YOUR BRAIN ON COLLEGE
You hear someone say, “I am just bad at math, and I always will be.” What type of mindset does this statement reflect?
What is a fixed mindset?
You have a big assignment due Friday. Rather than waiting until Thursday night, you schedule time to work on it Monday and Wednesday. What skill is this?
What is time management or planning ahead?
You open your textbook and highlight almost every sentence. Your entire page is now neon yellow. What study strategy would actually help you figure out whether you remember the material?
Self-testing, active recall, or explaining the material without looking.
You send “Fine.” in a group chat. Your friend thinks you're angry, but you're actually agreeing. What's missing from text communication that can lead to misunderstandings?
Tone of voice, facial expressions, and other nonverbal cues.
You have $47 left. Your friends want to go out for dinner, but you need gas to get to campus tomorrow. What financial concept should guide your decision?
Prioritizing needs over wants.
Your friend insists they can ONLY learn by watching videos. What does the textbook suggest about relying on a single “learning style”?
What is that learning-style labels do not determine how someone can learn; using strategies suited to the task is more helpful?
A student says, “I will get better grades this semester.” What could they add to make this goal more useful?
What is a specific, measurable action and a deadline (a SMART goal)?
Your exam is tomorrow morning, and you've decided to stay awake until 4 a.m. studying. What important habit are you sacrificing that could actually hurt your memory and concentration?
Sleep!
Your group has four people, but one person makes every decision and never asks anyone else for input. What communication skill could make this group work better?
Active listening and making space for everyone's ideas.
You've been scrolling on your phone until 2 a.m. every night, and now you can barely stay awake in class. What's ONE change you could make to improve your sleep habits?
Set a consistent bedtime, reduce screen time before bed, or establish a sleep routine.
You want to remember information longer, so you connect a new idea to something you already understand. What learning approach are you using?
What is making meaningful connections to prior knowledge?
You have a quiz due Sunday, but you spend Saturday scrolling TikTok and promise you will start later. According to Tim Urban’s TED Talk, who has taken over?
Who is the Instant Gratification Monkey?
You study for 10 minutes, check TikTok for 45 minutes, and repeat. What time-management strategy could help you create focused study sessions with planned breaks?
The Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes) or structured study intervals.
You walk into a campus event, don't know anyone, and immediately want to leave. What's ONE thing you could do to start building a sense of belonging?
Introduce yourself, join an activity, talk to another student, or attend another event. (Accept reasonable responses.)
You find a scholarship you're eligible for, but applying requires a short essay. You almost skip it because it seems like too much work. Why might applying still be a smart financial decision?
Scholarships can help pay for college without needing to be repaid.
You fail your first college exam and immediately decide you are terrible at the subject. What mindset would help you treat the result as information you can use to improve?
What is a growth mindset?
Your work shift, a club event, and two assignment deadlines all land on the same day. What should you do FIRST to decide how to use your limited time?
What is identify deadlines and priorities, then make a realistic plan?
Your friend sends you their notes and says, “Just read these five times. You'll be fine.” What could you do with those notes to make your studying more effective?
Turn them into practice questions, flashcards, or a self-quiz.
You meet a classmate who has a completely different background from yours. Instead of asking about their experiences, you assume you already know what they're like. What concept from class should challenge that behavior?
Cultural competence, recognizing stereotypes, or avoiding assumptions.
You think you want a particular career, but after researching it, you discover the day-to-day responsibilities aren't what you expected. What's a smart next step?
Explore related careers, talk with professionals, research job requirements, or seek job-shadowing opportunities.
A viral post makes a dramatic claim, but offers no source. Before sharing it, you investigate the author, evidence, and other reliable sources. What skill are you demonstrating?
What is critical thinking and information literacy?
DAILY DOUBLE — WAGER FIRST!
A huge research assignment feels overwhelming, so you divide it into finding sources, outlining, drafting, and revising, with dates for each step. What strategy are you using?
You're taking an exam and completely blank on one question. You still have 15 questions left. What's a smart test-taking strategy to use?
Skip the question, answer the ones you know, and return to it if time allows.
Your roommate keeps playing music while you're trying to study. Instead of yelling or posting about it online, how could you handle the situation using effective communication?
Have a respectful, direct conversation, explain your needs, listen to their perspective, and work toward a compromise.
It's Sunday night. You have two assignments due, you're exhausted, your bank account is running low, and you've been avoiding an email from your professor. Name THREE different strategies from this course that could help you get back on track.
Any three appropriate strategies, such as prioritizing tasks, creating a schedule, communicating with the professor, getting enough sleep, budgeting, or seeking campus support.