# How do you guys pay attention in class?



## n1kkuh (Jul 11, 2008)

How do you guys pay attention in class? I notice I pay much better attention in class when I am not looking at the professor, probably because I do not want to make eye contact with him/her. The best way I pay attention is by just looking at my notes and listening to what they say, occasionally looking up. Does anyone do this, or do you guys listen some other way?


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## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

I sit in the front now. I actually tend to ask more questions when I don't have to shout across the room. The close proximity to the lecturer doesn't really bother me. I'd also prefer not to sit next to other people, because I feel like I'm obligated to acknowledge them, which distracts me.


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## Rasputin_1 (Oct 27, 2008)

jaayhou said:


> I sit in the front now. I actually tend to ask more questions when I don't have to shout across the room. The close proximity to the lecturer doesn't really bother me. I'd also prefer not to sit next to other people, because I feel like I'm obligated to acknowledge them, which distracts me.


So true about asking questions. When I ask questions in the back I can always hear my voice crack lol.


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## Cypress (Dec 17, 2008)

Concerta.


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## Hoppipolla (Apr 11, 2007)

I have to look at the professor or else I'll daze off. It's somewhat of a lose-lose situation because if he makes eye contact with me I look away. But yeah, I have to try and not look away.


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## Draztek (Jul 5, 2008)

I never really have trouble paying attention in class. Studying now, that's a different story.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

I focus on note-writing. If I don't write notes, I zone out.


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## Wirt (Jan 16, 2009)

pita said:


> I focus on note-writing. If I don't write notes, I zone out.


same here. or time goes ridiculously slowly if im not writing notes.

sometimes i feel a little self conscious when im the only one writing notes but id rather look like a nerd than feel like time is frozen

plus i remember things better if i write it


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## Perfectionist (Mar 19, 2004)

I have to write notes, and I tend to make a lot of eye contact with the prof and sit relatively close.

I feel I'm not..hearing stuff fully if I'm staring at a wall or something. It's like I need to actually look at them to listen.


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## bezoomny (Feb 10, 2007)

Coffee and note-taking. Don't bother with making eye contact, you'll only get called on. Focus on writing down as much of what the teacher says as you can.


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## laura024 (Aug 11, 2006)

I listen and write notes.


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## JFmtl (Dec 23, 2008)

I also need to take notes and be ''active'' in some way in order to keep focus on the teacher (can't keep my focus if im all passive)

And coffee helps


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## LostInApathy (Feb 4, 2009)

It's hard to pay attention when from the moment you take a seat and until you get off of it, you are anxious to leave.


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## engima (Feb 3, 2009)

disregard everyone else in room, if the material's just dry I make jokes out of presented material to have it become more memorable and interesting to me so I can remember it...


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Adderall and sitting close to the front of the class.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Perfectionist said:


> I tend to make a lot of eye contact with the prof and sit relatively close.
> 
> I feel I'm not..hearing stuff fully if I'm staring at a wall or something. It's like I need to actually look at them to listen.


This too. I have one TA who is probably worried I'm going to burn holes through her eyeballs.


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## yellowpaper (Nov 13, 2007)

I actually sit in the back of the class... I've tried the front, but I prefer the back because I hate craning my neck to look at the powerpoint thats 1 foot away and I'm just more comfortable. I can see the whole class. They're in front of me (I'm not in front of them). If I need to go to the bathroom or something, less people will notice me.

If I'm feeling really anxious I draw stuff on my notes (mainly various hearts, lol). That might look lame and childish, like I'm not paying attention, but it actually calms me down and helps me focus on the lecture. 

But generally, I don't absorb much in lecture.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

I use a digital tape recorder and my brain,


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## RedTulip (Nov 9, 2004)

Draztek said:


> I never really have trouble paying attention in class. Studying now, that's a different story.


I pay attention in class pretty well to a degree, but when it comes to study I have to force myself to do the homework. Most of the time, I just cannot concentrate. I can't pinpoint why though. Perhaps, it's because I don't wanna do homework. This sounds weird since I'm only taking one class this semester so you'd think I'd do better. The class is Accounting, one day a week at 3 hours 40 minutes long. I start zoning out after 2 hours though.


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## solasum (Nov 17, 2008)

Three hours and 45 minutes?! My longest class is two hours and 45 minutes at night and it takes everything in me not to fall asleep. I know don't know how you do it.


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## RedTulip (Nov 9, 2004)

solasum said:


> Three hours and 45 minutes?! My longest class is two hours and 45 minutes at night and it takes everything in me not to fall asleep. I know don't know how you do it.


I don't know how I do it either. This is the 2nd accounting class back to back in two semesters and both were 3 hours 40 minutes long. I don't think I'll do it again. It's tough.


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## imt (Sep 22, 2008)

In order to pay attention, I gotta stack up on notes. It's either that or start daydreaming.
If I don't stay occupies, I may find myself nodding a lot. Of course, this all depends entirely on the class I'm taking. My attention span varies based on the environment I'm in.


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## SAgirl (Nov 15, 2003)

I sit near the middle or back of the class. That way I can leave quickly when it's over. 
I don't really concentrate in my child psych class, because I have a crush on this guy. So when the teacher was discussing something with a student, I kinda missed that it was important. It was on our last exam. Let's just say I didn't know the question.


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## mypasswordneverworks (Dec 12, 2008)

I just read the textbooks. no need to listen in 90% of my courses


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## gopherinferno (Apr 7, 2009)

I sit in the back so the nervousness of feeling like too many people are around me goes away. But other than that I have a hard time paying attention if the subject isn't interesting. Another plus side to sitting in the back is that I can text in class all the time > I still halfway pay attention. By now I can tell what's important to listen to and what's not.


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## SeekingHappiness (Dec 14, 2009)

our 4th year classrooms are much smaller and its a giant U shape, so half the class is facing the other half the class, what a bad design, because everytime I look up at the professor my eyes just start wandering to the other students across the room and start thinking things like "who is she I've never seen her before" or "man that guy has an awesome beard" 

What I do to stay focussed is to constantly remind myself why I am there in the first place, what are my goals in this class and in order to achieve it I would need to pay attention. That usually lasts about 20-30 minutes and I would have to remind myself again :b


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## mbp86 (May 11, 2010)

n1kkuh said:


> How do you guys pay attention in class? I notice I pay much better attention in class when I am not looking at the professor, probably because I do not want to make eye contact with him/her. The best way I pay attention is by just looking at my notes and listening to what they say, occasionally looking up. Does anyone do this, or do you guys listen some other way?


Studies have shown that people retain more info when doodling!


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