By Andy Chen and Humaira Hamid, UBC students
Many new students struggle with questions such as, “How tough are my courses going to be? Will I be able to keep up? What if I need extra help?” Good news. UBC has resources for students to build exceptional study and learning skills.
1. Use available resources
- Professors and teaching assistants (TAs) are available after class and during office hours to help with assignments and difficult material. Don’t be afraid to ask.
- UBC Chapman Learning Commons has additional resources and tools to help you learn more effectively.
2. Rethink lectures
Professors have limited time to cover course material in lectures, so they tend to focus on what’s most important. Stay on top of your reading and assignments, and consider lectures as an opportunity to review material you’ve already covered on your own. Most professors recommend studying 2-3 hours outside class for every hour you’re in class.
3. Make peace with exams
They’re unavoidable. Exams are part of university life. Prepare the best you can but don’t get discouraged by lower-than-expected grades at first. Many students need time to adjust to university life.
4. Connect and engage
Try connecting with people in your classes. Making friends or forming study groups with like-minded students is a great way to stay motivated.
5. Manage your time
When scheduling classes, consider this:
- Is your course load manageable? Many courses include labs, discussions or tutorials on top of lecture hours.
- Have you left time for breaks? It can be tempting to schedule courses back-to-back to get them over with. But you’ll need time to eat, socialize, and chill. Breaks are also a great study catch up time.
6. Understand plagiarism
Plagiarism means using the thoughts or words of another author and passing them off as your own. Plagiarism is not tolerated at UBC and can quickly end your university career.