Lectures are tough. Even the word is tough. We’ve all grown up thinking of a ‘lecture’ as a punishment from our parents for acting out so no wonder when we find out we’ve got ‘lectures’ 5 times a day our subconscious is telling us all to ‘avoid.’ However, there are a few simple ways of helping you get through these hours and indeed to profit from them.
1/ Closer to the Edge – This one may go against many peoples’ natural instincts. I found, for the most part, that when I came into a lecture I wanted to head straight for the back, hope the lecturer barely noticed me, let alone asked me a question, take some notes, file them and not look at them again until exam panic set in. However, despite being conventionally nerdy, well, nerdy by Hollywood college movies and Saved By The Bell standards, sitting near the front is a smart move. Why? Simple, really, it will keep you awake and alert. Embarrassment is a surprisingly powerful motivator and if you’re no more than a few yards away from the man or woman marking your life away in finals, you’re probably not going to want to be showing them the back of your tonsils as you snore away in front of them. At the back, you can drift into dreamland unnoticed, or at least feel you’re unnoticed.
2/ Write, write, write – Sort of obvious one this but unless you’re Lisbeth Salander you’re going to have to take notes in your lectures. In fact, note taking is, in most cases, the primary reason for lecture attendance. Yes, you’re there to understand what it is you’re being taught but will you remember the intricacies of what you learnt the week after next? Probably not but good notes will remind you. Therefore, as much as it helps to be able to do both, taking notes wins out over understanding, at least initially.
3/ The Notebook – Whether it’s a notebook or a MacBook, always remember to bring something to write on. It may seem obvious, as it should be, but your stationery organization can be a great asset. It will help you begin to get in the zone, so to speak, for the lecture without worrying about sheets of paper and it will encourage a good mental attitude.
4/ Once, twice, three times…. – Once the lecture is over you may think that you can just file those sheets away and not worry about them again until summer exams. However, you’d be surprised how little sense those notes are going to make 2 months down the line so go that extra mile and give them a read again tomorrow morning. You’ll probably look at some things and go “What was I talking about?” but that’s the way it goes. At this point you’re in a position to add and ameliorate to the notes, bridging that gap between lectures and exams. Do it regularly if you have the stomach for it. Boredom may be an issue but it’ll be worth it in the end.
5/ Chose a style of note taking that suits you – I’m going to revisit this one in full detail next week but there is no right or wrong answer here. I knew people who wrote in short hand to take notes, whilst to some, highlighting was key. There is no one right answer but there is certainly more than one possibility and next week I’ll look at some slightly more unconventional methods of note-taking and you can see what tickles your fancy.
If you’ve got any thoughts on what puts you in the right frame of mind for lecture study, then sound off in the comments below and keep the conversation going.
Happy Studying!
Alex