Kids have it easy when it comes to studying.

After all, it’s pretty much all they are used to. However, when it comes to returning to study as an adult after a spell at work, all those valuable skills can be easily forgotten. Not to mention the fact that they are always coming up with new and more effective ways to learn!

Happily, this is not an issue you need to worry about, because below you will find all the most effective method for college study. Tactics that will help you ace your classes and your assignments! 

Get organized with an organizer. 

The first thing that you need to do if you are going to ace your college classes as an adult is to get organized. Now, I don’t mean you need to get 100s of pretty stickers and multicolored pens to use in a Lisa Frank style diary here. Instead, you need a planner where you can organize your month, your week, and your day. 

In fact, if you can use a wipeable sheet and erasable pen for the day, it will enable you to rejig your timing as you go along. Something that can really help a great deal if you aren’t the best at estimating how long tasks will take. 

Of course, an organizer is no good if it’s left closed on the table all of the time. Therefore you need to be sure to open it every morning before you get down to work. Be sure to take it to class with you as well, so you can get the deadlines written in. Something that can help you plan your time better and sure you don’t miss any assignments. 

Also, a word on electronic diaries, calendars, and to-do list. Feel free to use these if they work for you. However, I do think that the physical act of writing down dates and tasks can really help your brain make sense of what you need to get done. That is why I always choose a paper planner to help me stay as organized as possible. 

Set up a system. 

Next, before your classes even start, you need to set up a note-taking system. Which makes sense to those returning to college as adults. After all, you wouldn’t set up a new department in business without having a system in place to store and be able to find the documents associated with it, now would you?

In fact, knowing how you will make keep notes, resources you will need, and how you will archive them can help you stay organized. It can also help your learning, as well. The reason being that if your notes are organized, you are much more likely to go back and fill in summaries of what you have learnt. Something that will help to consolidate your learning much more effectively than just setting them on a shelf. 

When it comes to deciding on your note-taking system, there are several things to consider. One is whether you will take notes in IRL or not. In fact, one of the simplest ways to stay organized with note-taking is to get an A4 book for every class. This being something that means you are in no danger of losing pages and missing out on valuable information. 

Another option is to purchase a reusable notebook which is a slim book with wipeable plastic pages. You can then use an erasable whiteboard pen to make your notes. After which you can line up your phone camera with the QR code in the corner of the page.

Something that will allow you to photograph what you have written and then save it digitally. Obviously, this means you can easily archive and search your notes, while still have the benefit of physically writing them down. 

Of course, you may be happy to type notes straight onto your tablet or laptop. Although many students now record lectures and then make notes from the recording later on. 

Know what motivates you. 

If you want to be good at studying, forget placing gummy bears on the pages you need to read! Instead, you need to know what else motivates you apart from sugar. Once you have established this, you then need to schedule enough time to include some of that activity, as well as the amount of study you wish to get done.  

For example, if you need to complete 1000 words of an assignment, schedule two hours work. You then spend the first hour and a half working, but if you reach your goal, you can ‘reward’ yourself with a relaxing 30 mins to do a fun activity of your choice. 

Of course, what activity you pick depends on your personal preference. However, many people choose to play video games, engage in a craft activity, or even watch their favorite TV show. 

Sadly, if the platform you use to stream your favorite show doesn’t have the next episode, it can really upset your motivation and workflow. Luckily, there is a way around this. Its to use a vpn for YouTube which will allow you to get the latest content that you want from anywhere in the world. Something that gives you the best chance of enjoying your hard-earned study break and seeing the show you want. No matter what streaming platform you traditionally use. 

Dual code information. 

Recent studies have shown that dual coding information is one of the most effective ways of learning. Happily, this is something that any adult returning to college can take advantage pretty easily. 

In fact, there is a particular type of note-taking known as sketch notes that incorporates dual coding, and it’s super easy to do as well. Basically, the idea is that rather than just listen to the information or write in down in text, you draw images that represent the critical points of what you are hearing. 

Of course, the advantages of this is that it not only pretty fun, but it also provides a visual hook on which to hang the information in your mind. Something that makes it much easier to recall and use when it comes to waiting to see assignments. 

Ace studying in a group.

One thing that adult returning to college can struggle with is when they have to work in a group. Especially when it’s with people that don’t have the same mature attitudes as they do. In fact, if you understand what a gift higher education can be, it can be infuriating if you are teamed up with others that seem happy to coast through. 

One way to avoid this is to be very clear in the beginning as to what your expectations are in terms of effort, and the time that you need other group members to put in. Additionally, if you are not familiar with the communication platforms that others are using, be sure to ask someone to take you through it before the group task starts. Otherwise, you could end up missing vital information and so not excel in these types of projects as you should. 

Stay physically as well as mentally active. 

Finally, a return to college means flexing the old brain muscles. Don’t forget, though that flexing your other muscles can be beneficial to your education as well. 

In fact, setting aside time to stay physically active can help your stress levels and your concentration when studying. Something that means no matter how busy you get, you should definitely not skip the gym if you want to have a successful experience as an adult in college.