After finishing high school, students might think their homework days are over. This is not a correct assumption. While some college classes may choose not to issue homework and instead rely on exams to gauge student performance, many college and university classes still send homework to students.

College homework takes many different forms, such as readings, essays, daily exercises, and more, depending on the class. Some college homework might be very similar to high school or middle school homework, though it likely requires more research and effort.

Time management is the key to getting your homework done. Being organized and managing your time well will help you finish your homework in full and on time. Just set yourself up for productive work and follow these quick tips that will help you finish your homework in a nice and easy way.

Make a Schedule

One of the most important things students can do when trying to get organized is to make a schedule. Being able to look at social events, homework assignments, tests, and other obligations will help students see when they have to buckle down and work on school-related things and when they can relax. Making a schedule and knowing when work is due makes it harder to miss deadlines, which makes it easier to be a better student.

Work Ahead of the Class

It is easy to fall behind in class when you have other courses to study for or other social commitments. One way to prevent falling behind is to work ahead. Just doing a little bit of work before it is due can help ease the entire workload of the class. If it’s daily exercises, starting a writing assignment early, or reading ahead in your textbook, anything you do ahead of schedule helps keep you from falling behind.

Create a Workspace

Creating a homework space at home will help students to separate their relaxing, laidback home atmosphere from their school work. This space could be anywhere—a desk, a workshop, or the kitchen table, as long as it is somewhere, you can concentrate. Quiet and a lack of distractions will help you complete homework faster and with better results.

Cheap Textbooks

In high school, textbooks are most often provided by schools. So for many students, textbook prices in college can come as quite a shock. The textbooks available for purchase from colleges and universities tend to be very expensive. Students can spend as much as $200-500 per semester on textbooks. Luckily, there are alternatives to buying full-price textbooks.

Essays

Essays are often a large part of college. Papers written in college are likely to be much longer than those completed in high school. Upwards of 10 pages is normal in many classes. Essays can take more time to write than students might take to study for an exam, though many students prefer essays because they have more time to complete a written assignment, and more time to research and to gather thoughts and ideas and organize them coherently in essay form.

Essays may also be graded more thoughtfully than a regular exam. With essays, there is not necessarily a correct answer. Many different sides might be argued, and it may be possible to capture more points in an essay than in an exam.

Don’t Get Behind on Readings

College is all about reading. In fact, in the USA, achieving a university degree used to be known as “reading for a degree,” because of all the books and reading involved in the university. Lectures are important, but there is only so much information that can be introduced to students in a one or two-hour lecture. Reading material is assigned to supplement lectures and to introduce concepts which can then be discussed in lectures.

It is easy to fall behind on class readings, but students should try to avoid this at all costs. Not reading assigned material can really impede your ability to follow along in class. Not completing the reading leaves you unable to contribute to class discussions, which may be part of your grade, or unable to answer questions asked by your teacher.

Take Thorough Notes

Trying to locate answers to study questions can take time and detract from homework time. This time can be cut down if you have complete and well-organized notes. The well-organized note makes it easier to find specific answers to homework questions and makes it easier to study.

Make Time For School

School may not be as fun as hanging out with friends or watching television, but it is important. Many parents consider going to school to be a student’s job, and just as adults might have to stay late or bring their work home occasionally, so to must students. Students must make time to do homework so that they can succeed in their scholastic career.

Don’t Get Distracted

It is important to be focused on when completing homework. Make sure your homework space is devoid of distractions like television, other people, overly loud music, or pets. Even if you consider yourself to be an expert multitasker, these distractions will slow you down and might lower the quality of your work.

Sleep

Even if you have a big test the next day, or an essay is due, staying up all night to study or complete an assignment is not a good idea. Pulling an all-nighter might allow you to complete an assignment, but it will almost certainly lower the quality of the work. It also impairs your concentration and learning ability the next day. It is a much better idea to prepare your schoolwork ahead of time and get a good night’s sleep before homework is due or you must take an exam.

The Sleep Foundation suggests that teenagers get nine hours of sleep a night and that school-aged children up to age 12 need to get approximately 10 or11 hours of sleep a night.

Keeping Up With College Homework

Homework in college can be overwhelming, but there are ways to mitigate the deluge. Being organized, keeping ahead of deadlines, and paying attention in class are all ways to keep ahead of the curve. Study groups are also a great way to help you grasp the material you study in class, especially if lectures and readings aren’t working.