So, how can you get to the point where you understand something well?
1. Read the text closely, deliberately, and slowly.

2. Check for understanding at the end of every sentence fragment, and if in doubt, re-read and think about it until you are certain you understand exactly what the author intended to say (the same as my recommendation for how to start word problems). Only then should you proceed to the next sentence.

3. After reaching the end of a paragraph or section, reflect on what has been described and ask (“quiz”) yourself the most important questions for understanding:

• What?

What was just described (in my own words)?

What concepts are it connected to or based upon?

• Why? 

Why am I being asked to learn this?

Why is this idea being brought up at this point?

• How?

How does this relate to what we learned earlier?

How do I know it’s true?

How does this work in the world I live in?

4. When you reach an example in the text, do not read the answer – do it yourself by covering up the solution until you have solved it. If you get stuck and have tried every approach you can think of, use the author’s work to “cheat” and figure out the step you were stuck on… but don’t look beyond that! Only uncover as much of the solution as you need to get yourself un-stuck. Solving a problem yourself helps develop understanding – reading through someone else’s solution seldom does.

5. Remember that “thinking you understand the ideas” or the formula is often a very different thing from being able to solve a problem… you must master both before you are ready to take an exam.

6. If you find yourself seeking to memorize all possible problem types and their solution patterns, you are not trying to understand the concepts. Stop memorizing, and focus on describing the problem visually as well as verbally. Sketch the situation if possible, and explain the sketch with key facts from the problem. Write a list of needed variables with a brief description of each.

7. Teach and explain the topic to someone else… either in person or by writing out what you would say. When you stumble across things that are hard for you to explain, you have discovered an area you do not understand well (yet).
If you can find the time and the patience to approach homework and studying in this manner, tests and exams should be much easier to prepare for, and your grades should rise as well.
Why? Because you are:
• Spending more time on the subject.
• Giving yourself time to identify and reinforce connections between ideas before you are examined on them.
• Practicing recalling new material by answering questions you ask yourself.
• Reducing pre-exam stress/anxiety by avoiding the need to “cram” for an exam.
• Increasing your self-confidence by mastering material shortly after it is presented, then confirming your mastery to yourself over the next few classes.

GOOD LUCK!

Spring is in the air! Time to lose those extra kilos and get yourself in shape for summer! Join the peerhelpers of Murray House residence on the Wellington campus and do your bit for a cancer walk initiative on 18 September, 17h30. Tickets R10. Funds goes towards a community outreach project. Stand a chance to win a prize, enjoy the great outdoors and have some fun! All shapes and seizes and fitness levels welcome! For more info contact peerhelper Louise Strydom at 0842278146 or louisiestrydom@gmail.com

See you at Murray residence on 18 September!

There was a time when a woman’s greatest duty and achievement was taking care of her man. The women of the 2003 movie “Mona Lisa Smile” were a great example of what women were essentially bred to do. They went to college, but they did not really plan on using their degrees (or even graduating in some cases). The plan was to get married as soon as possible and put those Home Economic skills to good use!

Nevertheless, today’s breed of women is certainly a different one. Many historical events have led to the evolution of the female role. However, just because certain “old-fashioned” ways have been phased out, does not mean they should be completely retired. You can still have your career and your own mind and what not, but maybe there are a few things that women just do not do anymore, that they should!

So what do you think? What are some of the things women just do not do anymore, that you think they should?

This blog post was inspired by “8 things women just don’t do anymore”, found at http://www.examiner.com/list/8-things-women-just-don-t-do-anymore I would love to hear your opinion on some of those statements, or even your own…

We all know how stressful exam time can be.  Beating the ‘exam blues’ isn’t as difficult as you might imagine, and the following tips will help you see the sunnier side of this challenging period of your life.

Take regular exercise

Cardiovascular and strength training workouts alike enable you to recover from stress more quickly. It also promotes the production of endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. Exercise reduces levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Find peace and relaxation

Practices like yoga, Tai-Chi and meditation have traditionally been used to promote relaxation and mental clarity.  Meditation also requires you to clear your mind of unproductive thoughts. It promotes relief from stress, which, when experienced in a chronic state, can cause a slump in your mood and your motivation levels.

Seek out positive company

People who are anxious, gossipy or negative can influence your outlook on life and stop you from viewing exams as just one step towards a more fruitful future. When a big exam is forthcoming, it is important to think of what happens when they are finished: the rewards you will reap, the free time you have, the extra time you will have for family and friends.

Talk it through

Dwelling on negative thoughts is not productive and will darken your mood. Find someone you trust to talk to – maybe a family member or a friend, tell them about your frustration and share your concerns. Talking with someone understands you, can take a huge weight off your shoulders. They can help you regain perspective and help you find a way of coming to terms with your concerns.

Do what makes you happy

Do you like nothing more than sitting in a cinema with a bucket of popcorn in your hands? Is your definition of sheer joy racing down a mountain or your bike? Or is your most appealing thought that of curling up by the fireplace with a good book? Often, our lives are filled with too many tasks, duties and sacrifices, and not enough moments of bliss. If you have found your own personal oasis, escape to it, if only for a few minutes a day.

Improve your diet

Fill your diet with foods that will boost your mood; avoid those which contain high levels of trans fats, sugar and salt. These foods often cause your blood glucose to rise quickly, causing your energy levels to dip soon afterwards.

Hang in there… Just 4 days to go…

Being unable to concentrate on the material you are studying, may lead to additional stress and anxiety. Here are some simple strategies that anyone can use to improve concentration.
1. Pay attention. You cannot take in information unless you are paying attention, and you cannot memorise information unless you are taking it in. Get enough food and sleep, and avoid distractions such as a background radio or television.
2. Involve as many senses as possible. For example, if you are sitting in a lecture, you will remember more of what is being said if you listen actively and make notes. Student Counselling also offers workshops on ‘getting the most out of lectures’ i.e. note taking.
3. Relate new information to what you already know. New information is much easier to remember if it can be contextualised. For example, if you have to remember the side-effects of a new drug. You can relate the side-effects to a similar drug, and draw comparisons.
4. Structure information. For example, if you have to remember a process or sequence of events, clustering or grouping information under sub-headings will make it easier to remember.
5. Use mnemonics. That is, link information to visual images, sentences, acronyms, or rhymes.
6. Understand information. Try to understand more complex material before you try to remember it. If possible, summarize the material in your own words and write out a summary. Reorganise the material so that it is easier for you to remember. By manipulating the information in this way, you are forcing yourself to think about it actively.
7. Rehearse information. Review the information later on the same day or sleep over it and review it the following day.
8. Exercise your mind. Mental challenge can help to create new wire connections in the brain, which makes it more effective and more resistant to memory problems. So develop a new hobby, read a novel, learn a foreign language, or do crosswords or play sudoku.
9. Develop a healthy lifestyle. Eat a healthy, balanced diet, take regular exercise, and avoid smoking. A healthy lifestyle increases the amount of blood and oxygen that is delivered to the brain, and reduces the risk of medical conditions that can lead to memory loss and related problems. Exercise also increases your ‘feel-good’ endorphins, which improves your mood and prevents depression. Depression results in impaired attention and concentration, and is also a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
10. Get sufficient sleep. Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, and feeling alert and refreshed improves your attention and concentration.
11. See a doctor. Certain prescribed and over-the-counter drugs can impair your attention and concentration, and hence your memory. If you suspect that this is the case for you, see a doctor.

Hang in there… Just a couple more days to go…

A single drop of rain falls alone, but when drops flow together, it forms a river!  This is why your contribution to do something ‘green’ today day, no matter how small it may be, is important and will make a difference.

Here are a few things that you can consider doing:

Hints on what to eat

• Eat fish that appears on SASSI’s green list.  Get more information at wwf.org.za/SASSI, or download their free app.
• Don’t waste food.  Plan your meals so that there are less leftovers, unless you can create a new meal out of it, or give it to a needy person.
• Buy fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season.  It’s much cheaper.
• Grow a small herb garden on your window sill. It is a healthy way to decorate your room.

Hints with water

• Go to www.journeyofwater.co.za to see where the water you use comes from and for hints on how to save water.
• Don’t buy bottled water.  Our country has of the best quality drinking water in the world, so don’t hesitate to drink tap-water.
• The largest amount of water that we consume, come from the food that we eat.  So – the less food you waste, the less water you waste
• Don’t brush your teeth, of wash your dishes under a running tap.

Hints to save electricity

• Unplug your electrical appliances when not in use, this includes your cell phone charger.
• Use energy-saving light bulbs.  The old type uses 75% more power and don’t last long.
• Don’t use your stove to warm the room.  It is much more expensive than a heater and poses a fire hazard.

Other things to do if you care for the environment

• Buy and plant an indigenous tree from CPUT’s Horticulture nursery on the Bellville campus
• Join CPUT’s Green Team (for more information, contact Anette Grobler at Student Affairs at 021 460 3499).  They undertake regular ‘green’ projects, like beach cleaning, that are also fun and providing an opportunity for exciting new friendships with others that are also passionate about the environment.

Info supplied by the WWF

Posted on behalf of Elisabet Smit

Charles Swindoll once said: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on my life. It is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people say or think or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skills. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day….”
Our appearance, talents and skills……So much emphasis is put on these that I wonder if we are not in the danger of sometimes becoming slaves of it, even behaving like rats on a treadmill forever feverishly trying to outwit or at least keep in pace with every fad or trend or new gadget. Energy and time easily gets gobbled up by just trying to keep up with the Jones’s, attending to an ever-growing demand of external must-haves, must-attend, can’t miss, must do’s and so on. Much of it serving only self- interest.
Stop and rethink.
Is all this ever growing outer world focus not perhaps one of the reasons for an equally growing sense of inner emptiness, a loss of meaningful relationships and loss of the spirit of ubuntu….because there simply is no time, or energy, or sense of value for that long overdue visit, the heart-to-heart talk to solve the misunderstanding, the walk in the park to smell the roses, a moment of warm communication with the beggar on the street corner…….
Yes, attitude will make or break a company, a church, a home, as Swindoll once said. Ask yourself today if your attitude towards your institution, your workplace, your residence, your neighbours, your colleagues and classmates speaks of pride, care, love, loyalty and cooperation.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” (Dr Wayne Dyer)

Written by Melléta Louw

Thusday, 15 May 2014
14:00 until 15:30
At the Resources Venue, Student Counselling, Room 2.503, 2nd floor, Admin Building.
Only on the Cape Town Campus.

Objectives:

In this workshop you will start by:

1. Identifying your current expectations of lecturers, then you will…
2. Identify effective lerning behaviours

As a result of these two steps you should be poised to explore several strategies to ensure that you get the most out of lecturers.

Looking forward seeing you there

Student Counselling