Stay attentive during your college classes with these 5 tried and tested tips that helped me through my undergrad.

Admittedly, some classes can be more engaging than others. That’s just how it is. Not all classes will be your favorite.

Some will make that cut, while others will fall well below the mark. The important thing to keep in mind is that you need all our units to graduate, and as such you have to take all of them very seriously.

To that effect, I have put together five tips that I used throughout my undergrad to make sure I paid attention throughout my classes.

How to stay attentive during your college classes

1. Show up on time

I’m pretty sure someone rolled their eyes at this. How can showing up on time help you stay attentive in class?

I shall explain.

Showing up to class on time allows you to start the topic with the instructor. The concepts and ideas being taught are easier to understand because you have been there from the genesis of it.

You are also able to lay out everything you need for that class, any notebooks, textbooks, calculator, tools, you name it.

When you show up to a class late, first you are flustered because everyone is looking at you when you walk through the door, you know what page the class is on, the topic is midway, and it’s a whole mess. This is why showing up to class on time is the first and most important tip to being attentive during class.

2. Prepare for the class beforehand

You also need to prepare for the class beforehand. This means reviewing any notes or slides or readings before the class. It also means writing down questions about things you don’t understand.

Preparing for a class beforehand is going to help you stay attentive during class because the topic is already familiar to you and you already have some opinions on it. It is also important because any hole you might have had during the prep session can be answered during the class session.

3. Take notes during class

This one saved me a million and one time. If you are a college student then I think we can both agree that college is really stressful and sometimes when you are seated in class is when you remember the million and one things you need to do.

Notes-taking during class will make sure that you are not derailed. Write down the main topic and the key concepts in point format so you can keep up with your instructor. Also, note down anything profound your professor says and put that in quotes to make your notes more interesting to look at and to make each class more memorable.

4. Participate

This goes back to the prep session before the class. If you took the time to look at the notes before the class happened then you have an opinion on the topic at hand. You have questions and if not you have a comment on them and can participate in the class discussion on the same.

5. Tie each class to the big picture

This might take a little time but once you can do it, it will be the one to make the biggest difference. This one is about being deliberate about your degree.

You need to find a way to tie each class to the big picture. So you have to ask yourself what the big picture is. Why are you doing this degree? Why are you doing that major or that minor? All this is to what end?

That end will act as your guide. Tie each class to the big picture. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle and each class is a piece of the puzzle.

The puzzle needs every single one of those pieces otherwise your puzzle will have holes in it. So what? So you have to take each class seriously because you know it is an important piece of the puzzle.

All that said though I know that not all classes will be captivating but this is your dime and your time. The least you could do is make it count right?

I hope this helps you out. I hope it makes your puzzle more beautiful or at least makes the bigger picture clear in your mind.

That is all for now. Be sure to observe Covid protocol and stay safe :).