"I want to be a psychologist": How to complete the degree in Psychology

A few weeks ago we wrote a text to help future students of Psychology to reflect on 10 elementary points about his vocation, some specific doubts about the career, etc.

• "Why study Psychology? 10 points that you should value"

However, having enrolled in the degree does not make you a good student of Psychology. That is why we have developed this little guide to help you pass your studies successfully.

"I want to be a psychologist", a guide to make the most of your studies in Psychology

The PsychologyDue to its versatility and the amount of contributions it can make to different disciplines and areas of life, it is one of the most popular university degrees in many countries around the world. However, the lives of students can become hard if they do not have references to follow in these tidal waves of information that are usually the Faculties of Psychology.

If this is your case, this mini-guide will be useful for you "I want to be a psychologist", with 10 keys to make your time at university profitable.

1. Start studying when it's time to study

In college you don't have a boss who watches you every day to see if you study, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't. In addition, psychology is a rewarding university career, in the sense that whoever invests time in study and training is rewarded. Now, to know how to use that time well, you have to practice.

• Here are some tips to help you perform better: "10 tips to study better and more efficiently"

Knowing how to use time well is one of those skills that every student should polish. If you don't, you'll see the hours, days, and weeks go by as you things to do it increases and your stress levels do the same. If you think that you are not very good at getting the batteries with the study, it may be useful to read the next point.

2. Learn to manage your study time

Okay, you've already made studying a regular practice in your day-to-day life, but... Are you optimizing the time you dedicate to it well?

Maybe you could learn the same thing in half the time, or maybe studying at a certain time is causing you problems. For example, concentrating on a computer screen just before going to sleep is known to be bad for your sleep, and it can cause you problems with insomnia due to the light you've been exposed to.

Also, keep in mind that you will hardly be able to concentrate on your study for more than 40 minutes at a time, so it is worth it not to crush yourself trying to read very long texts at once. It is also known that getting up from the chair will do you well to stretch your legs and make you feel better. Studying is fine, But take your breaks!

3. Beware of the Internet!

The Internet is a very important tool to find other tools and study resourcesBut it is also an inexhaustible source of distractions. Consider studying written on paper so as not to fall into temptation, and go to the computer to consult specific questions.

On the other hand, and as you may have already noticed, the network of networks is brimming with unreliable information, when they are not crude lies or fabrications. Therefore, when you consult sources on the internet to complete your psychological theses, keep in mind which references are true and which are not.

4. Slides aren't everything

In an ideal world it would not be necessary to emphasize this, but nobody learns just by reading slides. These are a visual support to follow the classes and contain some fundamental concepts, but through them it is It is impossible to know how these ideas are related to each other, or in what way the underlying logic of the processes are articulated. psychological.

5. Notes are not everything

No, the notes that are taken during the classes they are not enough. Most of the subjects are also made up of readings that are not explained in class, due to the limited time in which teaching is taught. Consider very seriously reading all the readings that they ask you at least once (read and understand them, of course). What's more, These readings will help you understand the things that have been said in class, reinforcing the concepts that you are learning in your mind..

6. Read about psychology for pleasure!

The field of study of psychology is a veritable ocean of information. Thousands of books and articles are published each year about new research in psychology and neuroscience, and If you don't feel like spending many hours reading really thick texts, there are excellent popular books (or even websites: do you know one called Psychology and Mind?) that are waiting for you. You can start trying with this small list of titles:

• "The 20 best books on psychology that you cannot miss"
• "5 books to give a psychologist for Christmas"
• "5 books on psychology to read in summer "

And if you want to go deeper and have a profile created on Facebook, don't miss:

• "The 18 best Facebook Groups to learn Psychology"

7. Find people with the same interest in psychology

There are a lot of people who love psychology, and if you go to college you will be in contact with quite a few. Take advantage of it! An environment of friends with the same interests as you can make you learn things even if you don't mean to.

You can also follow blogs about psychology, visit study groups, etc. Whatever you see is necessary to be in constant contact with the herd!

As for the blogs and websites dedicated to psychology and neurosciences, we recently made a list that may be useful to you:

• "The 70 best blogs on Psychology"

8. Have a good search engine for scientific papers at hand

Surely, due to being enrolled in the university, you have access to a search engine papers scientists that allows you to consult entire articles without having to pay. Find out what these search engines are and make use of them! They will be most useful when looking for information and doing well-documented work.

9. Take mental tests

Just because you have memorized a text does not mean that you have understood. The quantitative is not the same as the qualitative. After you've studied a lesson, entertain yourself by asking yourself possible exam questions. This will help you to detect doubts that you did not know you had and to optimize your review time.

10. Drink from other disciplines

Psychology is a very complex discipline, and it straddles many sciences and areas of study. Soak up them to have a richer vision of what you study. You can start by reading fundamentals about biology, medicine, philosophy or anthropology... Even if you don't get bogged down either!

Bonus: Enjoy learning

It is ironic that this can be understood as an order, but remember that you are studying psychology because you want to, because you are interested.

Don't let poor time management make you hate the race. If there are subjects or branches of psychology that do not interest you as much, spend less time than those that you do enjoy. You learn best when you learn without stress and without rushing, savoring knowledge, and growing intellectually and personally while you acquire new learnings.