Who likes to study? I certainly never did. I love to learn, but the act of sitting down in front of a book was never easy for me. At some point I decided I wanted to get better at it and I decided to collect all the information and tips I could to improve my studying and get better grades. In this article I would like to share 5 habits that I developed to study better with you.
1. Maintain a good relationship with your teachers
I'm not talking about being a teacher's pet (though there's no harm in it), I'm talking about being able to talk with your teacher like two adults and discussing the material and upcoming tests. I've often gotten great tips from my teachers on what to study and what not to study just because I got along with them well. And even though teachers aren't supposed to favour students that they like, they sometimes do which means they might cut you some slack when your answer on a test isn't completely the right one.
2. Study small chunks in short sessions
Your brain can't handle that much information at a time and it needs time to form long term memories. That's why I always make a point of breaking the material up in to small chunks and studying them in short sessions. The duration of your studying makes less of a difference then the frequency of it. Small chunks make it easier to repeat learning the same information too. When you're not studying, make sure you really take a break. Go and exercise a little for example. This helps you keep active which will help you study better.
3. Study with others, too
Don't do this all the time but it can really make a difference to get together with classmates every now and then to discuss the material. They might understand something that you don't and vice versa. Also, explaining a subject to somebody really improves your understanding of that subject. Be careful not to get confused when a classmate has a different view on some of the material, go with what the book and your gut says.
4. Schedule your studying
As soon as you know a test is coming up, make a schedule of when you're going to study for it. Don't start too late with studying, you'll just end up cramming the information in your head and you probably won't remember much of it after the test. Making schedules is also important because often you'll have multiple exams coming up which means you'll have to plan well to study well for all of them.
5. Eat well
Studying takes up a lot of energy so you'll need the right fuel to keep going. Don't eat the kind of snacks that give you a sudden energy rush, eat foods that contain slow release carbohydrates. These are for instance fruits, vegetables and wholegrain products. Some vegetables can make great snacks, consider cherry tomatoes for instance. Make sure to stay hydrated as well. Water is the best, since soft drinks usually contain fast release carbohydrates so you may want to avoid those.
Summary
If you're having trouble studying, it is possible to improve. Like I said, I use to be very bad at it but changed a lot. Incorporate these five habits and you'll do a lot better already. Still need help? There are also courses out there that will teach you step by step how to study better. Check out this review of Get Better Grades With The Least Amount Of Effort for instance. Good luck!
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Plants are shaped by cultivation and men by education. .. We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment. Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given us by education.
(Jean Jacques Rousseau, Emile, On Philosophy of Education)
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