Meet each of our study consultants and get a unique study tip.
Sri Akula
Class of: 2022, Molecular and Cellular Biology
“Planning out all my activities and work in my Google Calendar.”
Fiza Ali
Class of: 2023, Molecular/Cellular Biology
“I think its a good idea to use multiple calendars/to-do lists to keep track of deadlines! I like using Google Calendar to remind me of long-term assignments & recurring weekly meetings while I use my planner & notes app for smaller daily tasks.”
Shivanie Ally
Class of: 2023, Electrical Engineering
“In order to tell if I truly grasp the material or if I only understand it on a surface level, I would, after going to lectures and taking notes, revisit the material and see if I can construct the information into a way someone not taking the class (and with no prior knowledge of the material) could understand what I’m talking about. This is really important as it’s a good way of picking apart your understanding and could help pin point concepts and ideas that may be confusing you.”
Emmanuel Angomas
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
I find that manually writing notes–as opposed to typing them–is a great way to retain more course content and reduce review time when it comes to studying for an exam. Using a pen and paper for note-taking takes longer, which means I’m more engaged with the content I’m learning.
Becca Barer
Class of: 2023, Writing Seminars
My best practice for academic success is to have and consistently use a planner to keep track of assignments, tests, and social activities. It is really important to be able to see everything you need to get done for a week so you can prioritize tasks and manage your school work with your personal life.
Maeve Barker
Class of: 2023, Public Health
My best piece of advice for academic success is to put everything in a calendar to keep your life organized.
Maansi Barnwal
Class of: 2024, Public Health Studies
Write out your weekly to-do list on Sundays and your daily to-do list each day! What I find especially helpful is estimating how long each task might take me and writing that next to the task so I know whether it’s a “big” and “small” to-do for each week/day. The best part is physically crossing the task off my list when I’m done!
Rebekah Berhane
Class of: 2023, Molecular and Cellular Biology
My favorite strategy is switching study locations every few hours. If you’re someone who gets distracted or too comfortable in your study space, switching environments can help keep you focused and engaged in your work.
Sophia Berkey
Class of: 2024, Writing Seminars
Schedule study breaks! They make the process so much more fun and also help with increasing productivity, too.
Abby Birk
Class of: 2022, Public Health Studies
My favorite strategy for promoting academic success is to make a to-do list for each week on Sundays so that I know what I have to do on each day of the week and can plan my schedule accordingly.
Eliza Bowman
Class of: 2024, Political Science
My best strategy for academic success is planning ahead and breaking down large assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks. This helps manage your time when a due date seems far away and it also allows you to perceive the work in a way that is more organized and less overwhelming.
Carlos Buri-Nagua
Class of: 2022, Public Health Studies
Before studying, prepare your study space! Make sure you have all your materials needed to study, as well as some water, tea, or coffee!
Connor Caputo
Class of: 2023, Public Health
I like keeping a detailed planner/calendar of all the things I need and want to do, whether it is academic, social, extracurricular, or personal. It is a great way to keep track of your current goals as well as plan ahead! In terms of studying, I like constantly changing where I work and especially love getting outside. A change of scenery can be very refreshing and give you the boost you need to do your best!
Jordan Carr
Class of: 2024, Public Health
Break up your studying throughout the day/week! Focus on one topic at a time, so you are not overwhelmed before an exam!
Kristen Chao
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
Exposure to the material and practice problems go hand in hand. Dropping the mindset that perfection is the only way to go is critical; getting through 75% of a lecture when days are difficult is better than none. Reading over notes half heartedly is better than not reviewing at all.
Daivik Chawla
Class of: 2024, Psychology
My favorite study strategy to promote academic success is planning things ahead of time. I always find it useful to prioritize the different tasks I have to complete based on both urgency and importance at the start of the week. This helps me stay organized and ensures I complete all my assignments on time!
Catherine Chen
Class of: 2024, Cognitive Science
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help! TA’s and professor’s office hours are useful for figuring out questions and expectations.
Hannah Collins-Doijode
Class of: 2023, Medicine, Science, and the Humanities
Make a schedule and plan when to study for/work on what! I like to use Google Calendar. You can make events for when all your exams and important assignments are due and set notifications to remind you to work on them ahead of time. Making a study schedule can help you not get too overwhelmed. Remember to schedule in time for breaks!
Maggie Cook
Class of: 2023, Public Health
Start each semester off by adding important due dates into one calendar and plan to study at least a week in advance for each test!
Ria Datwani
Class of: 2023, Molecular and Cellular Biology
If you keep forgetting to check your planner or find it tedious to update it, utilize Sticky Notes on your laptop! Add one note for each course and list tasks and upcoming deadlines (even Zoom links!) so that it’s always right in front of you.
Tina De Jong
Class of: 2023, Materials Science and Engineering
My best piece of study advice: what works for everyone else might not work for you, and that’s okay – take the time to figure out what kind of studying works best for you!
Yordanos Degefe
Class of: 2023, Public Health
When studying, try to make connections across various topics instead of memorizing concepts separately!
Alexis Diaz
Class of: 2023, Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering
Advocating for yourself is one of the best skills you can learn. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help, especially from your professors. Showing interest in your success speaks volumes and shows your professors that you are trying to play an active role in your outcome. It’s important to be able to get the support you need, for any aspect of academic life.
Jeff Ding
Class of: 2022, Public Health
Plan for the week, not for the minute!
Nicholas Doupsas
Class of: 2024, Neuroscience
Figure out if you are a time-oriented or task-oriented person. Do you like to have an exact start and end time for each task, or do you like to get into a deep workflow without a time constraint? If you are a task-oriented person like me, I highly recommend using a 1-3-5 list to prioritize your daily tasks. This is where you write down 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, and 5 small tasks to complete each day. I do this every night to prepare for the next day using the app, Rocket 135. If you are time-oriented, you can put your 1-3-5 list directly into your calendar so you know exactly when you will complete each task and how long each task will take.
Liv Fox
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
My favorite strategy is to write out to-do lists at the end of each day to plan what I want to achieve for the next day.
Amara Gammon
Class of: 2023, Molecular and Cellular Biology
As you go through class material, try to compile important information (like equations or specific concepts) so that you aren’t scrambling to make a study guide right before the exam!
Martina Gjyzari
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
Keep your brain engaged. You can achieve this by alternating between subjects/tasks or scheduling breaks. This will help you study longer and be more attentive to what you are studying.
Sophie Gong
Class of: 2024, International Studies
Plan out your day beforehand! Estimating how long each task takes will help you get a clearer idea of the workload and the amount of time you need to study. Then, I suggest just sitting down at a quiet place and grinding! And remember to incorporate social and leisure time throughout the day!
Xinyue Gu
Class of: 2024, Applied Math and Statistics
Try to designate each place to a purpose – a place for study, a place for food, a place for idling – and focus 🙂
Ariamna Herrera Miret
Class of: 2023, Molecular and Cellular Biology
My best piece of study advice would be to plan how you want your study session to look. Whether you decide to create a to-do list, eisenhower matrix, or hourly schedule I highly suggest having a written plan so you can pace yourself and prioritize your tasks.
Peter Huang
Class of: 2023, International Studies
Failure is the mother of success: Mistakes are ok – as long as you learn from them.
Elizabeth Im
Class of: 2022, Cognitive Science and English
Don’t be afraid to put your phone (far) away from you! It might be too late when you hear the ‘ding’ of your text arriving. You’d be wondering what it could be, your focus drifting away. It sounds easy to do but it can be daunting to leave your phone in your room when you go out. When you decide what time of your day you will focus on studying, just tell you friends and family, “I might be hard to reach between[start time] and [end time] but I’ll be at [location].”If you think phone isn’t the problem, identify what element distracts you in your environment and consciously try to avoid it .
Jill Ji
Class of: 2024, International Studies
Take breaks when you need to. Always prioritize your health!
Blanche Jiang
Class of: 2024, Cognitive Science
Stay focused and studying for an hour can accomplish more than windlessly studying for three hours.
Astrid Jiang
Class of: 2024, Computer Science
Starting is completing half the task. The most difficult part of anything is often the beginning, so simply sitting down and starting is making huge progress.
Arieana Johnson
Class of: 2023, Chemistry
Try not to panic when overwhelmed with your workload, it’s completely natural. Instead, try to treat each larger task as smaller and more manageable ones, and take frequent breaks to calm you. Just remember that everyday is bringing you closer to your goals, so don’t give up!
Maya Johnson
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
When you are taking a test, remember that you already have an A, so all you are doing for the exam is proving why you deserve to keep that grade.
Daniel Kang
Class of: 2022, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Make sure to read up on the syllabus for each and every class to begin planning out your semester as soon as possible!
Mancha Kapur
Class of: 2023, Physics
Always remember that learning experiences are individual! If something works for your friend, it might not work for you. Taking the time to understand yourself and how you learn will help you find your optimal working style. Seek inspiration from others, but be forgiving to yourself if something doesn’t work out or you need more time.
Bethany Kemp
Class of: 2023, Computer Engineering
Even if a class doesn’t allow you to use an equation sheet or cheat sheet on exams, making one while studying can be a helpful way to familiarize yourself with the content and pull out the most important information. I find seeing a semester-worth of material all on one or two pages can make it less overwhelming when you review it as well!
Damilola Killanin
Class of: 2024, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Do the practice problems first, and then create a list of topics that you need to review based on what you got wrong/guessed on for the practice problems! This helps you to focus on studying what you don’t know and is an efficient way of studying!
Nicholas Kim
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
Try to make a specific list of things you have to do today or this week to help stay more organized. Also, find out what study environment fits you best (whether it’s completely quiet, soft background music/noise, lots of light, open space, etc.)!
John Krill
Class of: 2023, Psychology
Always take every opportunity you can to collaborate with your peers! The more minds that work through problems, the more effective the group will be at solving them!
Angel Lee
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
Organize your classes and activities! Hopkins can become overwhelming and sorting things help you keep on top of things.
Darren Lu
Class of: 2023, MCB
Remember that your mental game and physical health are as important as your ability to remember and recite information during a test. Taking breaks by going out for a walk or doing a work out is a great way to clear your mind and to feel more energized after an intense study session.
Isabella Madruga
Class of: 2024, Writing Seminars
Pomodoro timers are a lifesaver! They don’t harp on the method of “work work work” but allow you to have a break, which is more conducive to learning than cramming.
Zaida McClinton
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
Create a plan early that sets out a time to study and finish assignments so that you are able to take breaks in between. This will increase the overall amount of work you are able to accomplish instead of trying to continuously do work for really long periods of time. Most importantly don’t be afraid to ask for help for anything even if you think it may be small or your could figure it out on your own eventually. There are other people currently going through or have gone through whatever you are experiencing so there is no need to struggle alone. There are a ton of people around you more than willing to help or work on a problem with you so don’t be afraid to just ask.
Mariana Meade
Class of: 2024, Neuroscience
My favorite study tool is the pomodoro technique which employs a 20 minute work period and a 5 minute break.
Andy Mejia
Class of: 2023, International Studies
Organizing how you rest is just as important as organizing how you study. Having well-planned breaks and a consistent sleep schedule will allow you to work faster and more efficiently.
Shaf Meraj
Class of: 2023, Public Health
Plan ahead, organize your schedule, get some sleep, and rinse and repeat. Planning your schedule at the start of the week with a day-to-day checklist will make sure you account for all upcoming due dates, meetings, and any unexpected events. Organizing your daily activities in a checklist and checking them off as you complete them will give you an added sense of productivity and accomplishment and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. As hard as it may sound, getting a solid night’s sleep also setting aside time to relax will keep you from burning yourself out.
Brian Min
Class of: 2024, Public Health
When you study, make sure you focus and commit yourself to it. That means your phone and any other distraction should be out of sight and out of mind. I usually chuck my phone across the room and set it to DND. Take breaks to check on it, but you should be removed from it when you study!
Ami Mistri
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
Plan your schedule and what you want to accomplish each day ahead of time or in the morning! Having a checklist of what you want to get done and checking each off throughout the day is a great way to stay on track as well as visualize all that you’re accomplishing.
Riley Mitchell
Class of: 2023, Public Health
Plan your time in advanced and get into a routine. When studying, try to minimize distractions and know when to take breaks. Learn what works for you and be willing to try new strategies. Most importantly, prioritize your health and wellness!
Johnson Moran
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
My best piece of study advice is to make a schedule of what needs to be done. Whether it is assignments or just studying, plan out how and when you will do those things. Then when it is time to do those things do them in a place free from distraction to make sure that you can work as efficiently as possible.
Divya Nair
Class of: 2024, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Keep a planner! Whether it’s a physical book or an online calendar, mark down due dates and events and plan backwards by assigning manageable tasks for each day.
Tanvi Narvekar
Class of: 2023, Neuroscience
Give yourself a lot of time for study sessions with breaks! With more time, I can review the material better instead of rushing and overwhelming myself. I like using the Pomodoro Method (25 minutes of studying followed by a 5 minute break and longer breaks after more study sessions) for a balance.
Udochukwu Nwosu
Class of: 2023, Mathematics
Rewriting condensed versions of notes after class can be a good way to both retain the new information and discover areas of confusion!
Faith Obilo
Class of: 2024, Public Health
Study breaks are important! Whether you need 10 mins or an hour, find a way to alert yourself that you should take a breather from studying. Whether it’s using the Pomodoro method, you’re own personal alarm, or having a friend check-in, find whatever strategy works with you that will help you assess your well-being. Scheduling breaks is a great way to prevent burnout and ensure that you have the energy and peace of mind to carry out the remaining of your day.
Davina Oludipe
Class of: 2024, Computer Science
Start early! Start reviewing material early so you are not overwhelmed the night before.
Harrison Pan
Class of: 2024, AMS
Plan ahead and be prepared!
Mohan Peddada
Class of: 2023, BME
Consistent amounts of studying each day for a subject instead of cramming it into a few days. This allows for consolidation into long term memory rather than short term memory.
Shajae Pinnock
Class of: 2023, Public Health
Plan ahead, organize your schedule, get some sleep, and rinse and repeat. Planning your schedule at the start of the week with a day-to-day checklist will make sure you account for all upcoming due dates, meetings, and any unexpected events. Organizing your daily activities in a checklist and checking them off as you complete them will give you an added sense of productivity and accomplishment and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. As hard as it may sound, getting a solid night’s sleep also setting aside time to relax will keep you from burning yourself out.
Justine Prince
Class of: 2023, Anthropology
Whether it be a to-do list of assignments or the first draft of a paper, putting things in your own handwriting certainly helps in organizing your thoughts. Also, rather than set big goals, start with smaller ones. Little changes lead to big results!
Ashley Raman
Class of: 2023, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Prepare a daily to-do list and allocate specific amounts of time in which to complete each item. To reduce stress but not spend too long on any given task, try to give yourself around 1.5x the amount of time you think is needed to complete it.
Molly Reich
Class of: 2023, Public Health
Plan ahead, organize your schedule, get some sleep, and rinse and repeat. Planning your schedule at the start of the week with a day-to-day checklist will make sure you account for all upcoming due dates, meetings, and any unexpected events. Organizing your daily activities in a checklist and checking them off as you complete them will give you an added sense of productivity and accomplishment and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. As hard as it may sound, getting a solid night’s sleep also setting aside time to relax will keep you from burning yourself out.
Marianne Ri
Class of: 2024, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Spread study sessions out across a long period of time. Don’t let cramming replace sleep!
Estelle Richardson
Class of: 2023, Psychology
Make a to do list every day that includes what assignments you would like to complete and their respective due dates in order to say productive.
Romina Rojas
Class of: 2023, Biophysics
My best piece of advice is to start off the semester strong! At the beginning of each semester, I like to use the first few weeks to really get accustomed to my new classes and start developing a weekly schedule for readings, assignments, and extracurriculars that I can sustain for the entire semester. By doing this, you’re able to get into a good academic rhythm early on, which can help make midterm season more manageable!
Triya Roy
Class of: 2024, Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering
I really enjoy using the Pomodoro Technique while studying or doing anything really! I focus on one task for 25-30 minutes, take a five minute break, and repeat 3-4 times. Then I give myself a longer 30 minute break.
Krisha Sargur
Class of: 2024, BME
I love group studying. I think having others to hold you accountable for studying and working in a collaborative environment is always a great way to succeed!
Alyssa Saunders
Class of: 2023, Sociology
Don’t feel pressured to make your notes/organization method pretty; do what works, aesthetic or not!
Mikayla Schoff
Class of: 2024, Environmental Science
The best advice I can offer is to use a planner. Plan out everything you need to get done in the week, in a day, etc. Using reminders on my phone also helps me keep track of deadlines and meetings.
Ege Seyithanoglu
Class of: 2023, Computer Science
Understanding how to properly rest, both physically and mentally, is perhaps as crucial for academic success as studying. A well-rested student will always find the strength within themselves to reach new heights.
Chiti Shah
Class of: 2022, Public Health
My best piece of study advice is to refrain from procrastination. I recommend creating a list of priorities for each day of the week. This helps organize your tasks to reduce stress!
Aanya Shahani
Class of: 2024, Neuroscience
Do something small — something that you can check off your to-do list, and extra thumbs up if that something is self-care. Every small step puts you closer to your goal, and closer to the end of that to-do list.
Faiza Shaik
Class of: 2024, ChemBE
I really love making check-lists. It’s so satisfying to cross things off!
Ashley Sharma
Class of: 2022, Neuroscience
Set short-term goals for yourself! It can be overwhelming to study for a midterm, begin a project, or start a paper. However, these larger tasks can become more manageable when broken up into smaller parts.
Ashley Shay
Class of: 2023, Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering
Keep track of due dates with a calendar so you can see what to prioritize for the day!
Lily Sheth
Class of: 2024, Public Health
Break down big tasks into smaller ones on your checklist! This makes tough assignments feel less intimidating and easier to begin!
Shani Snow
Class of: 2023, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Use a calendar or planner to help with planning out your assignments and activities each week. This way, when exams roll around, it will be easier to find a balance between dedicating time to studying for the exams and all of your other commitments. Be sure to also set aside time each week to take advantage of resources such as office hours, PILOT, Learning Den, Study Consulting, etc.!
Janey Song
Class of: 2023, Public Health
Make a good use of your planner to keep track of your assignments and make a priority list– it helps you visually see what you should tackle first so that you can plan your day and place plenty of breaks in between. Crossing them off after completing it feels amazing too!
Carly Steinlauf
Class of: 2023, Public Health
My best study advice is to use your time wisely and stay organized. Do not wait until the day before a test or assignment to start preparing. Preparation is key to success.
Stacey Tang
Class of: 2024, Public Health
Take the time in the beginning of each semester to mark due dates for big projects and test dates! Planning these out early will allow you to assess how to best manage your time throughout the semester and avoid unpleasant surprises later down the line.
Harley Tran
Class of: 2023, Computer Science
Exam preparation!
Siena Urbanski
Class of: 2023, Chemistry
Manage your time wisely. Start hard assignments early so you don’t run out of time to complete them than closer to the deadline.
Michael Wakeman
Class of: 2023, Public Health Studies
A routine is the bedrock of academic success; help yourself out and plan early.
Olivia Wu
Class of: 2023, Computer Science
Everyone has their own pace in achieving their goals. Find yours and don’t forget to make progress one step at a time!
Xidan Xu
Class of: 2023, Mathematics
Make plans before making moves!
Ann Xu
Class of: 2022, Mathematics
Make plans before making moves!
Ivy Xun
Class of: 2023, International Studies
Johnny Yang
Class of: 2023, AMS
Developing a good habit could be an attractive and satisfying process. So, why not?
Taylor Young
Class of: 2023, Cognitive Science
Checking in with yourself is one of the best things that you can do on your path to success. We tend to place complete focus on our goal, whether academic or otherwise and forget that we need to take care of ourselves in order to reach that point. So, don’t be afraid to do some check-ins with yourself from time to time to see how you’re doing. Whether it’s recognizing you have a busy week coming up and planning accordingly, or simply seeing if you need to devote more time to yourself this weekend, taking care of yourself is the best way to take care of your future.
Fateha Zannath
Class of: 2023, Public Health Studies
Making a weekly to-do list that organizes task based on academics, chores, and errands!
Jeni Zhang
Class of: 2023, Molecular and Cellular Biology
If you felt you have studied the best you can on an exam, but still didn’t get a grade that you want. You should definitely go to the TA office hour and go through the whole exam with them to see how you could study and improve for the next upcoming exam.
Maya Zhang
Class of: 2024, Biomedical Engineering
Take it slow and steady! Always do a little bit each day so you’ll never be completely overwhelmed.
Nicole Zheng
Class of: 2024, Neuroscience
Where you study matters! So try studying in different areas to see what works best for you. If you’re like me and you’re easily distracted by your surroundings, I find that studying in a quiet/isolated area, like the cubicles in MSE, helps me stay focused.