This document provides tips for succeeding in the first year of an Office Administration - Executive Level program. It discusses the importance of developing good homework habits like completing assignments promptly while material is fresh, maintaining a balance between homework and other commitments, and taking competent notes during lectures. The document also emphasizes active listening skills like being an engaged listener, taking brief notes to focus attention, reviewing material before lectures, and performing extra research beyond assignments. Maintaining a healthy diet with energy-rich foods like apples, grains and greens is also advised to sustain focus during long lectures.

1. Office Administration—Executive Level - Vol. 1 Issue 1
This will help put things
into context and make
studying easier. Isn’t
this what we spent so
much money on these
books for anyway?
Be an Active Listener
Being an active listener
shows respect for your
(Continued on page 2)
Organization
O
rganization sets us
apart from the rest of
the programs, as it at
the very
heart of of-
fice man-
agement.
Ensuring
your work
space and
book case
are always
kept organized, will help to set
the tone for effective homework
habits.
Good Homework Habits
Work towards completing your
homework assignments as soon
as your instructor informs you
of the material. This will
help you to complete
your homework while
the material is still fresh
in your mind from
the lecture.
How to Balance
It All
Maintaining a
healthy home-
work/life balance
involves good
time management
skills. Setting aside a
time slot for home-
work, secular work
and recreation, will help
to avoid scheduling con-
flicts and assist in reduc-
ing you stress levels.
Increase Your Active Listening Skills
I
t has been said that
we only remember
24% of what we
hear. So how can we
help retain the remain-
ing 76%?
Note Taking
By taking brief notes
during a lecture, your
attention and focus are
kept on the instructor
at all times.
Additionally, these
notes serve as an excel-
lent study tool for ex-
ams.
Listening
with
Anticipation
Following the
flow of ideas
(Continued on page 2)
Volume 1, Issue 1
Office Administration
Executive Level
Sheridan CollegeSheridan College
Office AdministrationOffice Administration
Executive ProgramExecutive Program
Succeeding in Your First YearSucceeding in Your First Year
Author: Dorothy Baker
Author: Dorothy Baker
Inside this Issue:
Succeeding in Your First Year
Increase Your Active Listening
Skills
Food For Thought
Tips For Success
Develop good homework habits
Maintain a healthy homework/life
balance
Take competent notes during
lectures
Practice good eating habits

2. Office Administration—Executive Level - Vol. 1 Issue 1
from your instructor’s lecture will
help guide your note taking and focus
your thoughts.
Consider the
Material
You are
unlikely to
watch a movie
without first
seeing the pre-
view. Similarly, reviewing
the material before a
lecture will help build your
interest for the subject matter and
further help to hold your attention.
Help increase your
academic achievements by
increasing your active
listening skills.
(Continued from page 1)
food choices do we have on cam-
pus?
An Apple a Day!
It is said that eat-
ing an apple in
the morning can
provide the same
‘pick-me-up’ energy boost as a
cup of coffee. So reach for the
fruit, not the carafe.
Greens & Grains!
Green foods provide energy and
much needed fibre. Therefore,
pairing your greens with a whole
grain, will sustain your energy
throughout the day. Whole grain
cereals and green salads can be
purchased at the Marketplace on
the lower level of the B wing.
Tim’s coffee a danish, and
maybe pizza for lunch. Sounds
tasty! But will it sustain your en-
ergy throughout the day? With
class lectures of up to 3 hours
long we needs to be sure our bod-
ies and minds are fed with energy
rich foods. What types of healthy
So the next time you reach for
that coffee and donut,
ask yourself: ‘will
these foods really sus-
tain my energy?’
Food For Thought!
instructor and the material being
taught. Remember, we have paid
good money for the material being
discussed, and we want to get the
most out it.
*For more on how to increase your
active listening skills see article
‘Increase Your Active Listening
Skills’, page 1.
Extra Research
Perform extra research on
major subjects. Don’t be
satisfied with doing the
bare minimum. Put your
textbooks to good use.
When your instructor as-
signs homework read the
material in the subsequent pages as
well.
(Continued from page 1)
Author: Dorothy Baker
‘...reviewing the
material before a
lecture will help build
your interest for the
subject matter...’