How to improve study habits, reach goals in spring semester

As students near the end of the semester, tension is at an all-time high as they try to prepare for exams while also completing assignments.

One of the many reasons it is so tension-inducing is because of poor studying habits and bad time management skills.

The Shippensburg University campus offers many opportunities to help students better their study habits.

“I think there are a lot of resources here at Ship, from the library to the student success center and the [Learning] Center, that can help students get ahead on their work and their studying,” librarian Marguerite Albro said. “At the end of the day, campus is full of people who want to help students do well and do so with as little stress as possible.”

Students can go to the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library to ask about helpful resources, and can use the study rooms as a quiet place to get work done.

“The library offers group and individual study spaces, librarians who can help find resources, like more information on the topic you’re studying and an environment dedicated to studying. We also happily refer folks to the tutors at the Student Success Center for more study help,” Albro said.

The Learning Center, which can be found in Mowrey Hall, allows students to schedule tutoring through well-trained students when extra help is needed, according to the SU’s website.

Librarians in the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library said they have seen students do a lot of procrastinating and not as much organization as they should.

“Students will get overwhelmed by the amount of content, but don’t always break things down into manageable chunks or into key points they can focus on,” Albro said. “I think that breaking material down into manageable chunks, starting your studying sooner, more than a few days out, and making studying a routine rather than just something you do right before a test will make studying less stressful.”

Taking advantage of even one of the opportunities the campus has to offer can help students become better at studying and can lead to improved time management skills.