How to Win at College

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

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.