Studying is never an easy task. But not everyone is endowed genetically to be great at studying. With the advent of technology, there are more ways to distract and hinder you from getting good grades. However, you don’t need to come from a family of geniuses to get good grades. You just need to study well. You can’t do anything with your innate intelligence, but you can manipulate your environment to be conducive for studying.

• Attend your classes. This is the most important thing to remember. There are things that you can’t understand on your own. Not all books can explain concepts in the way you easily understand, and you can’t ask books if you have questions. It is much easier to retain concepts explained to you by another person.

• Choose your happy place. Find a place where you can study well – a place where you can’t be disturb. People usually go to the library or coffeehouse for a noise-free environment. But you don’t need to go outside to look for a place. You can study in your room or any place in your house, as long as you you’re comfortable and won’t be disturbed or distracted. Don’t study in your bed, sofa, or cushion chair; you will only fall asleep. It is best to have a hard surface supporting your body like a wooden chair, or even the floor.

• Stay away from distractions. People have limited attention span. When you get bored or tired from studying, the tendency is that you’ll look for other things to do. It is good to take a break now and then, but if it’s consuming your time more than studying, you should stay away from it. Turn off your phone if you are not expecting any important calls. Stay away from the TV and computer, unless you need them in studying. Tell your friends not to call while you’re studying.

• Take breaks. Don’t study for 7 hours straight. You won’t probably remember most of what you studied. The optimal time of studying is about 1-2 hours then take a 10-15 minute break after. You can do some stretching, munch something, or go for a bladder break. Resume studying afterwards. Your brain also gets exhausted, so balance its work and break.

• Don’t force yourself into studying. Sleep when you are sleepy. You won’t remember most of what you studied if you force yourself as compared to studying when you’re rested. There is a specific time of the day when you are most productive. You may have a past experience when you got a higher grade when you studied at a particular time of the day, e.g. from 10pm -2am. This is because that’s the time when you are at your peak of productivity. You will most likely retain what you studied at this time.

• Study over and over again. Repetition is the key. You won’t remember everything when you study the first time. After you studied the first time, read it over and over. This way, the concepts will retain more as you become familiarize with it. Sometimes there are concepts that you can’t understand the first time you encounter them.

There are a lot of tips in how to study well. The ones stated above may or may not work for you. You can also ask a friend who’s good with the subject you’re studying. What is important is that you understand the concepts.

Pursuing your college degree entails a number of decision-making situations. One of the most significant phases that you have to think about is choosing your major. You should be able to weigh everything. Your major is going to make or break your chances of being successful in your career.

Here are some steps on how you can properly choose your college major:

• Visit the OFFICIAL WEBSITE of your preferred institution. Learn more about your school, college, or university. Find out if it is the best learning institution to help you prepare for your future career. Is it reputable?  You can save time and energy by going online and checking out your target institution. Read through the courses that they offer and assess if the listing can aid in solidifying your decision. It is also easy to compare and contrast your target institution with at least two or three alternatives. By doing that you can have a better understanding of your options.

• Research your preferred degree. Your preference may have been greatly influenced by impression. Perhaps, you have heard from your family, friends, and acquaintances that this particular degree is wonderful because of this and that. If that is true to your case, strive to get and understand the hard facts. If you are accessing the institution’s official website, go to the academic section. Refer to the comprehensive description of your preferred degree. Review the subjects being offered and figure out if they can really help you become a competent professional. You may also talk to a practitioner. See if he can share things that are close to your expectations. Otherwise, you can always reconsider.
• Work out your short list. If you are really bent in pursuing a particular degree, ignore this step. When you are already eyeing a particular degree, you may not benefit from entertaining alternatives. However, if you are still undecided, it is quite practical to aim for your short list. Having alternatives gives you the convenience of having a back up. In case your main plan doesn’t push through, your alternatives can allow you some sort of flexibility. You can form your shortlist by examining the degrees carefully. Assess if your preferred degrees truly interest you. Can you imagine yourself doing the professional for so many years?  Are your current skills enough to meet the rigors of your preferred degrees?  By running through these guide questions, you can easily trim down your list.
• Validate your decision. At the end of the day, you have to decide. Nobody should dictate you about the major that you should pursue. However, it is logical to seek the opinion of the people that you trust. You may discuss your options with your parents. They can definitely share valuable insights. You may also want to hear from your close friends. Or if you desire to a professional opinion, you can meet an academic adviser from your preferred institution. He has the appropriate resources to let you shape up your decision. He can even assess your abilities and match them with your interests.
If you don’t get to decide soon, you can always take general education courses first. After completing them, you can certainly figure out your true leaning.