By Edith Mariscal

Studying and learning are not the same, NW students were told Sept. 8.

Saundra McGuire, director emerita of the Center for Academic Success at Louisiana State University, shared strategies with students to help improve metacognition, study skills and motivation.

“Studying is memorization,” she said. “Learning is putting yourself in teach mode and preparing yourself as if you were going to teach the material to someone else.”

McGuire encouraged students to take initiative and ownership of their academic success.

“I urge you to take advantage of the academic help that TCC offers for students, such as academic advising, labs and tutoring and libraries,” she said. “Research shows that typically students who take full advantage of the resources available end the course with at least a grade higher than those who don’t.”

McGuire stressed the importance of time management, saying improving time management increases success in the classroom.

She said students should keep track of their time and assignments by using both daily and weekly calendars.

“You can’t let other people hijack your future,” she said. “You have to set priorities, make sure to set a goal, study with focus, reward yourself and review.”