J&B are Touro’s Director of Academic Support, Dr. Jill Alban, Ed.D.                                           and Learning Specialist, Brigit Perez, MAEd.  

Dear J&B,

I have a history of falling behind and having to play “catch-up”. I end up cramming and forgetting the material almost immediately. How can I make sure that I am on top of my studies and I don’t fall behind again?

Sincerely,

Always Playing Catch-up

Dear Always Playing Catch-up,

I commend you for acknowledging that you have concerns about falling behind before the semester begins and for seeking advice. Falling behind on your studies can happen almost immediately and catching up can be quite a challenge since your workload increases by the day. One strategy to consider is creating a study plan. In speaking to some of your professors, they have mentioned that their best students are the ones who create study plans and stick to them. In your study plans, add all of your classes, block out time for studying, including review and previewing. Add your “must-dos” for the week, like jogging or grocery shopping, and make sure to give yourself reasonable breaks. By creating a study plan, you will visually see that there is more time than you think, and by sticking to it, you will no longer feel the need to cram before an exam.