The key skill needed might already be in your portfolio—time management. This comes as no surprise—teachers and parents have stressed this since we started grade school, and it has only become more important in higher education.

When things get busy, it is not uncommon to miss a thing or two. It’s 8:00pm after a long day of classes, homework, and work. You realize you have an exam the next morning that you only studied for once a few days ago. Major fail? Not quite. The first time this happened to me might have been rocky, but I have since developed a few strategies to combat late-night study sessions and even prevent them from happening.

The first way to prevent panic when studying for an exam is....to complete your assignments! Professors who utilize Connect in their courses are doing you a favor. They might assign periodic SmartBook® lessons for each chapter which allow you to read through the online textbook and then answer the corresponding questions. You can go back to the textbook at any time to assure you are on the right track. Your professor may also give homework assignments for each chapter which you can revisit.

The next strategy is to take advantage of the Connect feature, Recharge! Recharge lets you go back to the assignments and study as many times as you’d like. It is personalized, meaning it tracks your progress and then prioritizes the areas that need extra attention. This can be helpful throughout the semester, or during a late-night, last-minute study session when you need a quick review.

A final strategy would be to supplement this with your best learning style. If you are studying late with Connect and are aiming to make the material stick, choose an additional method which aligns with how you learn best. If you are a visual learner, draw a diagram, picture, or chart that illustrates what you are studying. If you are an auditory learner, you can use the audio feature to have the textbook and/or study questions read aloud, or you can read the material out loud yourself. Personally, I learn best when I write things down so I can see it on paper. I will typically read the online textbook or answer questions and write down the information I find most significant. Pairing a study strategy that works best for you with Connect is a recipe for success!

Time management will never not be important. When you find yourself struggling to finish an assignment on time, or preparing for a last-minute exam, don’t be afraid to use your resources. Connect is a resource that adapts to your schedule and is there for you no matter the time of day.