At the beginning of a new semester, students are finding new ways to succeed with new study habits. 

Sophomore psychology major Brianna Townsend said she studies best when she uses highlighters.  

Townsend said listening to instrumental music could actually help people study.

“Try not to listen to music with lyrics, but more of the classical and piano-like songs,” Townsend said.

Emmanuel Ayiku, a graduate student who teaches Academic Strategies for Success and student adviser, said keeping important academic dates in mind is a must to stay successful.

“It’s all about mental preparation,” Ayiku said. “Knowing when you have a test or quiz can be very beneficial to the studying process.”

He said students should not take breaks when doing homework because it is hard to regain the focus they already had while working on an assignment.   

Ayiku also said people have their own preferences when it comes to listening to music while studying.

“It depends on the person,” he said. “I personally like to listen to instrumental music while studying.”

Hope Porter, a sophomore special education major, said she is a technology-based learner.

“If I don’t have access to the internet, flashcards are my go-to,” Porter said.

She said in high school, she did not need to use the internet, but when she got to college, she found out the internet was more useful than it was distracting. 

When coming to college, Porter also decided to use the app called Egenda, which allowed her to receive notifications when something was due or when a test was coming up. 

Ayiku said in order to get on the right track, students should get to know their professors. 

This may include visiting them during office hours, asking specific questions and identifying their teaching strategies.  

 To identify different kinds of questions the professors will put on their tests, students should keep the formats in mind for future reference, he said. 

Ahmad Cleveland, a freshman undecided major, said he uses certain websites and apps that are used to help students prepare for test and quizzes. 

“I like to use note cards and quizlet when I am studying,” Cleveland said.

He said with the websites and apps he uses, he is allowed to make the practice tests himself with true and false, matching and written answers.

Ayiku said teaching others can also help students learn material.

“By explaining what you have learned to someone, you are more likely to understand,” he said. 

Students can turn a study session into a social gathering by studying in groups, further expanding their knowledge together, he said. 

When conversing with classmates that learned the same material, Ayiku said students could also ask and answer questions as a group for a better understanding of the course material at hand.

Sophomore education major Sydney Dominguez said she uses a variety of study techniques.

“I like to use music and hands-on activities,” she said. “I feel like it’s OK to change study habits because you may need to study differently for specific classes.” 

Dominguez said procrastination is something students should stay away from when it comes to studying for tests. 

The more time students have to go over the material, the better chance they have at remembering it long-term, Dominguez said.

Imani Tapley can be reached at 581-2812 or at istapley@eiu.edu.