I'm so sorry for such a long absence! I've got midterms, assignments, quizzes, and labs, and now I have a few days before I start studying for my finals! I wanna dedicate this blog post to how different the learning styles are in university from high school. I am still trying to adapt, and I wish I would have known this before coming to uni! Disclaimer: ALL UNIs ARE DIFFERENT, so I just base it off of McMaster University (Science Program). However, if you are going to a moderate-to-big size university, expect things to be similar:
1. Online Learning
Honestly, the amount of hour I spend in lecture per week is tiny - about 15 -18 hours or something, however, 4/5 courses I take have online material that must be revised during the week prior to or right after coming to lectures. At Mac, it's called Online Modules, and these are basically presentation slides with a voiceover, which you can pause to takes notes from. They are usually more detailed than lectures, but you can do one over the other because you'll definitely miss out on something. Those modules are 20-40 minutes long each, and there is usually one such module per lecture. The problem is that to actually study the modules, it will take you (I base it off of myself and my friends, not the entire uni) twice as much time, so 40-80 minutes minimum. There are also little not-for-grade questions present along the modules, which help you comprehend the material.
2. Weekly Quizzes
3/5 classes I have, have mandatory weekly quizzes to complete for a grade. They generally are worth a lower fraction of one's final mark, but it is still valuable to complete well! Some people do it in groups, and some do it individually. Whatever works best! :)
3. Textbook Readings
You are generally required to follow some textbook readings prior to or after attending a lecture. However, it is indeed manageable with some courses, but not with the others. The best strategy for using textbooks for heavy load courses is to read the summaries of the chapters and do assigned questions to ensure you're not missing anything
4. Lecture Style
Again, it will be different for every post-sec institution, but my uni has a thing called iClickers, which are little remotes that allow you to participate in pop-up multiple choice questions happening in 3/5 of my classes. Some of your answers will be graded; some - won't. Nonetheless, you are getting some sort of credit out of doing it. In general, my classes have 400 people. 150 in my smallest class (Health, Aging, and Society), and others have an attendance of 300-500 people. During lectures, a prof would review the modules, and highlight some material from it, which is crucial for the test. As I thought before, first or second row seats are very important in uni for one or the other reason. Even though I do prefer to sit in the front, it doesn't matter that much. As long as you participate in class regularly, and stay in one are of the lecture hall, it will have the same effect.
Also, if for some reason the lecturer didn't finish going through a presentation (happens rarely), they will not continue next class. This material is either going to be on you to learn (not likely), or just taken off of the exam.
5. Homework
It is very easy to drown in homework in university. You have a million resources available to you, and each one has something to offer. Some students stick to only one of them, thoroughly study them, and do well, whereas some students just try all of them here and there and do well as well. I chose the second type because I find the first one to be a little risky.
6. Resources
Besides lectures, you also have labs and tutorials in a science program to go to, and besides all of that, you can go to the help centers, and office hours. Moreover, you have a bunch of online resources, including modules, animations, textbook materials, etc.
7. Professors
All of my professors are very nice and approachable. They hold regular office hours, and are willing to help you all the time!
