Learn Actively

The most successful students don’t just watch lectures—they engage with them. They write things down, try things out, quiz themselves, and aren’t afraid to fail and try again. Active learning isn’t about doing more—it’s about being mentally present and involved in your learning process.

Why It Matters

College learning isn’t passive. To really understand the material, you need to go beyond just listening—you need to interact with it. That means writing notes even if slides are posted, solving problems along with the professor, testing yourself, or doing a brain dump before an exam. Students who take this kind of approach retain more, feel more confident, and stay more engaged.

Being active also means experimenting: if something doesn’t work, try something else. Students told us they became better learners when they stopped worrying about doing it perfectly and started focusing on figuring out what actually helped them learn.

What They Said

“Even if they say you don’t need to write it down—I write it. It keeps me from going on my phone and makes me focus.”

— Arlin

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— ADD

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— ADD

Strategies Students Recommend

📝 Take notes even when slides are available

  • Writing helps you stay engaged and process information

  • Try annotating directly on PDFs or writing summaries in your own words

🧠 Use active study techniques

  • Brain dumps: write everything you remember about a topic without notes

  • Self-quizzing: make your own questions or use apps

  • Teach it to someone else: explaining it out loud helps you see what you really understand

📱 Try apps that support active learning

  • Anki or Quizlet – for spaced repetition and flashcard-based quizzing

  • Focus Traveller – pair with Pomodoro sessions to stay on track

📊 Engage during class

  • Try to work out problems with the professor in real time

  • Ask questions—even just to yourself

  • Reflect afterward: What was the most confusing thing? What stuck with you?

Try This:

  • Before class: skim your notes and come with 1–2 questions in mind

  • During class: take notes and try solving problems before the professor finishes

  • After class: do a 10-minute brain dump, then check what you missed

  • Weekly: make a mini quiz for yourself or a classmate—see what you really know

📸 Want to share your learning strategy?

Do you use a whiteboard? Have a favorite quiz app? Snap a photo or screen recording of your method in action and we might feature it on this page!