It's easy to fall behind in school, whether you're brilliant or not; there is a lot of work to do! To be a brilliant student, one who knows how to study and how to be successful, you have to start from day one. With the right study method and a few tricks up your sleeve, that student will be you.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparing for Success
Step 1. Organize the material
Whether there are two weeks to go to school or two weeks to end of school, organize your materials. That is your binders, notebooks, sheets and everything you need for each lesson. Being organized makes everything easier. Here are some suggestions:
- Buy small notebooks for each subject. On the cover of each one, write the program. Organize your homework and papers that teachers will give you in chronological order, if possible.
- Organize the material you need for each subject (highlighters, scissors, etc.). Each notebook should have a pen and a highlighter.
- Throw some things away! If your locker looks like it just suffered a hurricane, clean it! The less stuff you have to search for what you need, the more time you will have to do the most important things.
Step 2. Create your "study space"
Do you know why they never work in bed? Because if you work in bed, it will soon become a place to work and not to sleep; we associate activities with where we do them. Then create a home environment dedicated to study. When you go there, your mind will go into "study mode" because that is the only association it has with that place.
- Have you ever heard of context-dependent memory? It happens when memory finds it easier to remember things in the place where it learned them. So if you study in a certain environment, studying it again will make it easier to remember what you studied before!
- If you can, try to have more than one place to study: the library, a friend's house, etc. Research has shown that the more places you have to study, the more connections your brain makes and the easier it is to remember the things you study.
Step 3. Get the books as soon as possible
Most teachers give the list of books before the school year begins or as soon as school begins. Get the list and get the books. Then start browsing them to familiarize yourself with the way they are structured. Start by reading the first chapter, even if it isn't assigned to you.
If the teacher doesn't give you the list, ask for it! He will be positively impressed by your initiative and how seriously you take studying. You could become his favorite
Step 4. Ask for additional books as well
There are probably some texts that the teachers don't put on the list. These extra books could help you understand the subject better and have a more complete view.
This applies to everything from mathematics, to history, to art. There is always something more to read that can tell you more about a topic, regardless of what it is
Step 5. Talk to teachers about what they expect
Talk to them about their lessons. What do they give more importance to (participation, originality, reading, etc.)? What makes success easier? Do they give extra grades? Do they often work in groups? Will there be a lot of writing in the lessons? Knowing these things will make it easier to understand what they expect from you.
This way you will establish a relationship with the teacher right away. You will be the one who is interested in his grades and who tries to give his best. When the time for final grades is near and you are close to 10, the teacher will give you the benefit of the doubt because you are a good student and will give you 10
Part 2 of 4: Being on top every day
Step 1. Make notes fun and special
If you write down every word the teacher says, A) you will be bored to death and B) you will have too many notes to sort out when you get home. On the contrary, only take note of the most important things and make them fun! Here are some suggestions:
- Turn sentences into graphs or figures. Was Germany 60% Jewish in 1941? Make a pie chart. It will be easier to see it in the clipboard.
- Use mnemonics to help you remember things.
- Use highlighters. The more colors you use, the more fun your notes will be to read. Develop a color code to help you find material faster.
Step 2. Study the lesson the night before
Many students do not study the lesson at all or do it in the classroom while the teacher explains. Don't be that student! Whether you seem important or not, always prepare for the lesson. In the classroom you will always know what you are talking about when the teacher calls you.
If you don't know what the lesson is, check out the schedule. There is a reason why on the cover of the notebooks there is the program: there should be a list of lessons for home and when they should be done. A quick look and you will know exactly what to do
Step 3. Don't put off homework
If you want to understand them, do them completely and you will get the best possible grade; you can't do them in the morning on your way to school! When you get home, do your homework right away and finish it. Once finished, you can go watch TV, play video games and forget about it until the next morning.
If you take a long time to do a certain task, it probably means it's more challenging and important than usual. Do a little every day; this way it will be broken down and you won't feel overwhelmed
Step 4. Go to class every day; and be careful
Many teachers give points for just being there. Why give up on these points if the only thing you have to do is be there? Beyond this, some teachers also reward participation. Raise your hand, even if you don't know the answer; the teacher will appreciate your desire to give your best.
If the teacher thinks you are distracted, they may ask you a question and if you haven't been paying attention you won't know what to answer! Better to avoid these embarrassments, don't you think?
Step 5. Set goals
Everyone needs something to work for. If you don't have a purpose, you won't know what to commit to. To motivate yourself, choose concrete goals to achieve. Do you want a 10? An hour of study every night? A certain number of pages read during the week? It can be whatever keeps you going.
Talk to your parents about how they can help or reward you. If you get all ten, can you have that video game you want so much? Permission to come back later? You need all possible reasons
Step 6. Take reps if you need them
School is difficult, especially when you also have other things to do in your life. Sometimes even the smartest students need repetition. Talk to your teacher or your parents about taking repetitions to get better grades. Sometimes older students do it for free to get points.
You can also turn to your brother or sister or your parents for help if they are particularly good at certain subjects. Just make sure they don't distract you and actually help you get the job done
Part 3 of 4: Pass Test and Projects with flying colors
Step 1. Study in a group
Research has shown that students who work in groups of 3-4 (no more) perform better than those who work alone or in larger groups. Then find 2-3 friends and organize a study plan. It will be more fun than studying alone!
- Make sure the people you study with are good students who care about their studies. It would not be a good thing to study with people who just want to mess around during meetings.
- Have everyone bring something to eat and think of a few things to talk about. Make a quick plan of what you will do and appoint a supervisor each week to keep order.
- If it's Friday and you have a rehearsal on Monday morning, meet and question each other. Whoever answers correctly receives two points, whoever answers wrong loses one point. Whoever gets the most points has the right to choose a movie to watch!
Step 2. Start studying early
Whether it's a major test or just a project, the last thing you want to do is get it all done in a day or two before the deadline. Start working on it a week or two in advance to make sure you have enough time in case something goes wrong. Prevention is better than cure!
When a test approaches, you should study a little each day during the previous week. The more days you study, the more time your brain will have to remember things, and to make the connections in your brain stronger and more reliable
Step 3. Find out about additional grades
Many teachers pursue a policy of additional grades, you just have to do a little more work which will then be assessed along with the test or project. If you want additional grades, talk to the teacher.
The additional votes will also be counted in the vote at the end of the year. With extra credits you won't have any problems
Step 4. Avoid doing unnecessary full immersion of study
Doing so will only get you worse grades. Because? Your brain will malfunction if you don't get enough sleep; it will be impossible to remember anything after a night spent studying. So don't do it! If you really have to, study a little on the morning of the test.
Your body needs sleep (7/9 hours, depending on how one is used to it). Taking care of yourself is already a good way to be a good student! So don't go full immersion, go to sleep and have a healthy breakfast. Studies have shown that having a healthy breakfast provides energy to the brain and gets you better grades
Step 5. Take breaks more often than you think
To learn something, you think you have to study, study, study until you know it perfectly. Instead, it doesn't work like that; our brain literally sizzles. If you take breaks (10 minutes every hour), your attention will be increased. So when you're studying for a big exam, take breaks. You will get better results!
During the break, grab a handful of blueberries, walnuts, broccoli, or even dark chocolate to energize the brain. Munching on something gives you more energy if you feel a little tired
Step 6. Always carry your books with you
Do you know those ten minutes you spend every day waiting for the bus? The minutes before each lesson? They are small opportunities that you can use to study. Everything does! So take the material with you to take it out at any time.
Even better if you are with a friend and can study together. You can question each other. When you read and discuss things to study, they will remain more etched in your mind
Part 4 of 4: Being a Model Student
Step 1. Volunteer in your spare time
Nowadays you have to know how to do a little bit of everything, and volunteering is a great way to succeed in this endeavor. It will prove that you are not only an intelligent student, but also a good person. Here are some places to consider:
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Shelters for homeless, abused women or children
- Animal shelters
- Canteens
- Churches
Step 2. Engage in sports, theater, music or art
In addition to having good grades and volunteering, the ideal student is involved in extracurricular activities; sporting, theatrical, musical or artistic activity. This shows that you can do it all. A lot of guys can't!
You don't necessarily have to be good at all of these things. If you are a basketball star, take art classes. If you're in the school choir but can't play football, join a soccer team
Step 3. Join a group or club
Choose a group or club that deals with a topic that interests you. Is there a club that takes care of the environment? A creative writing group? Subscribe! You will demonstrate that you have an active role in the things that interest you.
It's easy to find ways to run small organizations. Saying that you are the "president" of something makes a certain impression
Step 4. Organize your curriculum to be diverse
This not only shows everyone that you have a lot of interests, but it is also a way to "unload". Imagine taking eight courses focused solely on math - you'd be done. Then mix core subjects like math and literature with interesting ones like history or robotics, then add fun ones like cooking or woodworking.
Step 5. If there are no extra activities in your school, start something yourself
Many small schools (but sometimes even large ones) lack certain activities, either because they have no funds or simply because they had not foreseen it. If you see that there is a lack in extracurricular activities that can be compensated for, talk to the manager. It will be very impressive that you have started a new business on your own. Here are some ideas:
- A school waste recycling program
- A theatrical or chess club
- A writing group
- A technology club
- Whatever comes to your mind!
Advice
- If you think you have some free time, don't waste it. Study in advance what you will do in class.
- Before you start studying, do some meditation to clear your mind.
- If you have major difficulties in a subject, take remedial lessons.
Warnings
- Don't suggest answers in a quiz or exam
- Do not copy
