By Carrie duke/reporter

Some students start the semester with enthusiasm and goals for a 4.0 but soon find it difficult to keep motivated and maintain good grades.

Elisabeth Dahlstrom is working on her associate degree on NW Campus and plans to remain at TCC for another year and a half. While here, she has established some methods for staying motivated.

“Apathy is the biggest evil affecting grades,” she said. “Find ways to keep interested and keep the info fresh like study groups, online materials, treat yourself afterward.”

It may take a bit to get back into the swing of going to class and studying again after the winter break. However, many instructors are very happy to help students, and some even give studying tips during their classes. The counseling centers and other student services offer student success seminars that deal with time management, student techniques and test-taking strategies throughout the semester.

And professionals in the various centers can help if students are having trouble keeping motivated. They can also gain valuable information from speaking with fellow classmates, forming study groups and sharing notes.

“Review a lot,” Dahlstrom said. “Study in ways that involve all your senses, and balance individual study time with collaborating with other people. Also, it doesn’t matter how stupid it is, if you can use mnemonics and such to help you remember — use it!”

TCC gives the option of taking online and in-person classes. Some students prefer the convenience of online classes while others need to listen to a lecture in person and sit in a classroom to get the full effect.

Aaron Ross, 23, has been taking classes at TCC since high school. He usually attends NW Campus but has also taken some online courses. When it comes to study habits, he recommended paying attention in class, taking notes and reviewing them before a test. Another helpful tip is not to skip class, he said.

Studies indicate a student’s success can be affected by the number and kinds of classes taken, connections with instructors, study habits and extracurricular activities. Balance should be kept in mind by being careful not to get burned out. Both Dahlstrom and Ross have taken full loads and agree that sometimes it’s good to take a half a load for a semester to give oneself some breathing room and a chance to refocus.