Normally, the way I study is that I pay attention to the lecturer all the time, during every class; and more importantly, I always take notes on what the lecturer is saying because I think that all the information given in class is very important. When I have any questions or doubts or I feel unsure about something, I always raise my hand to ask questions. Moreover, I always actively participate in class activities such as group discussions.”
“One other thing, I realize that studying in the classroom by paying attention to the lecturers alone is not enough for us as a university student. We have to do extra self-study at home, such as reading the text-book before coming to class. Within one day, I allocate time to study according to the difficulty level of each subject or topic. For instance some subjects that are difficult to understand I would read for about one hour, as opposed to some easier subjects, which I may spend only 15 minutes on. During reading, I always take notes, especially for key terms that I cannot understand; I always Google the word to find the definition.”
Do you do anything different when studying for a quiz or exam?
“It is very beneficial for us to take notes, so when it comes to time for review for exams, I can look through my notes and easily understand the key points of all the lessons. For quizzes and exams I may take some extra time to review but it should not change too much because actually, we should start studying every day from the beginning of term, not just before a test. However, sometimes I will form group discussions with my classmates. We can share ideas and find out what we understand or don’t understand, and we can help each other with difficult concepts.”
Do you study at another university or have a job or internship?
“No I only study at the University of Cambodia. In the morning I help my mom with our business, and I attend classes in the afternoon. I used to be a youth volunteer for a social work organization, but now I am concentrating on my final exam for university.”
How do you manage your time and schedule?
“To be successful in my studies, I must manage my time and make a study plan at the beginning of each term. This is very important to me because I want to achieve good grades. Manage your time and don’t delay the tasks. That is very important, especially when you have to manage five or more courses at the same time.”
Being a student can be a very stressful and busy time, how do you manage your health?
“I admit that student life at university can be stressful. Whenever I feel stressed I stop reading or studying for a while and go out to get fresh air, relax and refresh and then later I would come back to do it again. This way I would not feel so stressed. One of the most important things is to take care of my health, it is very important to stay strong and healthy, and to get enough sleep, especially during exam time.”
What are your future plans?
“After I graduate I plan to find a job at either an NGO or in the public sector. I also have a plan to continue my studies further to obtain a Master’s degree either in Cambodia or abroad, so I am also looking for local or international scholarship.”
What advice can you give to other students who are hoping to be more successful next term?
“All students should set study goals every term, and set course expectations in terms of the end result. Meaning you should ask yourself, “What do I want to get from every subject?” The next step is to have a study plan by working out a strategy to achieve your goal, and then working hard to achieve it. Lastly, it is very important to know how to prepare for exams. You have to pay attention to the lecturer from the beginning of term, and study and prepare by taking notes during each class. I suggest that students do not leave their studying for right before exams, you will have many exams around the same period and you will feel stressed, and will not achieve good results.”
