Tips for getting through all of your readings

Graduate School is a big change from your undergraduate especially when it comes to the level of work, amount of reading material, and overall what is expected of you. It can become very overwhelming at first and almost make you second guess yourself. This is when you take a deep breath and tell yourself you can do it!! The secret is finding a system that works best for you. Let’s be honest for a moment there is simply no way one person can read and retain 100 pages of information for each class, our brains simply do not work that way. 

What works best for me:

My Books have questions at the end of each chapter that my professor has recommended we complete to use as a guide, and help us gage how much information we have retained.  I have started by answering these questions first and then reading through the chapter. This really helps me to pull out the important parts of the chapter and disregard all of the extra fluff. This way also keeps me from getting highlighter happy and having every page covered in color. By doing this I am also saving time. When I answer the questions I have to read through specific sections in order to find the answers which allows me to read and understand the chapter to then put it into my own words to make it more realistic. This is giving me further reinforcement of the material covered in the chapter because I read it, comprehend it, and then place it into my own words.

Another great tip is to look over your power points/lecture notes before reading a chapter. This gives you a sense of what your professor wants to focus on which will help you target specific areas more. It can also help you know what information to expect on a test/quiz.

Reading in Graduate School is a MUST, it is not like in your undergraduate where you are told to read and then no one ever does. The readings are implemented in your power points, lectures, assignments, and projects. Also the readings are not 100% gone over in class, so reading and jotting down questions will allow you to ask your professor. Reading the chapters will also reinforce what you are learning in class and help you to overall understand things better. Taking notes while reading may seem tedious however, they will come in handy as a great reference for tests, quiz’s, homework assignments, projects, and help you to participate in class. 

Final tips on how to make reading a little bit easier and even fun

1.      Use colorful highlighters

2.      Read with friends and have homework dates

3.      Meet with classmates to go over sections you don’t understand

4.      Read outside – a change of scenery is always a great thing

5.      Put some soft music on- (Time McGraw Pandora is my reading station or I use the Vitamin String Quartet when I really need to focus )

6.      Overall, find a system that works best for you!!

Hope this helps <3

                                                            -Jessica