On campus at Robert Morris University, with the library completely renovated, students should have no excuse not to get down to business and study.

If you are one of many students that still struggle with the concept of studying, there are many strategic ways to complete this task and be efficient while doing so.

It is never effective to read continuously and not retain any of the information. One way to solve this is by setting reading goals for yourself. Use food as an incentive to get through to the next page. For example, being a chocolate lover myself, I focus on getting through one chapter then rewarding myself with one piece of chocolate. That way, you are focusing on something small like the goal of eating your favorite snack, instead of subjecting your mind to getting the reading over with and going to sleep. You will find yourself skipping words and eventually, it just won’t make sense.

Flash cards will never be just a middle school thing. If you have a test in the near future that requires you to know several vocabulary words, then writing the word on one side and the definition on another side is a good way to study and conduct self quizzes.

The best way to get anything done involving homework or studying is to set aside the electronics and really focus. If you find yourself pausing every 30 seconds to answer your text messages, you really aren’t retaining any of the information or getting homework done the right way.

The cell phone rule also goes for all of you out there who think they can multitask. Sitting in your bed with an open book and Netflix on the television is what most college students call multitasking. This is actually called a distraction, and distractions, much like other life functions, will only prevent things from being done and being done the correct way.

Studying is all about budgeting time in the end. The most important thing to remember when it comes to studying is to give yourself a break every once and a while. Set aside a certain time slot during the day that you actually sit down with no distractions and study.

If you find yourself still having a hard time with these studying methods, there is no shame in requesting a tutor to help study with you and make sure your head is focused on studying without distractions.

I can’t guarantee you an A on your next exam, but if you follow this advice, you just might see your grades improving little by little.