By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. At some point or another, all students will find themselves cramming for a test. Whether it’s bad time management or simply more tasks than time, these things sometimes just happen. But that’s not the goal. The goal is to do better. …
Five Ways to Use Your Weekly No-Class Day Wisely in College
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. One of the biggest challenges students face when transitioning from high school to college is adjusting to differences in their weekly class schedule. Most high school students are accustomed to attending class for seven straight hours a day, five days a …
9 Ways to Keep Your Back-to-School Motivation Alive All Semester
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. You’ve got to admit that the back-to-school season has a vibe to it. It’s kind of like New Year’s Eve, minus the confetti. For many students, September means crisp notebooks, new pens — and the motivation to do this year better …
4 Common Study Myths That Are Ruining Your Grades
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Part of my job as a study skills expert and executive functioning coach is to stay current on the research around learning. Once in a while, I come across bogus study advice that is not only funny, but that does more …
What College Students Need for Dorms: 11 Essentials to Make Learning Easier in College
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. What college students need for dorms varies a lot and depends on a student’s preference, living situation, and personal needs. However, there are a few nonessentials I recommend all college students living on campus have in their dorm rooms to improve …
How to Read Books When You Don’t Like Reading
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. It’s no secret that books contain some of the most valuable information in the world. From Greek mythology to religious texts, and diaries (Anne Frank!) to textbooks, our world relies on books to pass information to the next generation. If you …
Are Summer Courses Worth It?
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Are summer courses worth it? I’m asked this question a lot by college students and graduate students, and the answer depends on many factors including goals, money and time. For most college and graduate-level students, taking summer courses has far more …
What to Do the Night Before an Exam
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. The night before an exam can be stressful. Much of this stress comes from last-minute studying and trying to cram a lot of information in a short amount of time. But top students don’t operate this way. Top students spend the …
Digital Notes vs. Paper Notes: The Pros and Cons
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. If you regularly take notes in class, you’re far ahead of students who don’t take notes in class. Even if you’re taking notes on a napkin, that puts you light years ahead of students who don’t take notes at all. So, …
5 Tips for Taking Digital Notes
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. If you’re looking for tips for taking digital notes, and you’re a student or a working professional, this blog post is for you. Note-taking is both an art and a science. In other words, the best note-taking systems incorporate a few …