preparation for exams for 500, Alex.

Preparing for an exam can be a number of things and fun is not one of them. People have always told me not to cram the night before a test, but for some reason I always end up doing it. I really do feel that cramming is my biggest weakness in the realm of academics. There are many tactics to prevent this, but all it really comes down to is pure motivation.

Preparing for an exam is like a cooking recipe. It takes time and each step is extremely important. For me the steps include, making a study guide (usually utilizing the 20 minute technique over the course of a week), usually reading through the textbook and comparing it with the lecture notes, and finally anticipating test questions. This process usually takes me a total of around two weeks; so cramming it in the night before, while it is possible is not my idea of a good time.

Recently I started to use jeopardy notes. I was really intrigued by this for many reasons. One of them being that I am a visual learner. The action I took was to go through all my lecture notes and ask questions that were based on both abstract information as well as the bolded terms. The page is then folded in the middle, with the questions on one side and the answers on the other. The material I used it for was my Sport Management class because I have an exam this week on a good amount of information. I would say that this is a good technique because as I mentioned before I am a visual learner so seeing the answers and questions separately and right in front of me really does aid me. Jeopardy notes work even better for me when they are complemented by the 20 minute test prep. This is because when I use the 20 minute test prep I take a lot of information from the textbook and notes. When I use the jeopardy notes I usually cut out all of the extraneous information. Also, for some reason when I write things down I also remember them a lot better.

Preparing for tests undoubtedly can cause a good amount of anxiety. However, when it is done right you should go into your exams feeling confident, and you should actually be anxious to take the test because you know you are going to do well on it. Preparation for exams is something you cannot cut corners with, it is imperative to find out what techniques work for you and then you must execute them to a t.

PRESS PLAY

REWIND

I hate preparing for an exam when there is so much information, so many topics and not enough time. I used to always start making study materials a few days before an exam and then forget about them and postpone studying for days. When the day before an exam came I had my study guide or note cards but there was a ton of information I had to cram in to one day.

FAST FORWARD

After looking through the CLS book and reading about different exam preparation strategies, I made a source outline and a topic outline. These outlines go hand and hand. The source outline categorizes each topic by source. A good tip is to only study by topic, never by source. To ensure you are only studying by topic, make a topic outline after the source outline. The topic outline reorganizes the source outline to make an outline of specific topics. You then rank the topics by need for review time.

A study schedule is also a helpful strategy during exam preparation. Similar to the Fritter Finder, a study schedule is a map of your whole week. Plan out your study time in blocks of 2 hours or less, depending on the ranking system you determined in your topic outline. Ask yourself, “What topics do I need to spend the most time on?” Allot study times for various times for each topic and stay true to your study schedule! When the exam comes you will be able to PRESS PLAY and all your organizational work and studying will pay off!

L A M E

I like this strategy because I am the type of Learner who needs a chunk of time to study for an exam. I like that each day I am only studying for an hour continuously. This Action, of only studying a little per day, is going to help me really learn the material rather than just memorizing and cramming the day or two before an exam. The Materials I used for this plan are topic and source outlines and a study schedule. These strategies help me to stay organized and on top of my work; I know everything I have to accomplish a week in advance which helps with the organization of the rest of my week. I Evaluate this technique very positively. I am the type of person who needs to be organized and informed of everything I have to do. The way I categorize my topics and sources helps me know exactly what is going to be on the exam and not skip anything in between.

#exam experiment, anticipating questions.

This week, I had a Chapter 7 exam in Japanese 102. It's one of my hardest courses, since there are too many things to memorize and understand at the same time. I, therefore, always felt so frustrating before the Japanese Chapter Quiz. This time, however, I learned how to prepare for an exam at CLS 105 class. At the LAME (Learner, action, material and evaluation), I knew that I was an idealist and kinesthetic learner. I'm a student who needs to focus on learning things by doing actual activities and need to try something that I haven't done before. Therefore, I used was the anticipating of an exam question. I never did this strategy before. I realized at this time that this really helped me to prepare for an exam. I first checked the date of my test as D's and Do organizer and made sure the date I needed to study the test. Then, I used problem solving strategy, and made a list of things to choose what I needed to study first. Then, I highlighted all the important information at the syllabus. Then I could be sure about format of the test, and what would be covered on the test. By looking at highlighting the JPS 102 syllabus, I made sure that the format of the test would be writing the correct grammar and therefore I needed to focus on grammar, not really the vocabularies. After knowing all the information, I made a graphic organizer. I wrote all the grammars I needed to know in one chart.
I did the graphic organizer in two ways. One way was to put important information in the chart, and the other way was to put information in the connecting circles. The first way, to make a chart, was more helpful to me because there was a limit to draw the connecting chart and it was clearer to put information in the chart than the circles. Before, I just went over the pages of the book and I couldn't really concentrate on it. By organizing information with the graphic organizer, it made me much easier to study, since I could see all the grammars at one time and I only put the important thing that I needed to know.






Then, I started to anticipate the question. By doing a graphic organizer, I was sure what the important information was. I used the text book, class notes, and the previous exam I took to anticipate the question. For Japanese exam, even though I was taking only Chapter 7 exam, I needed to cover all the information from Chapter 1 to 7. Therefore, looking at previous exam and what I got wrong on that test was very helpful to prepare an exam, and also to anticipate the question. I especially looked at the high-lighting part at the text book and the class note. Then, I put some anticipated questions on the notes.

What I surprised was that there were some questions come at the actual test, which I anticipated. I really found out the strategy of this anticipating question, because if I hadn't done this, I would write some wrong answers. It took much more time to study with the anticipating test questions, because there were many things to organize, but as a result, I got much better grade. Also, combining three strategies, D's and Due organizer, problem solving, and the anticipating questions, it became much easier to study effectively. I no more needed to waste time now!

Anticipating Test

      As I am a communication design major student, I usually have projects rather than exams. So, I am not used to prepare exam. In this week, I had an exam. I was confused and nervous about preparation for exam. Fortunately, CLS 105 class went over about preparation for exam. Dr. Blumin gave us lecture about how to prepare exam, anticipating test, exam review, and exam analysis. It helped me a lot to prepare exam. Now, I am going to write how I applied information that Dr. Blumin taught and how I successfully prepared exam. 

     Actually, I have never been anticipated a test question before. I usually read lecture note and textbook and discussed with friends. I thought they are the best ways to study exam. However, anticipating or guessing a test question is a quite helpful way to prepare exam. If I know questions that are similar to test questions, exam will be much easier. 

     First, I read syllabus information carefully. In the syllabus, there is the course structure, specifically focus and patterns. Through the course structure, I can determine whether my anticipation questions should be factual or my questions should be emphasizing terminology. Course schedule is also important part in the syllabus. When I read the course schedule, I could realize that I have to place great weight on specific parts. In the course schedule, I can see the number of classes devoted to a specific topic. That means, the more lectures on a particular topic the more important topic is. Therefore, I need to anticipate on specific topics. 

                                                  Reading syllabus carefully.

     Second, I made some study aids. In preparing the history of illustration exam, I have to memorize lots of illustrators, dates, and historical events. I made flash cards. Flash cards are easy to bring, so I can see the flashcards while I am eating and chatting with friends. I can save time if I use flash cards. This study aid is helpful especially, when I have to memorize many things in a short time. This time, I used a graphic organizer. My T.A. recommended this study aid. It was my first time using a graphic organizer. It was extremely helpful. It helps to illustrate the relationship between details and main ideas. As a result, I generated test questions because I could identify major ideas and their details easily. 

Making a graphic organizer. 

     Third, I created several questions. I gathered information from textbook, note taking, syllabus, study aids, and previous exams and then, I anticipated several questions. On a piece of paper, I wrote the anticipating questions. Professor was busy for his seminar, so, I showed them to T.A. He gave me some feedback for the questions that I made. He determined whether I made good questions or I need to add more information on some questions. Before I talked with T.A., I wondered that I am on right track. T.A.’s feedback was so helpful to me for preparing exam.  

Making several anticipating questions. 

     Fourth, I used a previous exam. Although professor told us that there are 40 multiple choice questions and 3 short essay questions, I was still confused about the type of questions. Reading the previous exam was good to expect the type of questions. This step is the most helpful to preparing exam. I could understand completely the type of information and upcoming questions. I learned in this step that my test preparation should emphasize the same material covered a formal exam. 

     One day before I took an exam, I wondered that my anticipated test questions will be on the exam. Based on the previous exam, I made same number questions and type of questions with previous exam. Fortunately, there were many similar questions that I anticipated on the exam. I think, this time, my exam preparation was more successful than other times. I realize that exam preparation is not just studying hard but strategic studying. Through this experience, I learned that I have to read syllabus carefully, read previous exam, get some feedback from professor or T.A., and use study aid for successful exam preparation. I am also using this method for my next exam. It looks little complicated but it is the most helpful and effective way to prepare exam. 

Anticipating Test Questions

     As I mentioned in my 5th journal, last week was a nightmare. I had four tests to prepare for IST-195, COM-101, PRL-206, and SOC-101. For some reason I felt it was okay to leave all the studying till the week before. Just the thought of the week in itself was a daunting task and I refused to believe it was actually coming up. However, as last saturday rolled around I knew that if there was any chance of me doing well I needed to buckle down.
     When I study for my exams I become very OCD. I must study in the exact place I feel comfortable in and with the exact study materials and methods I use for every exam. Although this could be argued as a negative, these study habits have worked for me in the past and I continue to use them. I put together an entire study guide with a combination of class notes, lectures, readings, and text book notes. I pile in a lot of detail and additionally search online for alternate definitions of specific theories or words. I like having the comfort of knowing multiple options of information for each topic. After I have done this I print out the study guide and go through and highlight all the key words and things that I should pay particular attention to and add notes in the margin that will help me remember the information. It is then that I go through one page at a time and learn the information.
     As I said before I am very stubborn when it comes to my studying habits and I'm usually not willing to alternate them. However, when I started reading through the CLS-105 text book something struck my eye, anticipating test questions. I never really thought about the positive effect this could have on one's ability to study for an exam. I never thought that trying to guess a question on an exam could be in any way accurate. Yet, when reading, I realized its more then just a guess its an educated prediction.
     I applied this method to my PRL-206 study guide. I went through my syllabus and identified that it's a facts based course which means that the questions are going to be more facts based then on specific terminology. She had given us over the weekend a study guide with a list of the test format. She said there was going to be 10-15 multiple choice questions, 5-10 true or false, 5-10 fill in the blank, and 8-10 short answers. This information also helped when trying to anticipate some of the exam questions. So, after I went through my study guide and started learning the information I made stars next to information I thought were really emphasized throughout the semester so far and created questions. The following night my professor held a review session where we reviewed everything on the review sheet. After I was able to go up to her and show her some of my questions. Although she wasn't allowed to tell me, I had a feeling I was headed in the right direction. Later that night as I was reviewing the information I really made a point to concentrate on the questions I made up. It was a useful tool because I was able to anticipate what the questions were going to be like and it gave me an idea of how I was going to have to think on this specific test. Ultimately, I walked out of the test feeling great. A lot of the questions I anticipated were either almost identical to the test questions or contained the same information. I would be very surprised if I walked away with less then an A on that exam.
     I am very excited that I have a new skill to add to my OCD ways and I am definitely going to be more open now when it comes to studying skills. The only objection I have to this method that some people might agree with is if you don't get the professors approval of these questions it might be a total waste of time to study questions that could have no relation to the actual exam. Although this is a good concern, I highly encourage students to talk to there professors and use this method in the future!
BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

Successful Studying

Studying and preparing for an exam can be one of the most stressful tasks to accomplish. Some people do not know where to begin studying or what material they even should be studying. Everyone is different, however in CLS 105 we are provided many ways in which we can better our study habits and our grades.

I have an exam in HPM 314 before spring break begins, and although it is two weeks away I am becoming very anxious and worried about taking it. Rather than saving my studying for the last minute, I plan to study each section in a timely matter so I am not stressed and freaking out the night before the exam.

In order to organize my time wisely and accordingly, I created both a topic outline and a source outline. To begin, I created my source outline. I viewed my syllabus and highlighted the dates and topics up until my next exam, and then I proceeded to write down the topic and where it can be found when I begin to study. This enables me to physically map out what I need to know, and plan when I am going to study the material. For example, on February 24 my class was taught about orientation and socialization. In order to spread out my studying, I reviewed the class notes, which are provided on blackboard after every class, and began making note cards (being a kinesthetic learner, note cards help me memorize the material the best way). Now, when I attend class this upcoming Tuesday, March 1^st, I will know the material from the previous chapter and not only will it help me to better understand the upcoming chapters, but I will not have to learn a colossal amount of material at one time.

In addition, a topic outline is a very helpful chart to map out the material accordingly. After completing my source outline, I reviewed the topics and began. I started by writing the topic and it’s meaning, or definition, and then gave an example which helped me to understand it fully rather than briefly. However, once I completed this chart, I realized that it is very similar to my note cards but instead it is a chart rather than a “quiz” type of method. Not only did I learn from this that it is helpful to map out the topics and create a type of study guide, but it can also be a first step to creating my note cards.

It is evident that everyone studies differently, however I am confident that these two test-prep exercises will lead to success in any course. They both include a detailed amount of information and provide you with a clear, mapped out guide to study. I would highly recommend both of these when preparing for an exam, and I definitely plan on continuing to use them in the future.

Problem Solving

To succeed in the college environment you must undoubtedly be a good problem solver. To be an effective problem solver you must take a step back and analyze what is truly causing this dilemma. it could be a number of things. My problems are founded around: procrastination, lack of motivation, and being disorganized. Luckily, two of the three can fixed via learning strategies. Unfortunately, motivation is something you cannot teach, but it is something that you can acquire by just having a strong desire.

For this past week, I used the priority list. I did this for a number of reasons. The chief one being that it encompassed a lot of different learning strategies within it. It also helped me because I am a visual Learner. To properly rank my priority list I used my D's Dues and Dont's . I had to really analyze my schedule and see what was important, and what things I really needed to focus on. My priority list is petty short, but it does show that I have a lot of tests and just an immense amount of work in the coming week. I also encompassed the fritter finder into this because that showed me all of my free time that could be used for studying. Instead of video-games and athletics. Usually I play Basketball or do some sort of physical activity every week. This is where trade offs come into play. Next week I do not nearly have as much work, so doing social and athletic activities will definitely be possible. However, this coming week I have to sacrifice that, because my only job is being a student.

Going back to the L.A.M.E acronym , because I am a visual learner, the action I took was creating a list of priorities. This is really going to help me because as I mentioned before, I am not an organized person so this is one step in the right direction. The material that I have to complete ranges from lab reports to reading about Malcolm X. I have already started preparing for some of my exams and collecting data; the things that I have completed I cross off. This will help me remember the tasks that still need to be completed.

According to the textbook, It's All About Choices the four keys to problem solving are to: identify the problem, then identify the options for solving the problem, followed by taking action toward resolving this problem, and finally evaluating the progress you have made. I have identified my problems as lack of organization, me being an avid procrastinator, and having a tough time getting motivated. The action I took was ranking my priorities and seeing what really lies ahead of me. One option for correcting my problems are to just have a different mindset. If i want to get motivated I need to have a whole different outlook on school. This goes hand in hand with procrastination. If i get my work done earlier, I will definitely have less anxiety. I feel that over time I will get into a routine and getting motivated will no longer be a problem. I think the progress I have made has been great, I have been getting my work done earlier in the day, which leaves time for getting prepared for classes the following day, as well as having some free time.

Problem solving is a great skill to have in all avenues of life. Being able to recognize your problem, in my opinion, is the most important step. Once you have done this, there are so many different ways to approach your problems that correcting it should be fairly easy.

Ranking priorities

     Ranking priority is a useful strategy to arrange the multiple tasks and categorize those tasks by the most immediate attention. I usually have lots of works on Wednesday. Before I used this strategy, I am usually confused what I have to do first and what I have to do later. When I first used this strategy, I wondered that it will be helpful to manage time
     First, I made a list of every tasks that I need to finish by this weekend. I categorized them by their due dates. This process helped me to see tasks' immediacy easily. Then, I ranked each items by three different parts, A(absolutely essential), B(important), and C(optional). After raking, I divided them by letter and ranked them numerically within each group, As the picture above, A1-2D illustrator, A2, A3, B1, B2,etc, I usually wrote next day tasks on A group, due to friday tasks on B group, and laundry and other small works on C group.
    After I divided them by groups, I could realize tasks' immediacy and importance easily. I stated to accomplish each in order. Then, I moved on to the next work in order. Although I had several break times between the orders. I tried to finish them quickly because I realized that those tasks are immediate.
    As a result, I could accomplish those tasks quicker than before. Ranking priority is a useful and efficient strategy, especially when I have lots of works to do. Before I state tasks, I put a raking priority post-it on the desk. It helps me to finish works on time and manage time wisely.


    

Problem Solving Strategies

Ever since I can remember, I have always had a problem fully accomplishing my work all at once. If I sat down to begin my work, my procrastination would eventually kick in and I would find myself on the computer or watching TV. This issue still occurs on a regular basis. In order to fix this problem, I used the one-step problem solving strategy. This was very helpful in breaking up my issue into parts and eventually solving it.

For my faculty interview project, Professor Kwok stressed the importance of reading the chapters prior to attending class. He told me to do this because I can attend the class with the pre-knowledge of what will be discussed in lecture, and be prepared for what is to come. Professor Kwok also said this is helpful because after the lecture, I will be able to remember which topics are important that he emphasized. However, whenever I start my readings, I initially become bored and find something else to do. That is when the one-step strategy came into play and helped me a lot. My first picture is how I split up my time and eventually completed the readings fully, rather than doing it half-fast and skimming through it.

CLS is a course that has many papers and assignments do, and it is very difficult to keep track what is due when. In addition, I try to split up the time to complete each assignment. For example, my blog is due at the end of the weekend, and a journal must be submitted the next day. This is a lot of writing and paperwork to complete, and I always have the issue of not saving my work for the last minute. I used this problem solving strategy to make it easier on myself and split the blogs and journals up on the weeks when they are both due. Luckily, I am submitting this blog on time and will write my journal tomorrow.

In addition, ranking priorities is a way to begin. For example, this week I had many things to do and I didn't know where to start. The chart helped me to rank each assignment from most important to least important, and the order of when they were due.

It is very important to hand in all of my work on time in college. Although many people, myself included, become irritated with an enormous amount of work, I now have this problem solving strategy to help me split up my time accordingly and get everything done.

My Own Worst Enemy

KALLY SAVES KELLY

The hardest part of doing your work is actually starting your work. I can never seem to muster up enough energy or brain power to sit down and start writing an essay or study for an exam. I always say to myself, "I am my own worst enemy," when it comes to my school work. While skimming through Chapter 11 searching for a problem solving strategy to write about, I came across the "Case Study." This was right up my alley because I could write about my own struggles while pretending to write about an alter ego, who I named: Kelly Tigers.

HOW TO DO IT AND WHY IT WORKS

This strategy is extremely easy! When creating my Case Study I thought to myself, "What is my biggest struggle?" "What type of work ethic do I wish I had?" "What could make doing my work a lot easier?" When I thought about these questions, immediately one thing popped into my mind: I wish I was able to plan out my assignments further in advance and not get lazy along the way. As explained in my Case Study, I tend to start something and then wait until the last minute to finish the majority of the assignment. When doing the Case Study, you give yourself suggestions and rank them. These suggestions are not just words on paper though, one of the steps is to implement your suggestions and to assess your situation after a few days. By having those two last steps, I was able to follow through, I did not want to disappoint or fail Kelly Tigers.

L A M E

I chose this strategy because I am the type of Learner who needs suggestions and options for a specific problem. I do not like to group multiple issues or assignments into one because then I feel disorganized and overwhelmed. The Action I took with this strategy was selecting a problem that had been on my mine for awhile. I wanted to find a way to do my ETS reading assignments in a timely, relaxed manner. The Materials I used for fixing this problem was the Target Planner. After analyzing Kelly Tiger's problem, I was able to realize a Target Planner would work best for accomplishing her assignment in an ideal, organized way. My Evaluation of this strategy is very positive. I like how I was able to describe a problem, give suggestions and follow up on the results.

problem solving

I often took lots of time finishing all of my works. I didn’t know what to start first that I usually started the homework without any thinking. I always have problem to accomplish my work completely at once. I often missed some works and couldn’t finish all the homework by the right time. For an example, I had two pages of Japanese homework and one ENL essay. I did only the one page of the Japanese homework, forgetting about the other page, and started to write an ENL essay. While I was doing ENL essay, I remembered that I needed to do one more page of the Japanese homework, that I immediately started it. Then, after I completed the Japanese homework, I forgot to write an ENL essay. Next day, I couldn’t hand in ENL essay. This thing happened a lot to me that I decided to do Ranking Priority as my problem solving strategy. I followed the direction, written at page 227. I first created a list of the things I needed to accomplish. I put all my homework at the planner. Then, I ranked each items, putting A, B, and C. Thirdly, I organized those ranks. For an instance, I put Japanese homework pg. 58 as A-1, because it was the most essential thing to do. Then, I put memorizing Kanji for Japanese test as A-2, and it was the second important thing to do. Lastly, I put Japanese homework pg. 59 as B, since this was not as important as the others. After doing that, it became really easier to start the homework. I often sit at the chair, and thought what I needed to do for long time. However, by the ranking priority, I didn’t have to do that and started the homework immediately. Also, I could know that what I needed to do after I completed one thing. I didn’t miss any homework, because I wrote down the list of the all the homework. By doing this ranking priority with D’s due and do organizer, I never miss any homework and I can finish all the homework much faster than before. . Before, I didn’t write down the due date that I even forgot the things to hand in at the certain date. By knowing the exact due date and put the date when I need to do that homework, I don’t need to waste time to remember what I need to do. This ranking priority helped me a lot to accomplish the homework on time, much faster, and to not miss any homework. I’m going to apply this strategy until the end of this term, and I’m sure this will help me a lot on studying.

"We live and we learn to take One Step at a Time"

     Ever thought about taking advice from an A-list hollywood star? Of course, I know I have. But sometimes thats not always the smartest move. While the media does portray many negative images and messages, many celebrities/artists do emerge with positive and good lessons that are worth listening to. For example, Jordin Sparks 2008 hit "One Step at a Time. In this song she talks about something that one might hope to accomplish and how it takes one step at a time to achieve it. This advice can be used in a variety of circumstances and can be applied to almost anyones life. Personally, I must learn to breakdown my school work into specific steps in order to attain my academic goals. This week we were assigned to pick a problem solving strategy and apply it to our courses. I selected One Step at a Time because it broke down my problems into specific categories. In addition, it not only allowed me to identify the root of my problem but gave me options on how to change and move forward.
     "Hurry up and wait so close, but so far away everything that you've always dreamed of close enough for you to taste but you just can't touch..." It's like Jordin Sparks read my mind! When I receive my assignments for the week I like to put them off for as long as possible. I don't know if it has to do with laziness or the inability to sit down and focus but all I know is a I like my "me" time at night and I do not think of it as a time for studying. On the other hand, I hate when everything is left for the last minute and I get way too stressed out. The thought of finishing my work in a timely fashion always seems like a dream that cannot be touched. Consequently, my goal this week with the problem solving strategies was to find a balance. The one step at a time tactic really proved to help me out. 
    I choose two courses that I felt most behind in and decided I wanted to figure out why I felt this way. Using the chart I was able to identify my problems and come up with specific options that would act as steps toward a more successful semester. In PRL-206, I recognized my problem as not keeping up with my readings on a weekly basis. After taking into account the consequences that could occur from my habits, I was able to list a few options that I thought would help me. Ultimately, picking one that would most realistically work in my daily/weekly routine. The "will do" that I choose says that after every PR class during my one hour break, I would sit down read and annotate the assigned reading for the following class and then add them to that weeks notes. This tactic would ensure that I am doing the readings every week and tackling them while PR was still fresh in my mind. The second course I used the one step at a time chart in was SOC-101. Similar to PRL-206, I had a hard time managing my reading load. I felt that it was okay to not read the textbook because the weekly power point presentations covered all the information. I soon realized potential consequences could include missing detailed points covered in the textbook, but not in the power points and resulting in a loss of points on an exam. Through this problem solving strategy, I realized that if I broke my readings down into multiple sittings I would reduce the amount of stress and ultimately retain more information.
    Although this strategy could result in some limitations on how you study and the time you devote to certain courses. It will eventually teach you the fundamental "steps" you must take in order to achieve success. So whether your Jordin Sparks or just an average joe you must be willing to accept that it takes one step at a time and eventually you will attain your goal.


Below I attached my problem solving charts.

Time Management #1

I'm a very organized and neat person so in high school I always had planners and work schedules. However, first semester of college I become a little disorganized and never kept track of my work the way I did in high school. I was doing all my work at night and staying up very late. Once I started making lists and schedules again, I did work in between classes and finished faster. Also, I had less trouble remembering my assignments. The D’s Due and Do Organizer is a very helpful tool. When I used to make my work schedule in high school, I would only put a Due date and never set a Do time. I like having a plan for each day and knowing these plans semi-far in advance (at least the night before). With this organizer I am able to have set plans and have my work built in. I also like having a calendar with big tests or weekly assignment so I do not forget. This calendar reminds me of the work I have due the next day because above each weekday I wrote out my classes I have on the certain day. This reminds me to check my syllabus and make sure every assignment is completed. I am a visual learner so seeing things written out helps me understand what I have to do.

Time Management

I am the type of person who hates feeling unprepared. Showing up to class and not having read the proper assignment or not being prepared with the proper homework is my biggest pet peeve. However, as my schedule started filling up and I had more responsibilities I started finding myself becoming more laid back with my work. I noticed how a couple of times I would show up for class without having read the textbook and an inability to participate in class discussion. I started possessing qualities that I once promised myself I never would.
Time Management is an acquired skill. This is something I learned through CLS-105. It doesn't just come to you over night. You must practice certain exercises overtime if you would like them to turn into a daily routine. My favorite is the Fritter Finder. I was able to evaluate where I was wasting the most time and then turn that into productive studying hours. It opened up a whole world of time for me. I would proceed to do my work in between classes instead of napping and ultimately finish my work earlier in the night.
Although I let myself fall slightly behind first semester, I am confident with these new strategies I will stay up to date with my work and ultimately become a more successful student.

 When I became a college student, the most difficult thing to me was time management. As a VPA student, I have lots of studio classes, so time management is one of the most crucial things to me. Last semester, I didn't know how to manage time, so I wasted time, summited homework the night before, and even submitted incomplete assignments. I realized that time management is pretty important, so I tried to talk with my academic advisor and friends. They gave me some advices, however, no one told me about how to use time wisely. 

 This semester, I decided to take CLS 105 class. Although this class is not related to my major, I believed that this class will be helpful to improve my time management skill. As I expected, this class taught many effective ways to manage time, such as 10minutes skill and D's and due organizer.  

 In the first class, we did some tests which informed the type of learner. U was an idealist and kinesthetic learner. It represents that I can learn something with active and effective ways. Through discussion group, team meeting, note taking, and making a presentation, I can learn effectively. 

 Especially, D's and due organizer helped me greatly. I wrote time due dates and do dates. I also wrote the starting time and expected end time. It reduced wasted time. Through weekly and monthly calender, I could see what I have to do in this week and month. It helped me to organize and use time wisely. 

 As a result, I could finish my assignments on time and reduce lots of useless time, such as chatting with friends. I keep writing D's and due organizer and recommend to friends. I think this is the most effective way to manage time. 

Managing Your Time

Managing your time can be very difficult, especially as a college student. Time management has always been my ultimate problem. I would save all of my assignments for the last minute and quickly throw something together at 12:00am the night before. This lack of time management would inevitably lead to substandard, albeit deserves, grades. Now, however, through hard work and dedication, my time management skills have improved.

This past week I was faced with the task of being sick and having no desire to complete any work. However, I had so much work that was due by the end of the week that finishing it was not even an option. Therefore I had to plan out my schedule accordingly so that I could rest as well as finish my work in a timely fashion. I did this by sorting through my planner for the week and used the ten minute exercise. This enabled me to do some work, pause and watch a TV show until a commercial, and then resume with my work and so forth.

I found this tactic to be very helpful because rather than getting overwhelmed with so much work at once I completed it in a timely fashion and I was also not worried about getting it done on time, because I knew I would. I highly recommend this task to any student who has trouble either starting or completing they’re work on time, because this really helps and brings successful results. Time management not only brings rewards, but it also affords free time without the stress of always worrying about the work to be putting off.

Tech#1. Time Management

This class helps me to strengthen the college learning strategy. By this class, I had chance to do the LAME, which is learner, action, material and evaluation. As some test results, I'm an idealist and kinesthetic learner. This means I can learn things by actually doing certain activities, and I want to try something unusual. I think this is pretty right, because I learn things by taking notes and actually talking to classmates. For that reason, I decided to take D's do and due organizer as my time management. With the D's do and due organizer, I could do something unusual, that I've never done before, and I could do activate. I wrote all the due dates on the weekly planner, and also do dates, so that I can decide when I need to do it. I also wrote on the monthly calendar, all of my due dates. I can, therefore, see my do and due dates on the weekly planner and monthly calendar. This D's do and due organizer really helps me to organize my schedule. Before doing it, I often miss some homework because I forget to check the blackboard. After I write down the all due dates and when I need to do it, I never miss the homework because I know exactly what I need to do. For the flitter Finder and Chunks of Eight, I found harder to manage my time than the D's due and do organizer. With those two things, I still found hard to schedule my homework, but D's due and do organizer really helps me to organize my assignment schedule and to finish those on time. I now know when I need to start homework, and finish it with the D's due and do organizer.

(The attached documentations are my D's due and do organizer at monthly calendar, and D's due and do organizer at weekly planner)

Learning Techniques

I took this class to learn how to maximize my potential as a student. One way to do this is by acquiring knowledge about what type of learner you are. One acronym that helps guide me is L.A.M.E. The L stands for leaner, the a for action, the m for material, and e for evaluation.

I am a kinesthetic learner. I learn best by actually doing something. Or, what also works for me is explaining the problem to another person and talking it out. I found that when I use visual tools as sort of a road map it really helps. I like when things are in front of me, it makes it easier on me to determine how to manage and most productively use my time. For some reason color coordinating also helps me remember to do things as well. I found that the fritter finder and chunks of 8 work most successfully for me. I feel that the D's dues is too rigid and way to scheduled. I don't know why, but for some reason I have never been able to follow a schedule, because I always hate feeling the pressure when I do not finish something on time. That is what brings me to my evaluation. I think the Chunks of Eight and Fritter Finder are so much better because as its not really a set schedule. You can incorporate trade offs and as long as you get either your 8 hours of everything you can fulfill the chunks of eight. Going along with that theme, if you just get everything completed in the Fritter Finder, it will help you be successful it does not have to be done to a T.

So, overall, I learned that the best learning techniques for me are the ones that are more freelancing and not rigid in the least bit. This is because I will not feel any anxiety if I do not perform a task at a specific time.