Category Archives: Profs

The Best of Life @ U of T (according to me)

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Well I’m sad to say that this will be my last post for the Life @ U of T blog. What a crazily-awesome year it was and I honestly have no idea where the last 25 weeks went. I’ve had a blast being your Faculty of Arts & Science Student Blogger and I hope you guys got as much enjoyment in reading my posts as I had in writing them.

For my last post I want to do a “Best Of” the blog over the past year — featuring a favourite post of mine from each of our lovely bloggers. If you have never read Life @ U of T before these posts are a great way to start!

Abdullah — “oppression, equity and politics” — In this post Abdullah tackles the sensitive subject of equity — or lack thereof — that sometimes has a tendency to surface in the student sphere. While we can all be proud to claim that U of T is a highly diverse and multicultural school, we also have to be cognizant of the fact that sometimes situations of inequity arise and Abdullah does an excellent job in addressing an instance in which he experienced it firsthand.

Ishita — “The Art of Forgiving Yourself” — In this post Ishita discusses the pressures many students experience — especially in their first year — to do well at the U of T and the feelings of failure many of us inevitably face when we fall short of the goals we have established for ourselves. Ishita reminds us that mistakes and missteps will happen and that’s OK, so long as we learn from our experience and leverage it for the better.

Lesia — “Hey U of T, it’s time to get moving!” — As the Physical Activity Blogger I find all of Lesia’s posts highly important and relevant to me personally (as someone who tends to neglect the gym…and every other form of physical activity). The tendency to simply hunker down at your desk and neglect exercise, indulging in less-than-optimal eating habits as a coercive mechanism to get you through your readings or that big assignment is very strong for many of us. Lesia reminds us of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and many of her posts feature the free services and activities available to students in pursuit of it.

Lori — “Raise your hand!” — In this post Lori discusses strategies you can use to try and make yourself a bit more engaged in class discussions — in an attempt to get those ever-tricky participation marks. Her advice is highly relevant, especially for upper-year seminar courses where large chunks of your grade require you to do something many of us dread: public speaking.

Sarah — “Post-Grad Blues” — In this post Sarah does an exceptional job encapsulating how many of our fellow graduating students may be currently feeling. Come May 1, many graduating students will be — for the first time in their lives — completely without the life-structuring mechanism school provides. In addition to this, many students may also feel torn about what exactly the want to do post-undergrad, with different forces pulling them in different directions.

Shak — “TTC? Why man why????” — In this post Shak discusses (or perhaps rants would be a more optimal phrase) about the one transportation service we all love to hate: the TTC. As a commuter myself, I found Shak’s post highly relatable and funny — well worth a read for all those who have, at one point or another, felt slighted by the Toronto Transit Commission.

Vahini — “College Governance 101” — Vahini offers a great introduction to all the various student councils that govern each of U of T’s disparate colleges. In a school as large as U of T, it’s important to know what governing structures are relevant for you! This post is actually part one in a three-part series and her posts about Councils and Unions and Student Societies are worth checking out as well!

Vivian — “The Breakfast Club” — In this post Vivian discusses all the benefits of having a healthy breakfast before going about your day. As someone who tends to neglect this important meal, I found the post very insightful. We are all told how breakfast is ‘the most important meal of the day’ and Vivian demonstrates this!

Of all the posts I’ve written this year I would have to say that my post “Surviving the Winter: Tips for Commuters” is one of my favourites as commuting to school in the winter can be a tedious and downright awful experience for many of us — especially when you consider the fact that winter in Toronto last from November to April (apparently).

I hope you have all found value in reading this blog — I know I have — and if this is your first time on the site be sure to check out all the posts I mentioned above! I’d like to thank the Faculty of Arts & Science for giving me the opportunity to write for all of you as well as the Office of Student Life and the entire Student Life Community Crew for being such a wonderful and awesome group of people!

- Matteo

Some new experiences in my final days

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The next seven days or so are going to be my last at the University of Toronto (as an undergrad, anyway) and while you would think that during this time I would be winding down my university life, locking myself in the library in an attempt to make it through the perilous end-of-year-essays/final exam season, I find myself instead experiencing the opposite — engaging in a lot of “firsts” — for the first time.

Upon reflection, these experiences are a testament to the sheer amount of stuff there is to do, see, and experience at U of T. It also goes to reinforce the idea that just because I, along with my fellow graduating students, may be ending our academic time with the university, this does not necessarily prohibit us from new experiences with the institution. I would also hope to encourage those you who expect to graduate next year to make the most of your undergraduate experience and take some time to explore all that the U of T has to offer.

What are these experiences I’m referring to? Well, let me tell you!

Ate at Veda: 

The other day a friend and I decided to grab lunch. We wanted to go somewhere relatively cheap and preferably somewhere on-campus. She recommended this Indian place called “Veda,” I had never heard of it before and was willing to try something new. After leading me deep into the inner-workings of the Galbraith Building we came across the little take-out restaurant. Upon first impression, I’ll admit it didn’t seem like much, but whatever the place lacked in aesthetic appeal it more than made up in food quality and price. I got a vegetable rice bowl with two types of curry — all for $5.00! It was thoroughly delicious and perfectly proportioned for a healthy lunch. I only wish I had known about Veda earlier, it’s definitely now one of my favourite eateries on campus!

Sought essay advice from a prof:

I must admit that I am a little ashamed it took me five years to do this task, but the other day I went to visit a professor of mine for advice on a paper…for the first time in my undergraduate career. The experience itself was very useful as my professor indeed provided insights about how I should go about writing and structuring my essay. I don’t really know why it took me this long to seek this sort of assistance from a prof — I mean I have met with professors many times for many different, perhaps even more nerve-wracking reasons (see: asking for a letter of reference). My outgoing advice to all you students is to not be hesitant to seek assignment advice from your professors! It was definitely a welcome experience and I would like to think that my essay will benefit from it!

Visited Noranda:

Just yesterday, I joined a friend in visiting the Noranda Earth Sciences Library for the first time. Now I know some you might think I’m crazy for thinking that “going to a library” is a significant experience, especially given the fact that many of us are currently lamenting the sheer amount of time we’re spending stuck inside Robarts as the Spring weather begins to settle in.  But to me, the University of Toronto Library System should be respected not only for being one of the top academic library systems in the world and for the sheer amount of books and knowledge and learning contained within them, but also for their architectural design, layout, and concept. These buildings were erected to bring together the two essential components that make up a university: students and learning. To me entering a library is akin to entering a shrine; a library is a place of knowledge, history, and academic rigor.

These are three new experiences I’ve had at the U of T over the last seven days, and with only seven days left to go in my undergraduate degree I’m eager to see what I have yet to see and do at the university!

Stone Cold Extensions…

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Alas my friends I have fallen ill with the dreaded March head cold. There could be no worse time of the year to contract this virulent pestilence that renders my brain nothing more than a cloudy, congested dome of confusion.

It happened Saturday morning. As soon as I woke up I knew I was infected. My head hurt, my nostrils were clogged, and that little tickle in my throat that I had been ignoring all week had transformed from a tickle into more of a sandpaper on raw skin kind of thing.

Am I whining?

Yes.

However, there’s a point to my whining. With three papers due in the next four days and an illness, I was inspired to write about extensions. No not hair extensions. Paper or assignment extensions.

I am in my fourth year here at U of T and before this week I had never asked for an extension. You might ask why. Most of my friends get extensions regularly. The reason I’ve never asked for one is that the whole process makes me nervous.

First you need to email or meet with your Prof. and request the extension. Usually you’d provide them with some justification for the extension ie. My computer was stolen, My dog died. Yet, most likely the conversation would be about how you need an extension because you have two other papers due the same week or a midterm on the same day. Worst case scenario you tell your Prof that you started too late and simply can’t finish it on time.

Having a conversation about any of these things with my Profs would give me serious anxiety. I mean why I would want my Prof. to know that I am horrible at time management, or worse that I finished all my other assignments before I even started to think about his.

Luckily, I only had to tell my Prof. that I was really sick and she happily gave me an extension. Even still I am left to wonder if she now thinks that I am a bad student for not being finished with the paper early, so that something like a cold wouldn’t get in the way of submitting the paper on time.

The other thing that makes me nervous about extensions is that I am convinced that late paper will automatically be graded more harshly. This might not be an issue if your class has 500 students, but in a seminar class with only 15 people, it’s pretty easy for the Prof to remember who was diligent and who was not.

I have no proof or basis to say this, it’s just a fear I have. I’m sue lots of Profs. grade papers equally regardless of whether they were submitted on time. I’m only saying that this aspect of extensions makes me very uncomfortable.

I actually found this great how to site on the web…How to ask for an extension! Take a look it’s very step by step and instructional.

I hope you all don’t get sick, but if you it might be the perfect opportunity to ask for an extension.

-Lori

So that’s how the pros do it..

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Have you ever watched professional athletes on TV in awe, wondering how on earth their bodies could be so fast and strong? Watching them amazes me, and I’ve often wondered what goes on behind the scenes – what do they eat? How much rest do they need to recover? It’s made me think about my own exercise and health habits… Are there specific foods I should eat after a hard workout? Do I really need to stretch? Am I drinking enough water?
Well, earlier this week I learned about all of this and more, thanks to the Hart
House Recreational Athletics Committee.  They hosted the seminar “Keys to Recovery and Regeneration” featuring Dr. Greg Wells, an established human physiologist and assistant professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (FKPE) here at U of T. I’m glad I got there early enough to snag a front row seat with my friends, as the room was packed!

Source: Hart House Recreational Athletics Committee Facebook Page

The lecture was very interesting and informative – Dr. Well’s didn’t talk just about exercise or training, but about how other key factors can influence our performance as well. One of the first things he mentioned was how crucial it is to constantly hydrate your body throughout the day. He also talked about how food is essentially our fuel and that we need to replenish our bodies with the right stuff – lots of whole foods!

Source: bbc.co.uk

Along with proper nutrition, Dr. Well’s emphasized getting enough sleep and de-stressing our minds as well as our bodies. Unsurprisingly, these are areas where many of us busy students often fall short (myself included!). But as he explains in this video, taking a little bit of time out of our day to meditate, do some yoga, or walk through a park can really benefit our health and well-being in the long run.

This was the first time I went to a Hart House Recreational Athletics Committee event, and I’m looking forward to attending more seminars. If you missed out, you can connect with Dr. Well’s and check out some resources via his website, Facebook or Twitter.

Also, March just so happens to be Nutrition Month, and to celebrate the FKPE is hosting some FREE talks on nutrition and exercise in the upcoming weeks! The one on Friday, March 15th will be all about healthy eating habits, and Monday March 18th will focus on proper nutrition for exercise/sports. Check out the Facebook event for more details!

-Lesia

PS: Once you hit up the links and events I mentioned above, there’ll be no more excuses to skip exercise – and that’s exactly what the MoveU Crew wants to hear this month! Every Tuesday they will tweet an excuse NOT to work out. And they want students to tweet back (#Excuse Eraser) their excuse-busters for a chance to win some cool prizes! If you aren’t on Twitter, no problem – you can find out more details on Facebook too.

Why I love U of T

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With Valentine’s Day on our collective consciousness I thought that now would be an ideal time to share with all of you the things I love about the institution I have dedicated the past five years of my life to. While the University of Toronto receives a lot of negativity from students for a plethora of reasons I won’t get into here, I am ultimately happy I chose to pursue my undergraduate education at the U of T and with the onset of graduation in a few short months I know that I wouldn’t have wanted to attain my degree anywhere else! Here’s why:

The history

Did you know that the University of Toronto (which was founded in 1827 as King’s College) is older than Canada? I bet you also didn’t know that University College and Victoria University’s Annesley Hall are considered National Historic Sites by the Canadian government! Throughout the university’s long lifespan, many prominent Canadians have called it home, a short list including: William Lyon Mackenzie King, Lester B. Pearson, Adrienne Clarkson, Malcolm Gladwell, Naomi Klein, Margaret Atwood, Donald Sutherland, Harold Innis, Northrop Frye, Marshall McLuhan, C. B. Macpherson, etc. et. al. You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate university’s long legacy as one of Canada’s premier academic institutions!

The campus

The University of Toronto is an oasis of learning and self-discovery amid the hustle and bustle of Canada’s most prominent urban environment. The campus itself is beautiful, an appropriate mixture of centuries-old buildings and urban planning mixed with modern innovations and cutting edge architectural design. It is easy to forget the sheer beauty that defines the U of T campus as you simply keep your head down in a rush to class in the mid-February cold. Due to its location in Toronto’s downtown, the university offers its students exposure to unique social, economic, and cultural experiences that can only be found in highly developed metropolitan centers.While I can only speak to my experiences with the St. George campus, I hear that the Mississauga and Scarborough locations are nice as well for reasons unique to them!

The Faculty

While not everyone will agree with this assessment, I can honestly say that I have generally had a positive experience with most of my Professors and instructors during my 5 years as an undergraduate student. Faculty are, on the whole, passionate about what they teach and are excited to share their knowledge with you. Some of the most prominent intellectuals and academics today can be found on the Faculty lists of U of T’s various departments and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to study under them.

The students

Perhaps the most important category on this list, the University of Toronto student body is all at once intelligent, sophisticated, socially engaged, and welcoming. While I can only speak to my own experience, some of the most intelligent people I have ever met and some of the best friends I ever hope to meet are University of Toronto students. Canada’s future leaders, intellectuals, and innovators can be found sitting next to you in any given lecture and I am often awestruck at the caliber of student found at the U of T.

The libraries

An appreciation of the wide variety of libraries and the vast collection of academic materials within them is something we as students tend to neglect when thinking about our time at the U of T. Very rarely have I sought to take out a book from one of campuses libraries and found it unlisted. The University of Toronto Libraries is the fourth-largest academic library system in North America — we should not take it for granted.

The prestige 

Call me pretentious, but I enjoy my association with one of North America’s (if not the world’s) premiere institutions of higher learning. There’s a reason students from all around the globe flock to the U of T for study.

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Let me know why you love U of T in the comments!

oppression, equity and politics

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Hey U of T. It’s been a busy week hasn’t it. I, for one cannot wait until this week is over and I can enter the eternal hibernation Arts and Science students call “reading week”.  At the end of this week, you all should take a break and eat a cake or something. Who cares about “caloric value” when you got midterms people. But, seriously solidarity to all of my students out there in the struggle this week. Show that midterm who’s boss. And go easy on the coffee.

So earlier this week, fulfilling my civic duty as a student, I attended the UTSU’s Special General Meeting – I’ll spare you the details. While there were a few instances of student politics as usual, nonetheless it was a productive meeting, lots of good motions passed including one propose by my friend and fellow blogger, Shak to endorse the Idle No More movement. When I finally got home that night and surfed the internet – I came across a comment on an UTSU page that I will not dignify with a quotation. Needless to say, it was quite racist and demeaning to people of First Nations’ heritage.  Whether you support the Idle No More movement or not – there is no room for racism on our campus.

That unfortunate message got me thinking about oppression on our campus. Before I go on, I’d like to say that U of T is a very open, diverse and welcoming campus and the people here for the most part espouse the ideals of equity. That being said, things aren’t perfect and it’s time we had an open and frank conversation on how we can move forward.  In the two years that I have been on this campus, I have heard stories of Aboriginal students having their heritage questioned, of Muslim students that don the hijab being asked if they are “oppressed” and have seen mature students get far too many glares sent their way in class.  I have heard students make fun of their peers that hold part time jobs and far too many students subject to the stigma and stereotypes that come with being diagnosed with a mental health issue, and I have heard some of these comments be justified under the guise of “being politically incorrect”.  We have to realize that our words have weight and that if they publicly offend a lot of people, then we’ve probably gone too far.

We as students need to come together and truthfully, usually we do. However, when equity issues enter the realm of student politics – that is when things get complicated.  Accusations of racism and counter accusations of falsification are thrown around.  I have seen students’ mental health issues dismissed due to the position they were holding and the issue of equity becoming a touchy political football.   I urge my fellow students, no matter what divide you are on when it comes to student politics to view equity as a problem that is higher than politics. Something that we can all come together to tackle. Next time, regardless of the context it arises from, when an equity issue comes to the forefront of campus discussion – I hope we can have a frank and honest conversation about it. Rather than jumping to conclusions about the political implications behind a story of oppression, we owe it to the person who has been oppressed to honestly discuss what has taken place and move forward.

If you are facing an equity issue, be it in the lecture theatre, in your residence or in a common room there are many outlets to which you can turn – see the list below.

U of T Human Resources and Equity.
U of T Anti Racism and Cultural Diversity Office.
And more resources can be found here. 

Have a good week U of T!

-       Abdullah

Where did I put my dunce cap?

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Have you ever been told something and in that exact moment you are wondering how it is possible that you ever lacked this information. You wonder if you really did in fact know this information. You convince yourself that you must have been aware of this nugget of knowledge, even though you know deep down that you really had no clue.

I’ve been a student here at U of T for nearly four years. In that time I have been enrolled in approximately sixteen classes. Each of these classes, except for one,  was accessible via Portal. Just put this in you back pocket for a moment while I explain what it is I’m writing about.

Last week in one of my classes my Prof. led us to the library for a research seminar with a librarian. This is at least the tenth time I’ve attended  one of these seminars. I always enter the experience a little suspicious that there is anything about the journal search engines that I have not already been told. Yet, every time I am pleased to leave the seminar with a new skill in researching.

Last week, I was perhaps a little more short-tempered than usual…bogged down with essays and fast approaching mid-terms I really didn’t feel like attending another research seminar. I can humbly say that I am so happy that I went.

Mid-way through this particular research seminar the librarian mentioned the library resources tab on Blackboard. Remember a few lines ago I mentioned how many courses I’ve had on Blackboard…take that out of your back pocket and now integrate it I know this little tale.

Okay so I was like, “ya, I know that tab. It’s useless. It’s empty or it just takes you to the Library homepage.”

Ya. No.

Unbeknownst to me this tab is actually useful. How did I not know this?

It is possible that at some point in my first year I clicked on the Library resources tab for one of my courses and it was empty. It might even be possible that this tab wasn’t active on all my courses. Whatever the case I had no clue how very amazing the contents of this tab are.

Apparently, when a Prof sets up their course they are able to request customized course specific library sources under the Library Tools Tab.

I’m four years in people. I’ve spent four years fumbling through journal databases for specific subject content. I could have been using this tab for four years!

I felt like a fool. I really felt like the kid in the corner with the dunce cap!

Well live and learn…right? I don’t know how many of you out there in the U of T universe are aware of this function on Blackboard. If you are then, stop judging me and if you aren’t then you’re welcome. I’m not a statistician, but I can confidently confirm that this little tab has cut the time I spend researching by at least 25%.

So I implore you…go to Blackboard and click on this tab. If you have a proactive instructor he will have customized this tab for you.

Happy Essay writing people.

-Lori

Practical life skills at University?

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It always surprises me when I learn a practical life skill in class. Does that sound anti-academic? I don’t mean it to.

A lot of the knowledge I gain from my classes is interesting and it usually helps me to understand content from other courses I’m taking, but usually this information has little importance in life outside the classroom or academic circles.

I realize that if you are a humanities student like I am that this is par for the course. It’s more about rounding out your knowledge than learning one specific skill that you might want to use in the “real world”. So, you’ll understand why I was so shocked to learn something useful in class last week.

I’m currently taking a class in communications and conflict resolution. It’s one of those rare practical humanities courses. In class we learn how to communicate and resolve conflict more effectively.

I wonder why courses like this aren’t a part of any humanities degree. I’ve heard it more times than I can remember, a Bachelor of Arts degree is about finding your voice, about becoming a critical thinker, and about becoming more articulate. It seems to me that this is all about communication.

The focus of better communication is always on attention. It’s about learning how to pay attention to what matters. This skill is exactly what is needed to accomplish those three goals of a Bachelor of Arts.

One way to practice this is through meditation. It’s about forcing yourself to pay attention to the little things and turn your busy brain off for a few moments. This is so much harder than it sounds. So it’s not so odd that this should be practised in class too.

I still find it off-putting to go into class and meditate. It’s a hard thing to get used to when you’re accustomed to sitting in lecture halls and having little to no contact with the instructor. However, I’m coming to understand that this course is the one that’s going to help me when I go to find a job after school. It’s also the course that will help me to maintain good relationships with my future co-workers. I always find it disheartening when I’m trying to talk to someone and they are obviously distracted. It’s hard to have a conversation with someone nowadays without them checking their smartphones. Meditation helps you learn to focus on the person you are listening to. I’m always surprised how great of a reaction I get from people I’m listening to when I give them all my attention…I mean really pay attention to what they’re saying. When you do this future employers and co-workers will take notice.

If you don’t have the opportunity to take a course like this during your undergrad, there are a plethora of books on the subject. The one I’m reading is called “Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others”. It’s a really easy to read How-to guide to learning effective communication skills.

If I could sum up what I’ve learned about communication so far in one useful sentence, this would be it: Communication is much more about learning than talking.

-Lori

these are my reflections.

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Ha. Usher pun. So, these few weeks have been hectically busy, I imagine, for most of us. Exams, tests and essays. I feel your pain bros. Solidarity with all of you. So, yeah naturally as a U of T student, I’ve been so busy preparing for exams, that I didn’t really get a chance to reflect on the semester that was, until now that is. It feels like just yesterday I stepped back on main campus after four months of unproductive bliss. This semester can aptly be described as passing a hitchhiker on Route 66,  in the car in one exit, gone before the next exit. Sometimes, U of T can feel bittersweet, what with all the work and all, but looking back at my semester, I realize just how much I’ve done without realizing it. How much I’ve experienced both inside and outside the classroom. Despite the fast-paced hectic workload, I can say that this past semester was a semester that I truly enjoyed.

This semester, I learned about transport proteins and the Krebs Cycle, about the marginalization of First Nations communities and about retrograde amnesia. Being a multidisciplinary student, I’m afforded the privileged of be able to take courses from a wide variety of fields and I used this to my advantage this semester. While the classes were certainly intellecutally challenging, they weren’t Charlie Brown snooze fests. But, I would turn into Charlie Sheen if I didn’t grow outside the classroom as well. This semester, I

  • Ran for the Arts and Science Students’ Union and got involved in having a say in the decisions that will directly affect my education.
  • Became a social media jockey for the Muslim Voice Magazine (a product of the Muslim Students’ Association).
  • Discovered just how good Hart House social food is.
  • Went to a Varsity Blues game (was a losing effort unfortunately).
  • Went on CIUT FM.
  • Wrote a couple articles for the Varsity + lost horribly in their office at a game of Super Smash Bros. Despite my clear inability to play the game, Davin did not spare me.
  • Discovered the comfiness of the JCR couches and the magic of $1 coffee at Diabolos.
  • Finally experienced the serenity of the Multi Faith Centre’s Muffin Madness.
  • Met a LOT of people.
And now the thank yous for this semester:
Thanks to the ASSU staff and executive (Shawn, Jacob, Katharine, Megan, Oniazah, Jane, Yoko, Gavin and Kevin) for welcoming me into ASSU and working with me to improve the experience for Arts and Science students at U of T.
Thanks to the Varsity masthead for providing their support for my writing. You guys are awesome, special shoutout to Dan and Nathan for their amusing dances and Alex for his never ending puns.
Thanks to the Muslim Students’ Association for providing me with an inclusive religious community on campus that is supportive and diverse. And the TMV team for producing such a great issue!
Thanks to all my profs + my awesome biology lab TA.
Thanks to Sam for the Iranian tea and social justice conversations.
Thanks to the lady who serves tea and cookies at UC, to the hipster baristas at Diabolos and to the guys who own the Popeyes on Spadina and College (what? That chicken is amazing.)
❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄ ❆❅ ❄
And finally, thanks to the Life at U of T Community Crew — working with you guys has been awesome and I look forward to another semester of hip tweets and awesome blog posts.
I wish you all the best in your exams and papers, U of T. And I hope that this holiday season treats you well, that you get to spend time with your loved ones and come out well rested.

 

I’M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD…actually I should probably study instead.

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When your eyeballs feel like they are about to dry up into prunes, and your legs are achy, and your wrists hurt, and you’ve finally finished that last paper of the term you should reward yourself. What do I do? Go to Disneyworld? No, I head to the local stationary store and purchase ten to twelve packs of index cards.

I’m serious. As my classmates bound joyfully out of these last lectures of the term, I wonder if they’ve forgotten that it ain’t over yet. While some of my friends possess the ability to deflate and distress after the last lecture of the term, I cannot. Not until the last period is dotted on the last essay of the last exam I write this term will I be able to relax.

When classes are finished, I start exam prep. I am militant about this process. I kind of scare myself sometimes. I have devised a method where all subjects can be studied via flashcards. I divide content into themes, timelines, places, etc. Whatever I think will help me to best write a frantic paper in 45 minutes.

I’ve never shared this information with anyone before…don’t tease me. It’s just how I effectively chunk course content. It might not work for everyone, but it’s the only way I study.

The process of making the flashcards is long and arduous.  Often times I find that by the time I’ve finished the process, I’ve already memorized a good portion of the content. For me, the process of rewording and condensing notes actually lodges the info into my memory. It’s not deliberate, it just happens. I can’t type the information out on one of those fancy flash card maker programs. I can’t remember anything I type.

I have not data to back up this claim, but I remember reading somewhere that the messier your writing is the easier it is to remember something you’ve read. I have horrible penmanship. It’s a hybrid of printing, cursive, and my own invented short hand. It is indecipherable by most others and often I have trouble figuring out what my notes say. When I force myself to go through all my messy notes and create these beautiful little flashcards in neat handwriting, some form of memorization takes place.

Once I have all my flashcards finished for a class, I start memorizing them, removing the ones I memorize as I go along. Usually within a few hours,  I can get through a stack of 100-150 cards. I do this for a few days leading up to the exam.  I only spend twenty minutes or so at a time going through the cards…so I don’t start to gap out!

There’s lots of different types of index cards out there! My enthusiasm about this matter depresses me in some way. Regardless, there are so many options. Last April I found spiral bound index cards. One word people, REVOUTIONARY! No more lost cards, no more cards out of sequence (this matters to me for studying).  My card of choice this exam period, the Cadillac of index cards, the spiral bound double sided lined…sweet.

Now when I walk into the exam venue and pull out my mountain of flashcards, most people look at me as if I am a deranged over achiever. Let me assure you I am not.

Here’s the thing: this method works for me. It’s a hellish process, but it gives me consistently good results.  Find your own method or try mine, I don’t mind. The point is that you need a plan. Mine is insane, but it’s mine. Yours might be reading through notes, rewriting notes, meeting in a study group. I think the worst thing you can do when preparing for an exam is nothing.

-Lori