The more fully we are immersed in something we are doing, the better we do it, and the more pleaseure it gives us. In learning, being immersed in something is to be engaged with it. Engagement is not simply a jolly good thing: it converts a chore into a hobby.
But I can no more insist that you engage with something than I can insist that you appreciate Beethoven’s Eroica symphony. Engagement has to come from within you: from finding something that feeds the stupid mind and silences the stupid brain. Engagement means to be finding the subject interesting and not threatening.
Engagement matters: be interested in what you are studying (exercise the smart mind) and avoid being threatened (silence the stupid brain).
- What to do in lectures: work along with the lecturer following their thinking. You are not a tape-recorder.
- What to do in seminars: work along with the other students and the tutor. Make sure you and your peers are making progress.
- How to use ListenAgain: make short, bullet-point notes as you listen to build your own picture of the lecture.
- Keep up: if you can keep up to date, then you will have no worries. Being organized doesn’t come naturally! Consciously plan ahead.
Progress matters: it is more important than grades. The smart mind thrives on progress – getting better at doing something. Progress means that more things can become interesting.