Can you either write an article about or just comment back the programs/tools you use for scheduling everything, and taking notes, and staying organized? An overview of the complete system you use would be nice

Check out this post:

http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/04/09/the-tasty-ingredients-in-my-productivity-secret-sauce/

Hi! I was just wondering if it is possible to use the quiz and recall method to study for multiple exams in the same period without going crazy! My problem is that it is common that on one day I have 2 or more exams and don’t know how to handle this!!!

Start reviewing much earlier. I liked to try to finish my studying two days before an exam as a way of eliminating the feeling of stress from my life. It sounds crazy, but once you start reworking your time frames you’ll see how much easier things can be.

It is really a hit or miss. My brother ordered his books and received them. I on the other hand ordered my book, they shipped it out and said that the could not find my address when clearly they shipped books to my brother who lives in the same house. I contacted customer service, which is the definition of terrible. They never answer an email, I had to call them and they said it must have got lost in the mail. Okay, they ship out supposedly another book, Little did I know they did not. They said they were. Emailed them again and then they finally 4 days later emailed me back and told me they will give me a refund. Needless to say 3 weeks later I am without a book. Waste of time.

Could you possibly expand on some of these study systems? I would really appreciate an entire post on this subject. Thanks!

Hi Chris. The strangest I’ve seen include a student who pastes visual versions of the information all over her room then likes to randomly look and think about them, and another student who made mindmaps using yarn on her wall.

In terms of slightly less weird options, think like the Morse Code Method and Q/E/C clusters, both of which have been talked about here.

Top students often have crazy tool boxes of custom-built study systems that help them get work done fast.

Could you possibly expand on some of these study systems? I would really appreciate an entire post on this subject. Thanks!

If I could suggest a topic for you: As a lot of folks head into the new school year, I think it would be helpful to have some “back to school” articles so everyone starts the semester off on the right foot.

Good idea. Stay tuned next week…

What do you actually say when you go in and talk to a professor?

Note that you hoped to ask for some clarification. Summarize what you understood and how you understood. Then explain the piece that you don’t get, and ask for help fitting it into what you already summarized as understanding.

In general, specificity and explanation (and proof) of what you do get is key.

Avoid just saying: “I don’t get it.”

Avoid being difficult (a lot of students, for some reason, respond to this situation by trying to justify their lack of understanding by resisting the attempts of explanation…as if admitting they now understand would prove their lack of understanding was bad. Don’t do this.)

What do you actually say when you go in and talk to a professor. I have never needed help in school till college and after two years of terrible (and later descent) work I’d like to step up the game. I like the fifth piece of advice, but I honestly have no clue what I would even say when I would go to office hours. Can you do a post about this?