How to be a Good Learner (Even Without Good Grades)

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

The other day, I searched "college study tips" on Pinterest.

The articles that came up had titles like, "How to Get Straight A's," or "Tips from a 4.0 Student." They boasted hints and strategies for studying material, writing papers, listening to lectures, and making the most of your brain. They talked about sleep schedules, about not snoozing your alarm, about drinking enough water and eating good brain food and chewing the right gum when you go in for an exam.

Routines and strategies are normally my thing, but all of that sounded entirely exhausting.

So, I stopped scrolling and started thinking:

What if we promoted learning more often than we promote good grades?

Because here's the thing:

I believe in grades. We need them. We need some learning to be measurable so that we can spot the trends of those who are struggling and help them, or see notable changes that might mean something is off with an individual. We need to be able to report things to departments and graduate schools. GPAs matter. Passing classes matters.

I'm not writing any of that off.

What I am saying, though, is that grades are neither a reflection of learning nor of intelligence. Grades are an important measurement, but they are not THE measurement.

I've known students who barely make it to a week of classes the entire semester. I've known others who've never missed an assignment in their lives. Some study for six hours to pass a 25-point exam; others ace a cumulative final without ever reviewing the material. Some pull all-nighters on a regular basis; some (read: I) sleep eight hours a night because otherwise they would be zombies. There are  some with clean rooms and some with messy, extraverts and introverts, type A and type B, procrastinators and proactivators--and I guarantee you, my friends in each of these categories have all learned something during their time in college.

Because learning is not the same as passing the class.

For context, I'm currently earning my undergraduate degree in counseling (with a second major in Bible/Theology because my school is cool like that). I have learned many things while pursuing this area of study. Among them are:

• the definition of perichoresis;
• the importance of liturgy;
• how to receive direction from the Holy Spirit while listening to someone;
• how to help someone through a panic attack;
• the ins and outs of different personality types and what forms them;
• the root of shame and how to find it;
• how to actively listen;
• how to spot clinical anxiety and depression.

I could go on. All of the above are things I am absolutely certain I will use in my future work as a counselor. And you know what? I only took a formal exam on ONE of them.

That's right. Just one.

The rest of those things were learned in the classroom, yes, but also through the books I've read, the seminars I've been able to attend, people I've talked to, my jobs in Residence Life, and a lot of personal experience.

That's why I hate it when people say, "You're at college to learn," meaning "So put your homework first." Yes, do the homework. But if you've just reread the same page three times and you still don't know what it says, stop doing the homework and go learn somewhere else. Learning is a life's work. And sometimes, it does entail not turning in the paper. (All the straight A students just stopped reading this post.)

So what is a student to do, when all of college culture is rewarding the ones with the 4.0's, regardless of whether or not they will be effective in their careers, or life in general?

Here are my suggestions:

1. Look for what you're passionate about.

I have learned the most from classes, professors, and assignments that align with what I have a heart for. I'm an emotional person, so for something to really hit me, it has to go through my heart and not just my head, even if that just means it blows my mind (because wonder is both a cognitive and emotional experience--but that's another blog post). Creativity also tends to help me learn; the less structure and formatting expected on the paper or assignment, the better for me.

Know these things about yourself and search them out within your classes, your jobs, your friends, and anything else that fills your life at college.

2. Know your learning style.

Visual, auditory, kinesthetic (hands-on), or some combination are the most common. Personally, I am an auditory learner, so lectures help me out a ton, and if you can put it in a song, everything gets better (especially if the lyrics are genius--Lin-Manuel Miranda has changed my perspective on history).

3. Take notes on what you're thinking.

That one sounds a little weird, but it has helped me so much with absorbing things of value in class. I'm constantly scanning for things that hold my interest, and when they do, I allow myself to go on a little tangent in my notes, even if it's just a "WOW!" to come back to and ponder later. This helps me develop an emotional connection to the material and remember it better.

If I'm struggling to connect or I disagree with what's being sad, I note that, too, and ask questions about what could be changed.

I also make footnotes about my random thoughts, like, "I really want Chick-Fil-A right now." Take that as you will.

4. Go to counseling.

You know I had to sneak it in there. ;) But FOR REAL, people, this is the time to develop self-awareness. Knowing yourself will remove so many of the barriers to your learning. No matter where you are going in life, you will need it.

Also, it helps you work through stress and anxiety. Less anxious = more attention to learning.

5. When you're stuck, be creative.

Toward the end of my freshman year, I was absolutely DONE with writing papers. I had a book review to write and had zero motivation to write something academic--so I turned it into a letter to my future daughter, giving her my thoughts on the book if she were ever to read it. My prof loved it and asked to keep it for future classes.

You can't do this in every class or setting, but originality and creativity will see you through a lot. Think outside of the box--what can you do that will make it interesting for you, even if you don't love the subject?

_____

Those are my thoughts and tips--hopefully you find them helpful (or at least less stressful than whatever comes up on Pinterest!). Your grades matter--but your learning, in and out of class, matters more. Focus on that and you'll go far.

Feel free to drop your own learning tips in the comments! I'd love to hear from you!