With exams coming up soon for most of us, I wanted to share some tips on how to successfully prepare for your exams. These are tips that I have found helpful to myself throughout college and might be helpful for you!

1.     Complete and study guides that are provided

       If your professors are generous, they might give out a study guide for your tests or final. I have gotten study guides for every test that I have had throughout this semester for two of my classes. I am also receiving study guides for my final is really nice! Use these study guides as a way to help you focus on the most important information while studying. I appreciate when professors give out study guides because it gives structure to your studying instead of being overwhelmed by not knowing what information to focus on. So use study guides if they are provided!

2.     Review notes

       Not all professors will give out a study guide so this is where you have to do things a little different. Review any notes that you have taken in class throughout the semester so you can refresh your mind on the information that you have already learned.

3.    Retake online quizzes/homework

      I have been using Pearson Revel this semester, for two of my classes, where I can access my online book and take chapter quizzes. The good thing about Revel is that I can go back and look at my quizzes to review them after I have completed them. This helps because you can go back and remake your quizzes on Google Docs or Word, and retake them to make sure you remember the information. One of my professors actually provides a typed up version of our online quizzes as a way for us to study for our test. (She's an awesome professor!)

4.    Make flashcards/Quizlet

      If you're anything like me, then flashcards and Quizlets are lifesavers! I am a visual learner and seeing information on a flashcard is really helpful in remembering information. You can quiz yourself without seeing the answer right below the question like you would on a typed up study guide. If you're unsure about what the answer is, you can always put it to the side and review that flashcard until you remember the answer.

5.    Review in sections

      Let's face it... no one like taking finals but it is inevitable in college (unless you get lucky enough to be able to exempt your final). Waiting a couple of days before your exam to start studying is a big NO NO. Studying in sections will help you out a lot! Give yourself sections, or chapters, to study each day so that you are not cramming at the last minute. Cramming only causes stress and it can be avoided if you start studying in advance.

Download the free exam schedule printable below:

Save the file by right clicking on the image.

Were these tips helpful to you? What are some of your favorite studying techniques or tips for finals?

     
Hey y'all! Today I am sharing with you some tips on how to have a successful semester. Throughout college, I have learned some of these tips and tricks, and how they can beneficial to you.

1. Use a planner

    

    Using a planner is super key in school. There are many planners out there that you can choose from to best fit your needs and style. I actually talked about planners and my favorite kind in a recent post. For me, I like to have planners where I can write out tasks and assignments on an individual day, while also having a monthly view for each month so that I can also write down important assignments. Honestly, I could not survive without a planner in college. I am a full time student taking 17 credits and also working on my campus so it can get overwhelming at times. Here is a picture of my planner that I am loving:

     I like to plan out my month in advance with any major assignments that I have in my classes. I will go through all my syllabi and write them in. Another good thing to do in your planner is to color code your classes. Whether it is using different colored pens or different colored highlighters on top of regular black ink. I just find that using pens is easier and very colorful! I've also started using Google Calendar and OMG has it changed my life! Like I said earlier, I am taking 17 credits this semester (7 classes - 2 classes are 1 credit each) so keeping up with class times can be tricky. My two credit classes are only once a week on completely different days so it has been really confusing in the beginning to remember what day and time that I am supposed to go. The good thing about Google Calendar is that it is a "backup" for me in case I don't have my planner on me at that moment.

    

     I can add my class times (also, I can keep them color coded so they match with the colors I use in my planner), due dates, my work schedule, and any other important events/assignments. I can easily access my Google calendar on my computer, my phone, and my Apple Watch. It's super convenient! Sometimes I might be at a friend's house or I might be out somewhere and forget if I have an assignment due so I can check my calendar without having to have my physical planner. I highly recommend doing both because if you're anything like me (aka OCD and forgetful of things), you won't have to worry about missing something.

2. Communicate with your professors

    Some people don't realize how important it is to communicate with your professor. Now I'm not saying be a teacher's pet... You should communicate with your teacher though, and discuss any issues that you have in the class. Don't be so quiet and unwilling to speak with your professor about you not understanding any material. Most professors are willing to work with their students if they are having trouble because they want them to do well in their course. With doing that, you also can develop a better relationship with your professor so they know how to better help you with whatever it is that you're having trouble with. 

3. Participate in class

     Ok, you might be thinking "Mariah what the heck? Who wants to participate in class?".. I know, I know. I sometimes hate speaking out loud in front of the whole class, especially if I'm unsure if I'm blurting out the right answer or not. Participating is class is so important though because it gives you an opportunity to stay engaged in the lecture and also show your professor that you are trying in their class. This goes with what I said about communicating with your professor. When they see that you're trying and not just coming to class and falling asleep, or staring at your computer all class, they will remember you more and know that you are participating. 

4. Make a class friend/study group

    Going into class and talking to people who you don't know can be kind of intimidating for some people, but making a friend in class is beneficial. Not only are you making a new friend, but you also have someone that you know from class that you can talk about any assignments with. Within my major, I have had classes with some of the same people over again because we are all on the same track with our courses. I am more familiar with some people than others, but I still try and get to know at least one person in all of my classes. You could also make a study group with some people in your classes. Most people are interested in having a group of people to study or do work with. 

5. Use your time wisely

     I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. I have been horrible at procrastination. Everyone is guilty of procrastinating at some point (don't lie to yourself..) Just don't let procrastination take over your life because this will only cause you to be stressed out and make you rush through your assignments to get it in before 11:59pm. I don't know about you, but when I procrastinate doing an assignment, especially a big one, my whole day just goes out of whack because I am so thrown off from rushing and doing something last minute. 

     If you know that you have some breaks in between your classes, use that time to eat a snack and work on a little assignment. Even if you have a big assignment, you can work on little bits at a time during your breaks. Don't use your two-hour break to sleep and scroll through social media; you will regret it later. At work, I am able to be on the computer at the desk so I will sometimes work on my assignments when we are not so busy. Another good thing to do is to schedule some study time into your day. I don't normally schedule study time into my day (I mean on pen and paper) because I just go home and do what I need to do. I think that I might start scheduling a time block in my planner of when I need to study or do work. 

     When I am studying or doing work, I like to sometimes set a timer on my phone for about 25 minutes, with a 5-minute break. I also turn my phone on do not disturb so my phone doesn't go off from notifications. This helps me focus on what I need to do and I don't have to worry about checking the time. I will just wait for the timer to let me know when to stop and then I'll take my 5-minute break. 

6. Get some rest

   

    If you're not getting enough rest, your body will definitely be able to tell. Getting eight hours of sleep is honestly not always realistic when you're in school. You spend basically half the day, sometimes longer, in class or working. Sometimes I am on campus from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, so I don't usually get home until around 6:30 pm. Those days are the longest and I just want to come home and curl up in bed, BUT I can't always do that because I have work to do. If you have to, take a quick 30 or 45-minute nap just to rest yourself. After that, get up and do your work so you can knock that out and go to bed after you finish. If you push off doing what you need to do, you're only robbing yourself of sleep.  In middle school and high school, I would stay up until like 1:00 am and sometimes later. Now that I am in college and working at the same time, sleep is my BFF (am I right?) 

  

    College can be hectic, especially with the many things we have to do, but make sure that you are making enough time for rest. 

7. Hang out with friends

    College shouldn't be all about going to class and doing work. You should make time for extracurricular activities and hanging out with your friends. Once you finish your work, you can reward yourself with going to get some ice cream or seeing a movie with your friends. It is good to step away from all the studying and work that comes along with college. Enjoy the time you have!

8. Make time for yourself

    Making time for yourself is another important thing to do in college. You can choose a night out of the week to just relax, do a face mask, catch up on your favorite show, make time for your hobby, etc. When I make time for myself, I like to light a candle and lay down and relax. I will also sometimes do an oil treatment with coconut oil in my hair and lay around while I let that sit. I am killing two birds with one stone because I can get my hair nice and moisturized and also relax while it soaks in. 

What are some things that you find important to do in college?

      Throughout my college years, I have learned what are some basic necessities for every student. Today I will share with you all my top essentials for college! The items I will talk about are ones that I use on a daily basis and that I fit in my book bag.

1. Water bottle

      We always hear "drink water, it's good for you" and it really is! Carrying a water bottle is great to have to keep you hydrated after walking around campus and after eating. Drinking water is so beneficial to your body. I keep some type of water bottle on the side of my book bag whether it is a plastic bottle that I can refill or my Camelbak. Most campuses have water fountains or places that you can refill water so this helps from using numerous plastic bottles and just tossing them to the side. I prefer insulated water bottles because I like to drink cold water. Having an insulated water bottle helps to keep your ice from melting quickly and also keeps your water cold throughout the day. Here are some of my favorite water bottles:

   

2. Sunglasses 

      I cannot stress how important sunglasses are! I carry my sunglasses with me every day on campus because I am constantly being sucker punched in the eyes by the sun (ouch). Whether the sun hurts your eyes or not, sunglasses are important to wear so you can keep your eyes protected. There are so many cute styles to choose from. Places like TJ Maxx, Forever 21, and Sunglass Hut are some good places to find sunglasses. I usually wear my Ray Ban aviators.

4. Hand Sanitizer 

      I am only slightly a germaphobe when it comes to public places. In college, you are constantly touching rails, doors, chairs, tables, etc. I love carrying around hand sanitizer in my bookbag or on my keychain so that I can easily squirt a little drop in my hand, obnoxiously fill up the classroom with a Bath and Body Works scent (whoops), and have clean feeling hands.

5. Planner

      OH MY GOSH... get you a planner! I know a lot of girls use planners because we just like to plan out things and see things visually, especially for those who are like me. I like to have a visual representation of something so I can see how my day is going to be and what I need to get done. Google Calendar is another great planner to use because it is online and you can use it both on your phone and computer. The great thing is everything syncs between devices! Google Calendar is a great backup to have if you ever forget your planner or just don't feel like getting it out of your bookbag. I am currently using the Happy Planner by Create 365. I purchased mine from Michael's and I have been loving it so far!

       

6. Headphones

     Headphones are a great thing to carry around in college. Headphones are a lifesaver when you are trying to kill time in between classes and want to catch up on your Netflix show, watch some Youtube makeup tutorials, or do some online work that you don't want to blast for everyone else to hear. I like to listen to music on the campus shuttle that takes me around campus and when I am walking to class. On those occasions when I take a trip to the library, I can listen to some calming music while I focus on my work. If you like to workout then headphones are a must to get you pumped while listening to music.

7. Charger

      I can't even count on two hands on how many times I have fallen asleep at night and forgot to charge my phone. Your alarm goes off at 8:45, your battery percentage reads 20%, and your class starts at 9:15. Yup, it happens. I always try and stick my charger down in my bookbag to avoid my battery from dying while I am on campus. I use my phone to get in contact with people, check my emails, and to keep up with the bus shuttles on campus so having a phone with no battery would not be good AT ALL.

8. Mini Wallet

      If you are anything like me, you carry around a big wallet to fit cash all your receipts and cards as if they're souvenirs. During the semester I sometimes switch out my "big" wallet for a smaller one that is less bulky in my book bag and carries what I really need on campus. These are the type of the wallets I like to use when I am on campus:

      

9. Rain Gear

        

        Rain gear is so important to have for college because you do so much walking outside. I highly recommend purchasing rain boots, a rain jacket, and an umbrella to help keep you dry on those rainy days. I use a Totes mini umbrella that I purchased from Walmart. It is great because it's small enough to fit in the little bottle pouch on the side of my book bag. It also came with a sleeve to go over the umbrella so this is great if it has rained and you don't want your umbrella dripping everywhere. Along with my umbrella, I like to wear my North Face rain jacket that I got from Dick's Sporting Goods. I also love to wear my UGG rain boots that I got from Belk last year because they keep my feet nice and dry. I don't have to worry about jumping over puddles or getting my shoes and feet soaked. 

       

What are some of your favorite essential items to carry around for college?




ftc: this post contains affiliate links through amazon. 

Hey peeps! Sooo... as we all know, the fall semester will be here sooner than we know it. There are so many things that I have come across that are a must for college. Apps are key in college. Apps allow access to so many different things at the touch of our hands. Today I will share with you 8 apps that are important to have in college.

1. School App 

      Free (some may charge)

School apps are SO important. I have my university app and my online academic app. My university app gives me access to pretty much everything I would need in a quick second. I can access a map of my campus, bus routes, printers, academic calendars, events, athletic schedules, and the school directory. It's so awesome!! (am I right??) I also like having my academic app, which is Canvas. The Canvas app allows me to see my courses, the sections, and I can see my assignments and grades. If I forget what I have due for the day and I don't have my computer on me, I can quickly access that information on my phone (no need to panic, yay). If you haven't already, definitely download your university's app and your academic app. 

2. Google Docs 

      Free

GOOGLE DOCS, GOOGLE DOCS, GOOGLE DOCS!!! Seriously though, Google Docs is one of the smartest things that anyone has come up with for college students. At the beginning of my college career I would hear people talking about Google Docs but I never really used it or looked into what it really was. BOY WAS I MISSING OUT! I have used Google Docs so much in the past year and it has been a lifesaver for not only me, but for group assignments as well. I can work on papers and typed assignments from any computer or device because it syncs onto my account. So I can work on a paper at home, go to work and use the computers to work on it some more. If I have to make any finishing touches I can even do it on my phone! With group assignments, you can make a document and share the link to all of your partners and everyone can work on it on their own time. This helps if people's class/work schedules are different and don't allow for meetup time. I highly recommend downloading Google Docs if you haven't already. 

3. Turbo Scan 

       Free

I downloaded the free version of Turbo Scan and it has been a great app to use. Whenever I send notes to people or turn in an assignment that needs to be a PDF file, I can scan my piece of paper and send it to someone. For example, I can take a picture of my math notes and send it to my friend through a text and VIOLA, they now have my math notes on their phone that aren't grainy and faded looking. 

4. Quizlet 

      Free

Quizlet is really popular for college students but the great thing is you can access the app on your phone. So I can make flashcards and quizzes on my computer and access that information on my phone. Great right?? You can access your flashcards anywhere. Whether you're traveling, on the bus to school, in bed, etc. You can also make changes and create flashcards through the app. 

5. Group Me

      Free

Group Me is a great app to communicate with people from class, especially for group assignments. This is great for people who don't want to give out their number to everyone that they have to do group assignments with. This still allows you to send messages to them just as you would a text. You can add and delete users and send attachments. 

6. Music App

      Free or at discounted price

Music is such a great thing to have whether you're walking to class, at the library, or doing work in your room. I use Spotify at a discounted price of $4.99 since I am a student. Five bucks a month to access and download thousands (probably millions) of songs and albums is a steal! Spotify premium has been such a great (small) investment in college. I have heard that Apple Music has the same thing but I have not tried it out for myself. Whether you use the free version or the premium version, having a music app is great!

7. Cash App/Venmo

      Free

Cash apps are so key in college! They are so convenient to have. I never really used these types of apps until I came to college. I live in an apartment at college so I have to pay for electricity separately from my rent. One of my rommates has the bill in her name and when the bill comes she will divide the bill into 4 (there are 4 of us) and she will request that amount to us. We can easily accept and transfer her the money and, BAM! Our portion is paid. I also use this app to pay people back if they bought me lunch or something. This is great if you do dinners with your roomates/friends because you can pay for the groceries and just split the cost and they can pay you back through an app. Sometimes paying back with cash and through your bank can be time-consuming or complicated. I don't always have cash on me and you have to set up accounts to transfer to (ain't nobody got time for that!) 

8. Mail App

      Free

I use Gmail for school and my personal email account. I highly recommend downloading the app of the mail platform that you use because it notifies you better than the one that comes on your phone (at least for iPhones). I used to use the mail app that already came installed on my iPhone but it would never notify me at the real time that it came in. I would have to open my mail just to wait for the emails to load and come through. (BOOO.. I need to know when I get emails) I downloaded the Gmail app and it always alerts me as soon as I get an email. This is so important because my professor might send out an important email about an assignment or a cancelled class. I definitely don't want to miss out on an email about class getting cancelled! I can also organize my mail within the app. I love being organized!

What are some of your favorite apps that you use for college?

Choosing your classes can sometimes be overwhelming if you're an incoming freshman or a returning student. When picking your classes for the semester be sure to follow some of these steps to ensure that you get the classes that fit you and your needs. 

Tip 1: Rate My Professor

      Rate My Professor is such a great website to give insight on what you're getting yourself into. Rate My Professor will help see ratings of professors and also see feedback from previous students. Sometimes you can see whether you will need a book a book or not, the type of assignments that will be expected, and sometimes the teaching style of the professor. These are all important because everyone learns differently and I like to know what kind of assignments I will be having. Some classes might have a pop quiz every class, or the class might only have 3 tests and a final, etc. It is good to know what you're getting yourself into before registering for a course. I will look at the classes that I need to take, look at the classes and professors offered at my university, and then look each professor up on Rate My Professor that would best fit in my schedule with my other classes. 

Tip 2: University's Grade Distribution 

      Some universities offer grade distributions online. This shows the different percentages of grades that students received from professors from the previous semester. It will have a chart and have grades A-F, below that will be the percentage that students got for each grade category. This is another helpful tool in figuring out what type of class and professor you will have. Now, if 85% of the class got an A in the class you can't expect the same if you're not putting in the work for it. This just shows that the class is not super impossible to obtain an A. This goes for Rate My Professor also. 

Tip 3: Scheduling Classes 

      Scheduling your classes are very important. 15 credit hours is about the normal amount of credits students take each semester. Some have to take more or less depending on the number of classes that they need. If you are a student who is taking 6 to 7 classes in a semester, it would be best to break your classes up and not take them back to back. Here's why... If you are taking classes back to back you will burn out, have no time to study, or grab some lunch. Classes usually have a 15-minute break in between and if you're walking around campus to different buildings it can be impossible to do anything but walk to class. I like to break up my classes if I can so I can have time to sit down and study some more before a test, finish an assignment, to eat some lunch, or to just relax. Also, space out your classes each day if your schedule allows it. Instead of taking four classes in one day back to back, try and take three on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and three on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Ya see what I'm sayin'?) 

Tip 4: Take Classes That Interest You 

      There are so many classes that you can take within your major. With that being said, find classes that stick out to you that you would enjoy taking. Not only will the course satisfy that credit that you need, it will also be something that you look forward to learning. When I sign up for classes I will look at the descriptions of the courses that are provided on the registration site and see what interests me the most. I will also ask other people in my major if they have taken it to see if I can get a better idea of what the course is like. 

Don't let registering for classes overwhelm you. Just be smart when choosing your classes and do your research! Hope these tips help. If you have any other questions about choosing college classes send me an email or message me on my social media :)