Are you studying or are you looking at your notes thinking of everything else you would rather be doing? There are effective and ineffective methods of studying, you just have to find out what works best for you. Below are a few helpful tips to help you improve your study habits.
Getting started:
- Be organized – have notes that are easy to follow
- Dedicate time without distractions (NO TEXTING OR SOCIAL MEDIA)
- Get adequate sleep/food to help focus
- Resist temptation for unnecessary breaks
Studying on your own:
- Alternate study locations to help improve retention if you find yourself easily distracted. Try the library, your room, a coffee shop, a quiet place outside
- Use notecards to create repetition to increase memorization of important/key information
- Rewrite notes to help relearn and refresh your memory of the material
- Record lectures to help revisit information you may have missed the first time
Studying in a group:
- Try to keep the number in the group at 4 or fewer to avoid conversations/distractions
- Know what you feel knowledgeable about - offer a different perspective of the material to make it easily understood
- Ask questions - now is your chance to gain insight from the group in regards to missed notes or questions about the material
- Avoid cramming/procrastination – study groups are set for a particular date and time and usually not the last minute
- Still study on your own – now that you know that you have all the correct information, review
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Good study habits begin with being attentive and having good notes. Although cramming the night before sounds very tempting, studying little by little over time helps with remembering more information than a 1-night cram session. Defining a disciplined study regime that works for you, in middle and high school, will help you in your transition to studying for college rigor.