Going from high school to college is a difficult transition for everyone. And even more so during the Covid period where graduates have been marked by an eventful last year and where university can therefore seem even more intimidating to them. However, simple advice can help students succeed in their BAC1. It’s all a question of method and organization. Jean-Pascal Bousez, a former economist, has developed a real passion for the world of education. In 2003, he created Cognosco, workshops in which he gives students the keys to success. Questioned by La Libre, he wanted to reassure students who would be impressed by “the volume of courses or the size of university audiences”.
What matters, he says,
1. Take good notes
Very few students have had the habit of taking notes in rheto. While it may seem very simple, taking good notes actually takes some practice. According to Jean-Pascal Bousez, we must favor notes taken by hand . ” says without necessarily remembering it. When we write by hand, we can already sort out what is important and what is not. ” ” Everything must be clearly visible. “Although he is not against colors which can help the student to structure his ideas, he advises always using the same ones for the same things. For example: all titles in red.
2. Eliminate misunderstandings as quickly as possible
When you don’t understand something, you have to say it directly, otherwise this gap risks poisoning subsequent lessons. “anymore ,” he laments. You should therefore not hesitate to ask questions to other students or directly to the teacher. It can be first year at university a question in front of an audience, so it will be easier to do it during the break, when no one else is listening. We can never say it enough: there is no such thing as a stupid question!
3. Make summaries after each chapter
It is not necessary to hand in your notes at the end of each course. Instead, the expert advises doing a summary as soon as a chapter is finished. This not only allows you to reread this part of the course but, moreover, it will restructure all the ideas before starting the next chapters. A summary, as its name suggests, allows you to remove unimportant details . “enough, you should leave only two ,” he explains. The goal of a summary is not to be too long, while still giving enough detail to understand the material.
4. The importance of a good table of contents
This may seem surprising to new university students, but having a good table of contents is essential. It must also be created as soon as the synthesis is developed. The table of contents is used to have an overall vision of the course. We always know where we are in the course. Having a structured table of contents also makes exam answers easier . If your history teacher asks you a question about a specific event, you will only have to remember your table of contents and restore what was under the requested event.
5. Prioritize certain courses
You must work regularly on the most important courses in terms of credits . But also the courses that we find difficult or those that we like less. For what? Quite simply because it will be easier for students to be interested during the blockade in courses that they like and which are not too voluminous. Having revised the big, difficult courses during the semester will save time during the blockade and be a real pain in the ass when the exam is passed. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to leave everyone else behind. But let’s say that having a small course in the second session will be less annoying than the biggest course of the year.
6. Develop a good way of studying
To find out your way of studying, you can fill out questionnaires on the internet or simply listen to your impressions. Some will need to study in groups while others absolutely need quiet time. Some are more of a morning person while others prefer to study in the evening. Some will need to recite their material out loud while others will need to move all the time. You must therefore avoid doing like your friends and find the method with which you are most comfortable .