from a student that worked two part-time jobs while taking a full course load of 18 credits: college is tough. You're busy worrying about your future post-graduation while juggling all of your classes, internships, jobs, family, friends, and everything else that life piles on top of you. The good news is that with focus, success is possible! Make your boss happy, spend time with the people that matter, and watch those As roll in. Balance with Baby Steps: To truly succeed at managing your busy schedule, start with building on what you can handle. Having trouble memorizing terms for that big test? Go slowly and take them two or three at a time. Overwhelmed at your job or internship? Prioritize your work -- get the most important assignments out of the way first before beginning the next. Do your friends suggest going out on your study day? Reschedule that movie night for the weekend after your midterm. Make time. Stick to Simple Studying: Why study harder than you have to? Use tricks like mnemonic devices, word association, or drawings as study aids. When preparing for your next big exam, whether it be for English or Engineering, work through the material in chunks. Before you move on to the next piece of material, make sure you understand the fundamentals (at the very least) of the previous information. Work Within Your Limits: One of the worst things you can do for yourself when you already have a full schedule is to make your life even busier. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you do what's expected of you and only take on additional work that can be completed within reason. If you know you have assignments to finish, don't volunteer for that extra shift. Go above and beyond when you're able, but don't stretch yourself so thin that there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. Can't wait for more tips on navigating your budding adult life? Check back here at College Quest for more! WRITTEN BY Samantha Storms Hofstra University Despite her last name, this senior journalism and publishing student doesn't have dreams of becoming a weather forecaster upon graduation from Hofstra University. She is currently exploring her love of language as a Media Editorial Intern for the psychology team at Macmillan Learning. A true Pittsburgher through and through, Samantha enjoys knitting, listening to eighties pop, and searching for the best pho spots. ... View more

What do you really know? We've all seen the countless TV shows and movies that depict college as either magical or as a life-sentence in prison. Although sometimes the latter is true, most of the time real-life college is completely different from what is shown on TV. Keep reading to find out what are myths and what is real: You are stuck with whatever major you chose in your college applications:   MYTH Colleges don't expect all freshmen to know exactly what they want their future careers to be so changing your major is more common than sticking with your original major which is why all colleges require you to take general education courses to help you discover a new interest or major. Everyone gains the "freshman 15":   MYTH I get it, free food everywhere and no elder to tell you to put down the 18th cupcake, but most campuses offer healthy alternatives which are sometimes better than eating the same ramen for the fifth day in a row. Professors don't care about their students:   MYTH College professors in movies are depicted as cruel, bitter monsters that enjoy failing students. You'll most likely find more professors that want to make a difference in their student's lives through education and want to network with for future career opportunities. Textbooks will break your bank: MYTH If you buy textbooks from the bookstore, then you probably will break your bank account. Renting books is a cost-saving solution and easier than selling back your books at the end of the semester. Check out   Macmillan's   Student Store to find out about how you can save a fortune on textbooks! Dorm Life is awful:   MYTH/TRUTH Certain aspects of dorm life can be challenging like 3 a.m. fire alarms, noisy neighbors, and communal bathrooms. Most dorms have "quiet hours" during the week to study or sleep so don't worry about noisy dorm parties 24/7. College is where you'll meet your forever friends:   TRUTH Meeting your lifelong friends is one of the only things that the media gets right about college life. Whether it be your freshman year or your senior year, you'll make some of the best memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. There are certain things that the media does get right: college is where you find your   true identity   and make lasting memories. WRITTEN BY Rebecca Connolly Hofstra University Rebecca is a senior marketing major at Hofstra University. Originally from Colchester, Connecticut, she loves exploring New York City and finding all the best food. You can usually find her anywhere that serves pizza, buffalo wings, or chocolate milkshakes while panicking over her post-graduation future. ... View more

A message from those who made it. Dear Stressed Out Student, I am writing to you today to help you get through that point in every semester when it seems that all your professors plot together to give you an exam, project, and assignments due in the same week in every single class. Luckily, there are some ways to prevent getting overly stressed out during this inevitable week of   pure horror. Organize Using an app like   myHomework Student Planner   will help you organize all scheduled assignments and exams. Organizing tasks most likely will help you feel like your workload is under-control and less stressful to think about. Prioritize My advice is to prioritize all the big-ticket items first (term papers, group projects, final exam prep) and leave the small-valued assignments to the end. Prioritizing helps remove the need to rush to finish something that has a heavy weight on your final grade by devoting your time and energy to the more important tasks. Plan Ahead Busy the weekend before a big exam? Plan ahead some time to study before your weekend plans so you aren't cramming the night before. Space out your study time over the course of a week to allow a proper understanding of the material. Allow yourself breaks Taking breaks from any task is valuable in retaining focus, as found in a 2008   study   on retention rates. Giving yourself 15 to 30 minutes breaks will help you stay focused for longer periods of time. Use this time to eat, nap, or exercise to free your mind. Don't overstudy You may feel the need to overstudy but it could have negative effects on your studying ability. Overstudying can cause you to easily lose focus, increase in anxiety, and the inability to sleep due to an overactive brain from stress. Once you feel like you have a deep understanding of the topic, stop studying, and take a break. Don't procrastinate Not procrastinating is easier said than done, but it's the easiest way to prevent stress. Give yourself personal deadlines of when you want something due and then reward yourself with candy, take-out, or an extended nap. It took me 3 full academic years and a few sleepless nights to figure out that not leaving all papers and tests to the day before is an effective way to do well in college. Don't be like me; start being productive early to get into the right kind of habits. Sincerely, The Ones Who   Barely   Made It Out Alive WRITTEN BY Rebecca Connolly Hofstra University Rebecca is a senior marketing major at Hofstra University. Originally from Colchester, Connecticut, she loves exploring New York City and finding all the best food. You can usually find her anywhere that serves pizza, buffalo wings, or chocolate milkshakes while panicking over her post-graduation future. ... View more

You're not in a classroom, but the work's still piling up. Recently, I was skimming an article on the dangers of cheating services for online classes (What can I say? I like to know what my students might be doing...), and the author gave some alternatives to abusing online classes for people who tended to stress about them. That got me thinking: Are students aware that there is help available to them? Do they know that there are other options besides resorting to cheating in an online class? Many students feel as if there is no other option; they are too stressed with deadlines, life factors, and unrealistic goals to consider the options available to them in helping them succeed throughout their college career. As a TA, observing college freshmen has become a full-time hobby for me, and the reason is not just professional. As I watch these younger students struggle with their new-found freedom and coursework, I'm reminded of all the practical information that they should receive during their first year in higher education. I've never been one for abstract thinking; to me, there needs to be a practical purpose behind everything we do in college. When students begin to advance in their educational journey, online classes become an increasingly popular way to continue college classwork while seemingly taking the "easy" road. While you don't have to be in a physical classroom, online classes, however, can still be stressful. The simple lack of teacher-student interaction can put certain students at a disadvantage, especially if the student does better in a physical classroom. Cheating in an online class can seem like a gigantic help if the student sees no other way of being successful in the class. Being the practical person that I am, I've compiled a list of things students might do   instead   of resorting to the act that will haunt them for the rest of their college careers. Ask a professor/instructor for advice. Students are painfully unaware at times of just how much they should ask for help/advice when it comes to the online college classroom. Most are afraid of looking incompetent and risk getting the help they need. Here's a secret, however: Professors are here to   help   you. The majority of them   want   you to ask questions and to feel comfortable seeking help. Don't understand a discussion group? Ask for help. Can't figure out where to post an assignment? Ask for help. Not 100% sure what the professor is wanting from a certain paper? Ask for help. Nine times out of ten, they'll be incredibly glad that you asked. An effort is extremely appreciated in higher education. Make sure you absolutely have to have this particular online course. Many students make the mistake of taking an online class so it'll be "easier" on them. In a way, it's completely understandable. I've done that myself. However, I've never backed myself into a corner when it comes to the assignments. I know my limit and I don't exceed it. Too many students sign up for an online class and are blown away by the sheer amount of reading or writing. This makes them stressed, puts them behind, and can ultimately lead to cheating in some form or fashion. If you don't need this particular class, don't sign up for it. Know your limits and what you are capable of at this point in your education. Don't be afraid to drop the class. This particular piece of advice could scare some students away. Drop a class? I would   never! Hear me out: Instead of struggling and stressing and cheating to stay afloat, just drop the class. Recognize that this isn't the best situation for you. So many students struggle with when to finish college; they are so worried about a specific timeline for their life that they can resort to things that hurt them in the long run. Personally, it took me 14 years to complete my undergraduate degree. I had a kid, worked in the real world for a bit, and then was able to finish. One great thing I learning from the experience? There's no need to rush. I'd rather give 100% and do my very best work than rush myself through the biggest undertaking of my life. While there are other ways to help students navigate the online education waters, these tips are just a few of the ways that students can take a deep breath and hopefully put some thought into their educational decisions. If you are interested in the previously mentioned article on the dangers of cheating in online classes, see   https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2017-01-27/4-dangers-of-cheating-services-for-online-courses. WRITTEN BY Lee Hall University of North Alabama Lee Hall graduated from the University of North Alabama with a degree in English and then decided to pursue a Masters in British Literature. She currently lives in Florence, Alabama but tries to talk her husband daily into moving to Scotland to get her PhD. She is raising an awesome 10-year-old son, along with two cats and two dogs who make her question her sanity. ... View more

Helpful tips and tricks for finals week. Got a big exam coming up but struggle with study skills? Have trouble keeping focus while taking your exam? Do nerves creep up before or during your exam? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then congratulations, welcome to the life of a hardworking student! Life as a student can come with its pain points, but check out a few of our study hacks that are sure to get your synapses sparking, nerves crushed, and your exams aced. Gum and Candy For the Win Don't put it under the desks folks, cause this minty savior could boost you a whole letter grade!   Chewing gum or sucking on a piece of candy/cough drop   can help alleviate your nerves during a test and stimulate your brain while taking your exam. This is scientifically proven; do some   research! Your hippocampus will thank you for it. Jog, Dance, Swim, Leap! Work your brain by working your body! Take about 15 minutes to warm your body up by doing some form of   stretches or exercises   before your exam. Whether you jog, dance, yoga, swim, jump rope, the choice is yours. Getting your blood pumping will help wake you up and get your brain focused and ready for that big exam! Puzzle Me This Great for the early exams,   solving puzzles   such as Sudoku help center your focus and wake your brain up, especially if you're not a morning person. Mental exercise is just as important as physical. Put it in Song! Get your vocal cords ready. There are scientific studies that show there is a direct relationship between   music and memory.   Playing music   in the background or   coming up with songs, jingles, or rhymes   can help you remember fun facts like "in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue" or how many elements are in the periodic table. Bonus points if you teach your classmates your song. Repetition is key in any form of practice! WRITTEN BY Alyssa Del-Valle Macmillan Learning With a BA in Communications and Music and a "Mouseters" in all things Disney, when not writing fabulous articles this native New Yorker is either making up songs in her head about her daily interactions, practicing voice overs for the next hair care commercial, or munching on Doritos she couldn't resist grabbing at her local bodega. The purple bag is hard to resist. ... View more

Put an end to the procrastination. Managing all of your college classes can be a full-time job, but most college students have to balance their classes with extracurriculars as well. Spending time outside the classroom is a huge part of the college experience. Whether those experiences happen while playing on a sports field, in the chatter of a newsroom, or backstage of a play, it's important to make time for extracurriculars during college, but the question is how exactly can you make that time? Here are three tips for how best to manage your time and balance your coursework with your other activities: Start a calendar Take a moment at the beginning of the semester to sit down with all of your syllabi and your calendar. Get all of your midterms, papers, and major assignment due dates down off the bat. Be sure to add other big dates in there too, like game days or debate weekends. Now is the time to plan ahead - if any weeks look really busy, make sure to get started on things early. Get your readings and problem sets done ahead of time and stay ahead of the ball. Avoid the scroll More often than not, the first thing people do when they sit down to study is to check their social media. Before you know it, you've spent half an hour not getting work done. Planning out when you'll get assignments done is a crucial part of time management in college, but that only works if things go according to plan. Whether you're just getting started or taking a short break, avoid getting pulled into the never-ending scroll of social media.  Use your resources Everyone has classes they struggle with. If you know you have trouble finishing a class's problem sets, understanding the lecture, or tackling a research paper, don't be shy about asking for help. Take advantage of office hours or TA study sessions. The time you take to get your questions answered will be well worth the investment. You'll be able to complete your assignments more quickly and with a lot less frustration. For more student-related articles, check College Quest often. There will be updates throughout the term! WRITTEN BY Isabel McCullough Isabel is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Library and Information Science at Syracuse University in an effort to combine her love of books and old things. When not navigating life as a full-time grad student, Isabel enjoys baking, reading, and acquiring random fun facts. (The average size of a newborn polar bear cub is 2 pounds.) ... View more

What if we told you it actually helps with learning? As a recent graduate, I remember all too well the shivers we would get as students when professors muttered the word "test" or "quiz". If you wanted to hear a symphony of groans, add in the word   now   and a sea of furrowed brows and hand slams would fill the room. Tests get a bad rap in the academic world nowadays. With test anxiety being shed to light, academia has become aware of the negative effects it can have on students. Some students dislike testing because it makes them question their intelligence with every wrong answer. Others get stage fright, and can't perform under the pressure, time constraints, etc. Not everyone's IQ is defined by a mere test by any means, and some professors have shied away from administering them. For some students, an examination apocalypse would be a dream, but what if I told you that testing could actually be a   good   thing? It's all about the execution. According to the Scientific American article,   Researchers Find That Frequent Tests Can Boost Learning   through the psychological process of   retrieval practice, the repetitious nature of test-taking actually aids students in retaining knowledge longer-term as opposed to traditional teaching methods (Paul). Retrieval practice, formally known as "the testing effect" argues against the "reading the material and being tested on it later" method, but rather encourages students to learn through the frequent state of testing. Now while consistent testing sounds intense, many do not realize the brain empowered blessings this poses. Studies have shown that when testing a student on the material even before they have had their lecture can improve knowledge retention rates even beyond the final exam. LearningCurve and iClicker are excellent examples of just that. LearningCurve allows students to answer multiple-choice and short answer questions before the actual lecture, making students read the material and answer basic questions on what they read. To continue the testing repetition, using iClicker's REEF Polling can continue the testing habit in a group setting. If more students get in the habit of answering questions based on the material, when it is time to take the official exam, they are more likely to excel and score higher. Paul, Annie Murphy. "Researchers Find That Frequent Tests Can Boost Learning."   Scientific American. N.p., 08 July 2015. Web. 24 May 2017. WRITTEN BY Alyssa Del-Valle Macmillan Learning With a BA in Communications and Music and a "Mouseters" in all things Disney, when not writing fabulous articles this native New Yorker is either making up songs in her head about her daily interactions, practicing voice overs for the next hair care commercial, or munching on Doritos she couldn't resist grabbing at her local bodega. The purple bag is hard to resist. ... View more