What to Do When You Fall Behind on Your Reading
From time to time, life might get in the way of doing your assigned readings on time. You may get sick or have to take care of a sick family member, you may have to work extra hours, or you may have a personal problem that prevents you from concentrating on your courses for a short time. Unfortunately, some students procrastinate and think they can catch up. That is a myth. The less you read and do your assignments, the harder you will have to work to make up for lost time.
A Marathon, Not a Sprint
If you fall behind in your reading, you’re not alone—many students do. Remember that your studies are more like a marathon than a sprint; you should take time to catch up, but do so at a steady pace. Do your assigned readings, study with others, get help, and do not give up!
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If you try to stay on schedule with your assigned readings but fall behind, do not panic. Here are some suggestions for getting back on track:
- Add one or two hours a day to your study time to go back and read the material that you missed. In particular, take advantage of every spare moment to read; for example, read during your lunch hour at work, while you are waiting for public transportation, or in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.
- Join a study group. If everyone in the group reads a section of the assigned chapter and shares and discusses his or her notes, summaries, or outlines with the group, you can cover the content more quickly.
- Ask for help. Visit your college learning center to work with a tutor who can help you with difficult concepts in the textbook.
- Talk to your instructor. Ask for extra time to make up your assignments if you have fallen behind for a valid reason such as sickness or dealing with a personal problem. Most instructors are willing to make a one-time exception to help students catch up.
- Do not give up. You may have to work harder for a short period of time, but you will soon get caught up.