Have a schedule. Do not wait until the last minute to read a twenty page chapter for a test the following day. When you put off the homework until the very last minute, you will not learn the material properly. Yes, you may get the work done, but it will not be your best work. If you come up with a schedule to do your readings. You can do things better and use your time wisely. You will have the time to read the text and be a critical thinker while doing your assignments. You will also be able to invest more time an effort into your assignment.
Talk with the professor. If you haven’t talked with your professor before or after class, it may be a good idea for you to make an appointment. Find out your professor’s schedule and stop by their office hours to talk to them about the class or just get to know them better. A teacher will almost always be more understanding towards a student who takes the time to talk with them. You can use this time to ask about any questions or concerns you may have. Your instructor may even be generous and give you some advice.
Plea for extra credit. When you hear the word extra credit, you better be listening to your instructor, whether you have a good grade or not. While extra credit and paper rewrites are almost always a good option for boosting grades, many professors will have little sympathy for students who wait until the last day of classes to ask for it. Start talking with your teacher now if you think extra credit will benefit you on how you can earn a passing grade.
Participate for easy points. A class participation grade is arguably the easiest grade you can earn. If you have been on the quieter side in class, share your opinions during a discussion or even ask your professor a question to get your voice heard. If you are not participating in class, how does your instructor even know that you are paying attention? When you ask questions you are also more likely to learn more in the class.
Study ahead. If you have extra time in the next few weeks, start organizing old study guides, notes and even handouts. You can make an effort to go to the Learning Resource Lab or library to get tutoring or any kind of help you need. Don’t wait until the last minute and expect your instructor to give you a good grade when you know you could have put in more effort. Studying over time and taking the effort to review your notes daily will ultimately be more beneficial in the end.
Avoid skipping class. I get it. It is almost winter break and you feel like all you have done is work. Many students find themselves tempted to use up their number of allowed absences, but having a consistent attendance record will almost always benefit you. This way you will be able to gather any last minute information before finals while showing your professor you take their class seriously. Remember once you start skipping a few days you start to want to skip more. Be careful on what days you skip on. Don’t skip on the day you know you have a presentation or project due because that could lead to getting a zero and failing the course.
