It’s no secret that college is hard, and maintaining a work-life balance is almost impossible sometimes. However, there are some people who pull of miracles by getting that perfect and seemingly unattainable 4.0 GPA. Meredith Bianchi, a Framingham State University graduate, is one of those people.
Here are some of her tips:
Q: What was your major in college?
A: Psychology.
Q: What did you find to be the most effective way to study for tests?
A: When studying for exams, I found it helpful to begin studying about one week in advance. Giving myself more time allowed me to study a little bit each night instead of cramming the night before an exam. Methods such as re-writing class notes and making/studying flashcards also helped me with memorizing course content.
Q: How did you manage your time?
A: In terms of time management, I would always complete the assignments that were due the soonest first. My leftover time would then be used for long-term assignments/projects as well as preparation for exams.
Q: When did you typically start your assignments?
A: I would always aim to begin class assignments as least a few days before they were due. I felt less stressed this way. Times that I did complete a project the day before it was due always felt overwhelming and the quality of my work decreased.
Q: What did you do to cope when school got to be too stressful?
A: When school became too stressful, I would always try to take a quick break. Doing something simple, like taking a shower or listening to music, helped my mind take a much-needed breather. This way, I always felt a bit more refreshed when returning to my studies.
Q: Did you find that sleep was important in helping your performance?
A: I did find that sleep impacted my academic performance. If I was tired, I found it difficult to focus in class as well as on assignments. I wasn’t as quick and my brain seemed to work slower. If there was a night that I didn’t get much sleep, I always made sure to have coffee to get me through the day.
Q: How much sleep did you get on an average night?
A: About 7 hours.
Q: Did you ever go to your teachers or other school resources for extra help?
A: In a few of my harder classes, I definitely relied on extra help from professors. I found attending office hours to be very helpful. I was able to receive one-on-one attention, and the professor was now also aware that I cared about his/her class. If I had a big paper due, I would also try to bring it to the Writing Center to get it reviewed by a writing tutor.
Q: What was your favorite thing about college?
A: My favorite thing about college was being able to explore my many academic interests. A variety of classes are offered, and students are truly able to learn more about what they enjoy. I also thought that college professors seemed to be very down-to-earth and real about how the world is.