Everyone knows that there is nothing more important than paying attention to early morning lectures. Often teeming with vats of knowledge that your brain is just waiting to soak in, these lectures are crucial to your success as a student. Recordings and uploaded PowerPoints that cover literally everything mentioned in class just don’t have the same charm to them, and like every other dedicated student at UR, you open your eyes in the morning for the sole purpose of attending lecture.
But how does one truly prepare for the experience that is — gasp — lecture? It’s not something to take lightly, of course, but how do you really get the full experience?
As with many things in life, it’s all about being prepared. Even if the lecture hall is a reasonable walk from your housing, you really shouldn’t start your journey to class until there are five minutes left until the lecture starts. Leaving right when lecture starts? Even better. There’s nothing like fresh adrenaline to start your day and the sense of satisfaction you get noisily walking into a mostly empty auditorium, because you’re not like the slackers that don’t show up. No, you’re better, because you came to class and you give the professor extra time to prepare.
After making your grand entrance, make sure to select the perfect spot to sit, preferably the middle section in the very back. The immaculate surround-sound system installed in the hall allows you to hear every word being uttered, to the point where you can easily visualize what is being taught by just closing your eyes and resting your head on your very sturdy and spacious makeshift desk.
Once you finish visualizing, it’s probably time to pull out the old laptop, iPad, and phone combo. The laptop is perfect for taking notes, while the iPad has the lecture slides pulled up to make sure you don’t have to take too many notes. And of course, the phone is always important for replying to any pressing messages that seem to have flooded in as soon as lecture started.
You also have not one, not two, but three devices perfect for keeping track of time. You never want to be caught unaware of when class ends, because you need to be the first person running down the steps to ask the professor your pending questions about the lecture. Sometimes your feet lead you up the stairs and out the door instead of towards the professor, but that’s okay! Dedicated students deserve to take breaks every so often… or every single day.
In order to be the model student who exemplifies our dearly-beloved Meliora values, there’s honestly only one thing that really matters anyway — showing up. Besides, being the spectacular academic you are, you don’t need the lecture as much as it needs you. Without an audience, can a lecture even be called a lecture? So, your gracious appearance is really an act of charity on your part, allowing you to treat the lecture as a break from your rigorous schedule.
Feel free to catch up on that show you haven’t seen since last night, or answer important texts that just don’t hit the same over the phone. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, try to finish an entire movie. One brave student in the CHEM 132 lecture attempted to begin and finish “The Jungle Book” just a few weeks ago, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t follow in their footsteps.
At the end of the day, you’re the only one who knows not only what kind of student you are, but what kind of person you are. Put in the effort to immerse yourself in your lectures using the guide above, and never ever forget to be ever better.
