Prestudying, except maybe if professor lectures great.

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For example, with calculus, I strongly recommend that you look ahead at the next section. Look at the example problems and see where they are going, the second to last step, the third to last step, that kind of thing. And perhaps mix it up by reading a novel or leafing through a history textbook. Then see you can recreate the calculus example on a blank piece of paper.

You do not need to do this perfectly to get benefit. Actually, a little bit goes a long way. The chief benefit is that the lecture will then make some sense. You have an idea where the professor is going and you can see how he or she gets there.

I also recommend prestudying with biology, economics, philosophy, astronomy, American literature, accounting, anthropology, etc, etc.

The only exception might be if a professor is a tremendously good lecturer, that it's like a movie. For example, the class is Contemporary Indian History, and the professor paints the whole picture, the triumphs, the tragedies, the whole human vista, and you can really see it, hear it, and at times feel it (that part comes and goes at unpredictable times, allow it to do so). It's as good as the best television documentary you have ever seen. In that case, by all means, fully enjoy the lecture, and allow yourself to engage with the lecture. (If you start to wander, start taking notes. That often helps me to come back.) You will then need to make a point to post-study. The first good opportunity, doing the reading for that part, or downloading from the professor's site. If that first opportunity doesn't work out, then the next good opportunity.

Other than that, I highly recommend prestudying. One advantage is that when a study session starts to bog, you can go lateral, that is, you can start another subject. You are already ahead of the game and can stay light on your feet. In addition, if there's a social opportunity, a dorm outing to a rock-climbing gym or something like that, you're free to go or not go as you so choose. And if you need a little time by yourself to figure out something confusing socially or philosophically, you can take that time. You are ahead of the game.

And unlike sometimes in high school, you do not need to hide good grades. I don't recommend that you necessarily need to brag about them. Just be matter-of-fact. Steer that wide middle course.

When I was in college, I broke everything down into small tasks. For instance, if I had a 10-page paper due on Friday, and today is Sunday, I would to 2 pages a day. This was it doesn't seem so daunting. But yeah, I see what you're saying. I probably should have done that for my ancient Greek test. I can't tell you how many times I fell asleep in that class :p

Do as much as is possible before the day of a lecture, so that the lecture reinforces (or explains) what you've already read/practiced. I've found it really does make a huge difference in how much I remember....

Thanks for the advice I think that prestudying would be good for any class that you have a textbook in though, not just university.

Thank you for the very nice responses. And yes, I agree, small tasks, the day before, and prestudying potentially for any class, are all good ideas.

The only thing I might add is, not as an obligation, not as a "should." But rather, simply as one more possibility to play with, and perhaps to find the unique ways it works for you.

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Now, this week before many college semesters start (and as someone who has gone back to schoal at least four times!), I feel a strong need to give whatever advice I can. Okay, here goes:

1) The professor is a resource, often a very good resource, but not infallible.

2) The rigid idea that I should take excellent notes and then carefully rewrite them dogged me for a long time. Something complicated is often just not going to get done, whereas something simple might. In addition, I rather believed I should concentrate very hard while reviewing and rewriting. This is a significant emotional investment which I'm going to put off and put off, as you would. It's like telling a student he should "try harder" in math class. Actually, he probably needs to try less hard, but from a diagonal direction. In fact, a number of different diagonal directions and being open to finding one or several that work well.

3) There's a lot to be said for skimming and for allowing arcs to come. In fact, often our biggest strength as human beings might very well be the occasional ability to see the whole narrative arc all at once or the whole conceptual arc at once. This cannot be forced. In zen-like fashion, it can only be gently coaxed.

4) As far as notes, I have learned to take free form notes for the purpose of staying alert. I allow myself to take messy notes! In the professor is moving fast, fine, I will allow myself to discontinue the previous note and skip to what he or she is saying right now. And soon after the class, I allow myself to fly through the notes, circling things that catch my eye, knowing that I'm not catching everything. I give myself that permission. So, for example, if I have a geology class at 8:30 in the morning that gets out at 9:45, I then walk to a political science class that begins at 10:00, getting there a few minutes early. I allow myself those few minutes to fly through my geology notes. Something simple and easy, and it has an excellent chance of actually getting done. And if not then, later. Actually, I would prefer to reciprocate with a classmate who makes a conversational overture (and reciprocation is an excellent social skill!). But having something I can potentially do keeps me from getting bored, and in a good way helps me keep a light touch with a social opportunity.

5) Consider buying a second textbook from Half-Priced Books or similar store. I first did this in psychology. I would read something in one book and then look up the same topic in the other. I learned a lot this way. And by buying the slightly out-of-date book at maybe like eight dollars, you can try this whole experiment with a light touch.

6) Hanging out in the dorm, ask a friend if you can browse one of his or her textbooks. This kind of informal studying often makes for a very good counterpoint to your more formal study time.

Please experiment and find the methods that work best for you. Good luck and have a great semester!

^^ Yaaye, thankees indeedy for the magical advice AardvarkGoodSwimmer. ^^ I believe this is very helpful indeed. ^^ For me, however, I am perhaps scared of prestudying for a number of reasons. ^^ Yaaye, I believe I am studying magical Mathematics.

1) The magical pixies within my head become scared when my tasks intermingle. That is, when I require to complete some assignments for the future that are required to be handed in, I become scared thinking of other tasks. I believe I am very slow at working and wish to provide my times to these assignments. ^^ Also, there are lots of practice exercises to complete for topics previously studied within happy lectures and I enjoy completing these friends also.

2) Often my happy professors do not post the topics to be studied in each lecture, and I am very frightened to ask them for this.

3) There is a current magical structure and routine in place that does not involve pre-studying and I am very happy with this. ^^ I believe the pixies are but happy for me to learn without pre-studying.

I must say that I am still attempting to find an optimum method for post-studying. ^^ I believe this is due to the fact that happy lecturers change very often with the modules being studied. I believe in one particular module, the optimum method is to study lecture notes thoroughly. Whereas in another, this may to complete lots of practice exercises.

^^ I am very sorry if this is silly of me however. I must say I have found finding a structure within University very difficult as this changes so very often and I thus feel very wobbly. ^^ This is very nice however and am enjoying my magical course.

My first instinct is to dive into something deep. Skimming is a skill I have added to my repertoire of skills.

But, my preference is to dive into something early in the day, expend a lot of energy on it, and then I'm basically shot for the day. I was so happy to read that Stephen King writes for several hours in the morning and that's about all he can do. One of the most prolific modern writers and that's all he can do. Something in depth and something creative does take a lot of effort.

School rather rewards knowing broad rather than knowing deep. And that's okay. That's one reason I came up with my theory of prestudying. And it helps you do this more on your own terms.

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Okay, about professors, I can still remember my 11th grade high school physics teacher. She had announced that people were going to work at their desks to catch up and then come up to her desk with questions. I waited in line with about three or four other students. My question was why is acceleration per second per second. She laughed and said that's just the way it is. And she did not recover. But it is a good question, she could have said something like that, but she didn't. Years later, I decided that and other traits, she's a pothead and she was probably high at the time. And the reason she probably had us working at our desks on projects of our own choosing was that she was disorganized and did not have a lesson plan for a day. I let this temporarily discourage me from physics and this kind of snowballed. In fact, it was one of the things that significantly hurt my high school career. And I remember later being appalled that we were just plugging numbers into a formula with no real understanding, or even an attempt at understanding.

In my second semester of my freshman year of college, I took calculus. I went to the professor's office during his announced office hours. Yeah, he answered me questions, kind of, sort of, I guess, but no real effort at my questions of why it worked. And his whole mannerism was that he was put out and that I was bothering him merely by being there. He was out of line. I later decided that he was one out of line. Still, the percentage social move on my part is to fold the hand. Once that becomes increasingly apparently, no more questions and leave. But even today, I don't know if I could mouth the social words 'Thank you.' Maybe a matter-of-fact 'Thank you for you time.' Maybe. And one foot in front of the other and walk out of there.

So, teachers are resources, but they are not the only resource.