At some point in every college student’s career, there is that one class that is so boring you can literally fall asleep, even if you’re not tired.  For some student’s this happens in more than one class.  Chances are, though, you wouldn’t be taking such a boring class if it weren’t a requirement for you to graduate.  It’s a part of every college student’s career.  Although listening and paying attention in these classes can be difficult, it’s just as important for any of your other classes.  Sometimes you have to listen more intently in the boring class to make up for the lack of interest.  Following some general listening skills can greatly benefit your study habits and help you to make a good grade in the class.

Try not to think of the class and the subject as being so boring.  Even if the instructor is a monotone with no animation, find some way to become motivated in the class.  Having a negative opinion about the class will affect your ability to listen.  Once you become unmotivated about the subject that is being presented, anything and everything will become a distraction for you.  Subconsciously you will look for distractions.  Change your perception of the subject and actively listen for information that you can use more.

Listen for more than just facts.  Unless you have the complete picture the instructor is presenting, it will be hard for you to study later.  Without a main idea to put the facts into proper perspective, most of the factual details you’ve been listening for will be lost within the next few weeks or even days.  Instead, listen for the main idea of the lecture.  Keep this main idea in mind as supporting details are also presenting.  This will help connect the dots of the lecture and aid in studying later on.

Avoid allowing yourself to get distracted.  This one will be particularly hard to do, especially when you don’t find yourself particularly interested in what is being presented.  However, once you allow yourself to get distracted from the lecture, it will be hard for you to refocus your attention.  Even if you are successful in bringing your attention back to the instructor, you will have already missed a great deal of important information – information that will be important for connecting the dots between the various points that are being presented.  Ignore distractions as much as possible.

Being bored with a subject often causes people to get caught up on a single point, phrase, or word.  When you react strongly to something the instructor has said, it causes you to miss the next point is made.  Focusing on a single concept or idea causes you to lose sight of what is important.  That is listening to the lecture.  Paying too much attention to something that is said can easily sidetrack people.  The purpose of the lecture isn’t for everyone to express their opinion.  It is simply about an instructor’s presentation of information.  Keep in mind that just because an instructor says something that doesn’t mean it’s the truth.  It just means that it might be on the test.

When you are listening to an instructor speak, it is good to anticipate the instructor’s next point.  This helps increase your understanding of the subject.  Actively listening to what the instructor is saying and anticipating what the instructor might say next helps you to remember what was said.

Whenever the instructor makes a point, listen for the evidence the instructor presents to support the point just made.  This is arguably the most important aspect of the entire lecture.

Make mental summaries of what has been spoken at periodic times during the lecture.  When you summarize the information and store it in your memory it helps increase your understanding of what has been presented.  Wait until the instructor makes a pause before you attempt to make such a summary.  Trying to do this while the instructor is will lecturing will distract you from what is being presented at that point in time.  It can also cause you to miss important information.

Being bored in class is something that most college students go through.  Turning the boredom around can help improve your listening skills and help you make better grades on your exams.

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