All I can say is that studying is like a relationship. You’ve got to be intentional about it, and you have to be patient.
Going to class consistently is a good suggestion.
Asking the professor when you don’t understand something, also good. I would go a step further, and talk to the professor, even if you don’t have specific questions. The classes I did the best in were the ones where I really cared about the class and the subject matter. It meant learning more about the professor, so I knew what they were asking for better and also could get a sense for why they’re teaching it. If I didn’t do well on an exam, I worked really hard not to be afraid to approach the prof for help in going over what I was missing.
This one sounds a little lame, but I say it for the function in it. Form a study group. Gathering people around you who are all trying to study the same thing can be helpful in that all of you are bringing different skillsets. Plus, just getting to know each other and doing it together can really motivate you to study when the self-disicpline to study isn’t fully ripe.
Remember that you’re going back to school to learn. Learning takes place best when you WANT to. You’re already winning half the battle, because you’ve started years after many of your peers did, and because YOU wanted it, not because it was expected. Bravo!
Lastly, find the subject that you’ll fall in love with. Study what you enjoy and really gets your blood pumping. It will make it a lot more exciting to read and write about. Granted, you may have to take a bunch of prerequisite classes, but those should help refine what you like and don’t like.
Do you know what you’d like to study? Are you a science, or humanities, or English kind of gal? Personally, I liked everything and made sure I was taking all kinds of classes! Majored in psych, but adored religion and sociology classes, and threw in some econ and chemistry. :)
Keep us posted.
