This class is known to be quite difficult, and if you have never taken a college-level math course before, it is understandable why. I am going to include a list of study tips in no particular order, you are encouraged to incorporate these into your study routine should you find them useful.
Start early
This is quite self-explanatory, start studying for an exam at least three days in advance, more is highly recommended. Everyone crams their studying, I am not oblivious. However, you need to be able to take in information, then sleep on it, and return to that information later. Doing a huge study wave and then taking the test the next day can work for some students on smaller tests and quizzes, but this is NOT a good way to study for regular exams.
Solve problems without notes
When you take exams, you will have no notes. I guess you can try and bring notes to an exam, but it’s not going to end very well for you. This is why when you do practice problems, you should try them (especially the harder ones) without access to any notes. Think about it like a trial run for the exam. Once you try it once without notes, go back through and check your answer using other resources and retry it with notes if you were initially incorrect.
Make a study group
Making a study group is great for making sure you hit on all the topics you need, and asking questions to group members can help to collectively figure out harder problems. You need to be responsible with this however, you probably should not be making a study group with the same group you party with on Friday nights. Find a group of people who can commit to studying and will use time effectively. Some people simply do not work well in groups this way, and that’s totally fine.
Take breaks
It’s good to take breaks, I would even say that it’s necessary. Starting earlier helps you be able to take higher-quality breaks. A common method I used to use with my friends when studying is to set a 25-minute timer, then each time it goes off take a 5-minute break. If you are studying for a long stint, each hour take an even longer break. Make sure your breaks are meaningful too. Don’t just put down your pencil and open your phone. Walk away from your desk, and go somewhere else, clear your mind, then open your phone.