Ask Thor

Stu D. Paquét - Hey, Thor, I’m in some hot water. I have a huge history test to take in two days and the amount we have to study is completely overwhelming - there’s whole lists of events and dates I have to memorize. I have a big game tomorrow night, so I won’t have much time to hit the books afterward. Any ideas on how to pass?

Thor - Thanks for reaching out, Stu! Your problem is one many of us can identify with; being overburdened with work, and having to sacrifice one commitment for another. Here are some tips that will help you to memorize your history material better and let you focus on being in rare form when the time comes for your game!

What’s Important? - Find the central ideas of each event and sort out which details are crucial and which are just taking up space. Ask your teacher about the level of accuracy you need to recall each section with; more often than not, you’ll find out you’re stressing over small stuff.

Remember Your Own Way - One thing that usually worked for me when I went to Norse School

was to make fun acronyms of lists that I couldn’t otherwise remember. For example - remember when you learned the order of operations in math? PEMDAS - “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” - is an acronym. You don’t have to use acronyms, though. Just try to make studying fun in any way you can, and science proves it’s easier to remember that way!

Review With A Friend - Studying alone gets boring and overwhelming sometimes. Get a pal of yours to look over your material with you in a study hall, at lunch, or after school. This way, both of you are learning and neither of you have to endure it individually.

Hope this helps!

Kahl Liege - Thor, bud, I need some help. I’m a senior and have no idea where to go from here. There are so many universities and colleges available to me that it’s just confusing, and I’ll never get enough time to look over all of them! I was wondering if there was any way you could help me narrow them down. Thanks in advance.

Thor - Consider this abundance of opportunity an honor, Mr. Liege! If you put in enough effort, many of these places would be glad to accept you as a student. If you’re looking to find something specific, maybe filter your choices using some of these:

Location - Choosing colleges and universities which are closer to where you live may save you money that you can then put into a bank account for other bills or emergencies. Room and board (staying overnight) comprises a hefty amount of your college expenses, so it might be for the best if you can avoid that. However, if you’re looking to travel a bit farther, research locations in the area you want that charge the least for out-of-state tuition.

Opportunity - Even if you still don’t know what specific occupation you want, if you have a general idea of what your interests are and how they can be applied to the job market, try to find places which support those interests. For example, if you benefit more from hands-on learning, a technical institute would be the best choice.

Extracurriculars - If sports, music, community service, or other activities outside of academics still interest you as well, there are quite a few universities that aren’t all about studying!

Social Life - Different colleges have different rules about interactions between students. If this is an important thing to know about a college to you, research places with specifications as to curfew, co-ed dorms, open/closed campus during free periods, etc.

In any case, I wish you luck with your future endeavors!

Thor - Hey, Thor. I’m looking for a bit of info. Who’s the best-looking guy around?

Thor - Thanks for asking, Thor! Just look in the mirror!