Pearls of Wisdom: Commuters, Residence & Study Tips #4
Tips for Commuter Students
- Learn where all the U of T lounges are that allow off campus students to study, eat and nap. Basically, most spaces that aren’t in residence should be fine. Most coffee shops very close to campus will allow students to study there for prolonged periods as long as they’re buying food.
- If you’re driving to campus, try to find other students who live in your area. Carpooling is good for the environment, helps you save money on gas and is more fun overall when you’re stuck in traffic. Carpooling with fellow engineers works well as you all have very similar schedules.
Tips for Residence Students
- Try to figure out early on if you can focus better while studying in your residence room or if you need to be far away from your bed and computer to get work done. Some residences have study rooms, or you can always go to the nearest library to study. If you need absolute silence to focus, a library might be better for you. If you like music and snacking while you study, your residence room or the cafeteria might be best.
- If you have a roommate, take some time in the first few days of Residence to sit down with him/her and talk about sleeping and study habits (early or late to bed? Loud or quiet music?). Set some ground rules about these things and talk about how you want to communicate when you’re not happy with something.
Study Tips
- Form a study group for each class. Try to find a group of people with different and varied strengths. By helping others, you often solidify concepts better in your own mind. And it is always nice to have someone in your group who can help you.
- Use all breaks in your schedule wisely. Have a three hour break? Study in the library, or see if you can get your regular study group together during those breaks. Remember that the “Study Days” and “Reading Week” during the terms are not holidays – they are meant for studying.
