How to Win at College

Details

Title : How to Win at College Author(s): Cal Newport

Rough Notes

The following are points that relate to me.

  • Don't do all of your reading: Skim the content, aim to learn the concepts.
  • Create a Sunday ritual: To prepare for the upcoming week to start with some momentum.
  • Start long term projects the day they start: Start with an outline and potential thesis statements.
  • Make your bed: A clean room leads a focused mind.
  • Built study systems: Have a systemized plan for what you will review, in what format, and how many times.
  • Read a newspaper everyday: Treat is as a mental exercise.
  • Do one thing better anyone else you know: This is good for self-confidence, e.g. cooking.
  • Avoid daily todo lists: Rather have a flexible system with times blocked for essential events/tasks first.
  • Learn to give up: This is a tactical skill rather than a weakness.
  • Never nap: Go for a walk or light exercise if you get this feeling.
  • Always be working on a grand project.
  • Take art history and astronomy: These courses are give good perspective.
  • Pay your dues: In the beginning of your research, do things that make work easy for the research team etc.
  • Study in 50 minute chunks: This is the most time people can focus in one go.
  • Schedule your free time: Leisure activities are good, and scheduling helps to make sure they are not overdone.
  • Dress nicely: This makes you feel happy, which is good.
  • Decorate your room: This helps have a positive effect on your mood and energy.
  • Start studying 2 weeks in advance: This brings momentum and helps avoid any unforeseen dips.
  • Write outside of class: The ability to express your thoughts clearly is extremely important.
  • Eat alone twice a day: Too much social meals are a black hole.
  • Find an escape: A place far away from the work environment
  • Don't study in your room: Rather work in an environment meant for study like the library.
  • Don't study in groups: Nothing beats lonely concentration.
  • Do schoolwork everyday: This creates a cycle of reinforcement and productivity.
  • Attend guest lectures.
  • Exercise 5 days a week: The boost in physical energy and mental motivation is good.
  • Stay in touch: Say once a month with your close friends back home.
  • Meet often with your advisor.
  • Don't get a normal job: Rather find a strategic job related to your subject.
  • Use 3 days to write a paper.
  • Don't undersleep or oversleep.
  • Relax before exams.
  • Make friends your #1 priority.
  • Ignore other people's success.
  • Seek out phenominal achievers.
  • Learn to listen.
  • Never pull an all-nighter.
  • Laugh everyday.
  • Use high-quality notebooks.
  • Keep a work-progress journal.
  • Seek out fun.
  • Inflate your ambition.
  • Set arbitrary deadlines.
  • Eat healthy.
  • Write as if you're going for a Pulitzer.
  • Attend political rallies.
  • Maximize your summers.
  • Choose goals, explore routes.
  • Don't network.
  • Publish op-eds.
  • Use a filing cabinet.
  • Find a secret study space.
  • Study with the quiz-and-recall method.
  • Empty your inbox.
  • Relax before sleep.
  • Spend a semester studying abroad.
  • Don't have no regrets.

Emacs 29.4 (Org mode 9.6.15)