Students share studying tips

With dead week and finals coming up, Tech students undoubtedly have studying on their minds. But where are some of the best places to study on campus and what are some of the things that students do to prepare for exams?

Many students agree that simply studying in their rooms works best.

"I like to study in my room because there are less distractions," said Jared Ray, a first-year Mechanical Engineering major.

All of the freshman dorms have lounges of some sort with tables that can be used for doing homework and studying, and many other residences on campus have good places to study within the buildings. Freshman Experience dorms even have free tutoring for some classes located in the lounges or basements.

"I generally study in my room but I also study in the Montag/Freeman lobby," said Shruti Gupta, a first-year Computer Engineering major.

The library is obviously another popular location for students to hit the books. Many believe that it is an ideal place to study, considering that each floor has a different environment. From individual, quiet cubicles to group work areas, there is something to suit everyone's learning needs.

"They have a spot for everything in the library. I can go in there for an hour in between classes and do anything from sleeping to checking email to doing homework," said Trish Collins, a first-year Architecture major.

What keeps students motivated to study? GPAs, group studying and good music are all popular motivators.

"I see my F from [my] last test and know that I have to pull up my grade," Collins said. "If I am doing something like calculus, I generally do it while listening to music, but if it is more theoretical then I go to a surrounding that is quiet or with a group that is studying the same thing," Gupta said.

To keep their energy up for longer study sessions, such as those during Dead Week, Tech students opt for short breaks and refreshments. "I take breaks and try to stay hydrated," Ray said. It also does not hurt to have vending machines in practically every building in which people study. In the library, having the relatively new Jazzman's Cafe is an added draw for the newly renovated East Commons study spaces.

For those who prefer the outdoors, there are many pleasant areas for studying or reading outside on the campus grounds when the weather is nice. However, there are pitfalls to this choice of studying area.

"I like to study in the Biomedical Engineering building because it's quiet. I don't like to study outside because of bugs," said Shuby Narayanaswamy, a fourth-year Biomedical Engineering major.

Graduate Teaching Assistant Andy Mienaltowski, who teaches Introduction to Psychology, offered some advice for students on how to study for his class and classes at Tech in general.

"To do well in my class, students should review their materials two to three times per week. The best way to do this is to sit down with your notes, the book and the lecture materials. Read over the notes and lecture materials. For each topic discussed in a lecture, stop and spend a few minutes to paraphrase the main points presented. The textbook can be used to clarify questions that might come up," Mienaltowski said.

"When it comes to exams, the best strategy is to use review questions that the professor gives you to guide your studying. For each question, write down where in your notes you will find the answer. Then, while studying, be sure that you understand the material at the level where you can look at the review question and answer it without having to look up specific definitions," Mienaltowski said.

Most classes have review sessions that can be helpful in going over past material, and various tutoring programs are available all over campus. The most important tip to remember, though, is to stay on track with your studying and not to wait until Dead Week to begin reviewing notes and lecture slides.

"I would say, keep up with your work on a daily basis so that you don't have to pull all-nighters," Collins said.