SECTION 1

• Know all of your course requirements.  The instructor will hand out (or put on-line) the class syllabus.  You must read this syllabus.  It will contain your assignments and the dates due, any deductions for absences, any extra assignments, such as attending the Teaching and Learning Center, books you need to purchase and read, computer sites that may help you, and any other information your instructor needs to give you.  You must save this syllabus.  Unless the syllabus is online and you know the site address, the Teaching and Learning Center will not be able to get you a copy.

• Know how the instructor is going to compute your grade.  Your instructor will include this information on the syllabus.

• Attend all class meetings.  Your syllabus will inform you as to whether the instructor deducts for missing classes.  Most instructors at Owensboro Community & Technical College deduct for nonattendance.

• Turn in assignments when they're due.  Again, your class syllabus will list the amount of points deducted for late work. 

• Keep up with course work.  If you do not keep up with your course work, not only will you receive deductions on your grade, but also you will fall behind on learning and remembering the course information. Start on your assignments ahead of time.  Don't wait until you get frustrated or until the last minute.  If you're not sure how to do the assignment, first conference with your instructor.  Next, come to the TLC.  We'll be happy to help you to the best of our ability.

• Take a notebook to each class, then take notes.  If you are an auditory learner, you still must take notes. Just the act of taking these notes will help you remember the material.  If you fail to take notes, your brain will have a harder time organizing the class material.  Please read our section on note taking.

• Schedule adequate time for studying.  Again, don't wait until it's too late and you try to cram everything into your short-term memory.  You already know it can't all fit in short term memory and that it won't stand a chance of getting to your long term memory.  Remember your primary goal of college - to learn.  Please see our section on time management.

• Read and study actively.  Please see our section on reading and our section on the brain and learning.

• Choose easy, routine tasks first.  Doing so will give you a feeling of accomplishment.  It will also warm up your brain, so that you are ready for more difficult material.  Please read our section on the brain and learning.

• Analyze large study tasks. Break them down into smaller steps that are easier to do. Doing so will prevent your brain from becoming overwhelmed.  If your brain becomes overwhelmed by these large tasks, your brain becomes frozen.  All it can do is become more and more overwhelmed or go blank.  The smaller steps give your brain the chance to study properly and assimilate information.  It will also give you the opportunity to see when you need to study the next segment.  Please see our section on time management.

• Do not postpone unpleasant tasks.  I know we all do it.  Sometimes we do it just at work or school.  Sometimes we do it at home or in personal relationships.  Some people do it with everything. Most of us realize that postponing something unpleasant just leads to bigger problems in the long run and certainly more stress.  Sometimes perfectionists will procrastinate because they think they won't get a good grade, and if they can't get a good grade - meaning an "A" - then why even try. Some procrastinators don't want to be in school, so that don't try.  Some procrastinators don't know where to start on organizing.  Some procrastinators believe they have the ability to do everything at the last moment - and sometimes they can.  However, at some point, classes or situations become too difficult for this learned trait.  So, many reasons for procrastinating exits. The counselors at the OCTC Counseling Center can help with such situations, as can the TLC.

• Reduce anxiety.  If you are under stress, minor or huge, your brain cannot process information. Please see our section on stress.

SECTION 2

Let's pretend for a moment.  Pretend you are looking for a job.  You go to the boss and say,  I really need a job.  The boss says, "Well, if you go into Warehouse A and bring me back X, Y, and Z, I'll hire you."  So you go into Warehouse A.  You see inventory all over the floor.  Some is stacked to the ceiling.  No order exists.  You have to actually walk on the inventory, then paw through it to try to find anything.

You go back to the boss, and say, "I'm sorry, but I couldn't find X, Y, and Z."  He says, "I'm sorry, you're not hired."

Then, he changes his mind.  He says, "You do look kind of desperate.  I tell you what.  If you can go into Warehouse B and bring me back X, Y, and Z, I'll hire you."

So, you go into Warehouse A.  Along the walls are shelves.  All of the inventory is lined up on the shelves, which are themselves lined up with aisles between them. All of the inventory is in either alphabetical or numerical order.  You can actually walk around because of the aisles, so it's easy for you to find  X, Y, and Z.

Quickly, you return to the boss and give him X, Y, and Z.  He says, "You're hired."

The above scenario is sort of how your brain and memory work.  If you study correctly, the information will go into your brain in an organized manner.  Once the material is in your long-term memory in an organized manner, you can find it and pull it out when you need it.  Otherwise, you'll continue to search your memory for something you "threw" into your memory in a disorganized manner.  Sometimes you may be able to pull up something, but more likely, you'll continue to flounder around, digging through years of material.

SECTION 3

Another organizational tip is the use of a planner.  Naturally you want get a normal planner to keep with you to write down the dates of tests, etc., but I'm talking about a different type of planner.  I'm talking about the type where you look at your life for an entire 24 hour period.  You put down when you have other responsibilities, and when you can schedule a study period.  Please see our page on time management.  To really learn to use such a planner for your benefit, especially if you or your spouse must work shifts, please schedule an appointment with Jelaine McCamish, (270) 686-4534, in the TLC.