First, a couple of tips to prepare yourself:

It’s important to put that phone away. It’ll only serve as a distraction and break your concentration. Still, don’t be afraid to take breaks, walk, stretch, eat, or otherwise you’ll risk burning out or frustrating yourself over subjects that you will eventually get the hang of. Ensure that you also prioritise sleep, exercise, and nutrition to put your best foot forward. Onto some techniques!

For essays:

Write an outline with what the rubric specifically asks of you and your first ideas - this will make it easier to build upon. Make sure you reread your essay yourself to look out for any errors. It’s easiest to spot any errors or areas of improvement if you read what you wrote out loud to test its flow. If you have a professor who is willing to read your work, you should ask for help (not with the topic) with the grammar.

Tips for Coping with Multiple Assignments

For presentations:

Practice in different settings, such as by yourself in your room, in front of a friend in a booked library room, etc. This will help you be less nervous for the presentation date and it won’t allow you to depend too heavily on visual cues in a comfortable place before you get into the habit.

You can prepare for any Q&As by diving deeper into your subject than just your notes and slides, but also avoid anxiety about this part by practicing being able to ask for a moment to gather your thoughts. For example, if you need a breather to think about your next sentence, you can answer a question with, “That’s a great question, allow me a minute to think about it so I can best summarise my thoughts."

Group Study Spots at Queen’s

For exams:

Make your own study guide and flashcards, either handwritten cards or digital ones on Quizlet or Anki. This will help you narrow down what information you need to remember from the main concepts and themes to the details and formulas. Write a card to pair with each term that describes why it’s important to the subject you’re studying/why they are requiring you to learn it. You can also use practice quizzes instead of simply rereading so that you can measure how much of your knowledge you can actually apply.

Make note of what questions you will need variations of to practice with. I find it helpful to pretend to or actually teach the concepts to someone else to identify any places that cause you confusion. You can then reach out to the professor to clarify or you can seek a deeper dive on resources such as Khan Academy.

Sources of Support Within Your School at Queen's

The most important thing to remember is that different things work for different students. Find your groove in studying, make sure you prioritise your mental health, and feel confident in your writing, presentation, or exam skills. Like everything else, study skills take practice and time to develop and build upon. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your professors and support systems when you need to!

Find out more

Take a Virtual Tour of Queen's

How to Make the Most of Your Reading Week

Mid-term Study Tips: Stay Motivated for Assignment Season!

Adapting to a New Learning Environment as an International Student

Diana Kachman Public Health | Postgraduate Student | Washington State, USA My passion for public health and medicine stems from a desire to work with underrepresented peoples within the health field, especially the elderly, migrants, and indigenous communities.  I am a Peruvian American from the Seattle area in Washington State. I graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota in 2023 with my degree in English and History.  Outside of the classroom, I enjoy reading, baking, hiking, and salsa dancing. I love travelling to learn about new cultures and am happy to connect with students from all paths and backgrounds.