Whatever the method, put in the study time

For everyone who isn’t blessed with a photographic memory, there is studying. And if you absolutely have to stay on the honor roll, it is been said by academics across America that you devote three hours of study per credit you’re are enrolled.

So, if you are taking 15 credits, you better be studying 45 hours a week. Is that possible? Do people do that? We don’t think so. However, finals are real and they are coming up quickly and wanted to encourage MHCC students to start studying sooner than later. To do this we talked to students and the program assistant at the learning success center, Mike Hein.

Most of the students we talked to you are probably a lot like you. They don’t study all the material covered in class that day. A trend we noticed in our interviews and within our own habits was studying what we don’t understand as it is covered in class. Although, it seems every student admitted to procrastinating and having to cram just before finals.

“I use flash cards and will eat while I’m studying; food motivates me,” said Jazmon Lawrence, a dental hygiene student. “If I do take a break it’s because I’m frustrated, but I’ll keep going because if I stop I won’t go back to it.” The learning success center is always something we investigate when writing a story about student study habits. “I’ve been there once,” Lawrence said, adding that “[LLC] helped to confirm answers.” She thinks it’s “pretty good” and that there’s plenty of help available.

Jeremy Zimmerman, a computer science major, “was thrown out of high school” when he was a sophomore and got his GED “a week later.” Hs said he has developed study habits since then: Note taking, looking for italic, underlined and boldface type, and using the process of reading once, highlighting and reading with highlights are all techniques that help him stay on top of his work. Zimmerman also said he likes to network; through class or Skype he said, “study groups help.”

Another science student, Layla a pre-med student, said candidly that she gives up if she doesn’t understand something, but will go to the learning success center (tutoring center) for help if she really needs it.

Mike Hein, the program assistant to the learning success center, said students don’t have to wait until the last week and a half to get help. There are two tutors in the morning, a max of 14 in the afternoon and “it tapers off to four at the end of the day,” said Hein. Unfortunately, there are fewer tutors on hand during their busiest times of the term because the tutors are studying for their own finals.

“I try to maintain a full staff but that’s not always practical,” he said. There are anywhere from 65 – 70 tutors on staff. The center is open Monday – Friday 8 – 4.

The LSC is offering two seminars at four times that may help you if you have waited until the last minute to study and are feeling faint from your weeks of procrastination. “How to succeed in tests” is offered on 3/12 from 1:10 – 2:00 p.m. in the Bob Scott room and on 3/13 from 12:10 – 1:00 p.m. in AC2307. “Understanding Test Anxiety” is offered on 3/13 from 1:10 – 2:00 p.m. and on 4/14 at 2:10 – 3:00 p.m.