How To Learn

Show up. Do the things. Be consistent.

Show Up

A large part of making progress is just showing up – even if you don’t feel like it.

Be Prepared

Set yourself up for success by preparing yourself appropriately. For lecture, make sure to bring:

  • Paper
  • A writing utensil
  • A notebook
  • Colored pens or highlighters

Be Present

Eliminate distractions by stashing your electronics.

Do The Things

i.e. practice with intention.

My Number #1 Tip

Study with peers. How do you find a study group? Go to office hours and supplementary tutoring sessions if they are offered. Talk to others.

Review Your Notes Every Day

Review all your notes after every class starting from the beginning of the quarter. Redo all of the examples, and complete any examples not covered in lecture. Spending time to strengthen your knowledge foundation will serve you in completing the assignments.

Start Assignments Early

You will inevitably run into bugs that you have to fix. This often takes way longer than you might think to resolve. Starting assignments early enables you to catch these issues early on so you are not panicked at the 11th hour.

Make Up Your Own Examples

Rewrite the homework with different numbers. Solve this new version of the homework.

Still Stuck?

If you feel that you’ve been “doing the things” and are not improving, reflect upon the approach you are taking. Are you hitting roadblocks in your process? Talk to others and form a new plan.

Be Consistent

The key to progression in any context is repetition and consistency.

Build Habits

In order to progress, one needs to incorporate practice into their weekly schedule. Work on building habits for:

  • Preparation
  • Showing up
  • Practice

I highly suggest reading (or listening to) Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Anticipate Obstacles

Reflect on the days where you feel that you fell short. Recognize what got in the way and come up with ways to avoid the obstacles.

Trust the Process

It takes time to learn. Be kind to yourself and keep going. Prepare, show up, do the things. And read Atomic Habits 😉

“We can determine how to be the masters of our habits so that our habits can be useful servants to us.”

- John Templeton