COLLEGE SUCCESS SKILLS SEMINAR

1. COLLEGE SUCCESS SKILLS SEMINAR OFFICE OF ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE FURMAN UNIVERSITY DR. BARBARA FOLTZ

2. TOPICS WE’LL COVER: • WHAT MAKES FURMAN UNIQUE • FURMAN ACADEMIC SUCCESS RESOURCES • EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT • HOW TO STUDY EFFECTIVELY • GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR LECTURES AND TEXTBOOKS • STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

3. WHAT MAKES FURMAN UNIQUE • FURMAN PROFS ARE EXCELLENT TEACHERS, AND THEY REALLY WANT TO ENGAGE (TALK TO!) THEIR STUDENTS • IT’S A UNIVERSITY WHICH WILL BE CHALLENGING, BUT WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A GREAT EDUCATION

4. RESOURCES AT FURMAN • OFFICE OF ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE—TUTORING, AND ASSISTANCE WITH STUDY SKILLS, TIME MANAGEMENT, ETC. 040 LIBRARY • STUDIO LAB—ASSISTANCE WITH WRITING AND PRESENTATIONS 002 LIBRARY • MATH RESOURCE CENTER-101 RILEY HALL

5. EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT • FIRST STEP: DETERMINE YOUR PRIORITIES AND SET GOALS • **8 HOUR DAY • TERM PLANNING, WEEKLY PLANNING, DAILY PLANNING • ANALYZE YOUR PEAK TIMES • AVOID TENDING TO THE URGENT RATHER THAN THE IMPORTANT

6. HOW TO READ/STUDY EFFECTIVELY • HAVE A SEPARATE PLACE THAT IS ONLY FOR STUDYING (LIBRARY IS A GREAT PLACE!) • PREVIEW THE CHAPTER, THEN READ AND HIGHLIGHT (NOT EXPECTING 100% COMPREHENSION YET), AND THEN CREATE EXTERNAL NOTES OF YOUR READING • IMPORTANT--WE ONLY REMEMBER OUR OWN WORDS • PREVIEWREAD & HIGHLIGHTCREATE YOUR OWN NOTESREVIEW

7. GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR LECTURES • #1--ATTEND CLASS : -)! • REMEMBER YOUR PROFESSOR IS PROBABLY SPEAKING FROM AN OUTLINE--TRY TO RECREATE IT • IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLASS, REWRITE LECTURE NOTES, REORGANIZE THEM, USE CORNELL METHOD OF NOTE-TAKING • DON’T OVER-RELY ON POWERPOINT—TO GET IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE TO READ THE BOOK, TAKE EXTENSIVE LECTURE NOTES, AND REWRITE NOTES IN YOUR OWN WORDS

8. CORNELL METHOD OF NOTE TAKING • USING A SPIRAL NOTEBOOK, ONLY TAKE NOTES ON THE RIGHT PAGE, LEAVE LEFT PAGE BLANK • RIGHT AFTER CLASS, REWRITE, REORGANIZE YOUR NOTES ON THE LEFT PAGE. TRY TO ORGANIZE NOTES INTO A NEAT OUTLINE. LEAVE BLANKS IF YOU LEFT SOMETHING OUT, OR ARE CONFUSED ABOUT A CONCEPT—ASK YOUR PROFESSOR ABOUT IT BEFORE NEXT CLASS • BOTTOM OF LEFT PAGE—SUMMARY AREA

9. NOTE TAKING—SETTING THE STAGE • BE PREPARED FOR CLASS • DO READING (OR AT LEAST PREVIEW CHAPTER) BEFORE CLASS • CONDUCT A SHORT PRE-CLASS REVIEW • BRING THE RIGHT MATERIALS • BRING NOTES, HANDOUTS

10. SIT FRONT AND CENTER • HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

11. EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKING • THINK OF YOUR PROFESSOR’S LECTURES AS A CONVERSATION WITH YOU. PAY AS CLOSE ATTENTION TO PROF AS YOU WOULD TO A PERSON SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO YOU

12. BE HERE NOW! • PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR ATTENTION • PARTICIPATE • ASK QUESTIONS • INTEND TO LISTEN!

13. COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR PROFESSOR • PROFESSORS RESPOND WELL TO COMMUNICATION FROM YOU— • ASK QUESTIONS, SEEK CLARIFICATION • NON-VERBALS IMPORTANT TOO—NOD YOUR HEAD, LOOK PUZZLED, WHATEVER IS APPROPRIATE

14. REVIEW • REVIEW NOTES WITHIN 24 HOURS • EDIT NOTES—FILL IN GAPS • CHECK FOR ACCURACY • CLARIFY MEANING • FILL IN KEY WORDS • CREATE SUMMARIES

15. PSYCHING OUT THE PROFESSOR • TAKE VERY CAREFUL NOTES THE ONE OR TWO CLASSES BEFORE THE TEST! IT’S LIKELY THAT YOUR PROFESSOR HAS ALREADY MADE UP THE TEST AND IS MAKING SURE THE MATERIAL IS COVERED!!

16. STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR COLLEGE • TRAIN YOURSELF TO RELAX WHILE STUDYING FOR AND TAKING TESTS-- RELAX YOUR BODY, TAKE DEEP BREATHS, ETC. WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF GETTING TENSE • **PRACTICE POSITIVE SELF-TALK • IF NECESSARY, CONSIDER COUNSELING/SUPPORT GROUPS

17. REDUCING STRESS (CON’T) • MAKE EXERCISE, HEALTHY EATING, ETC. A PART OF YOUR LIFE • DON’T OVERCATASTROPHIZE! THINGS USUALLY TURN OUT BETTER THAN WE FEAR THEY ARE GOING TO TURN OUT!