Whether it's for pride or because you want to enroll in college or perhaps take a technical training course, it's important to study to get good grades. A good academic performance not only indicates that you are a bright and intelligent pupil, it also shows that you study hard, know your subjects and are mature. However, it requires effort and commitment. You have to organize and apply yourself constantly so as not to be left behind with homework and finish your path with flying colors.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Get organized
Step 1. Prepare the environment in which to study
If you want to get high marks, you will first need a quiet and peaceful place. Think of it as your "lonely stronghold". The suitable space will entice you to apply yourself on the books.
- It could be your bedroom, a corner of the library, a coffee table in your favorite coffee shop or your home study. The place does not matter: the important thing is that you feel comfortable and can concentrate.
- Make sure you study in a distraction-free place. If you are tempted to browse the Internet, make sure your computer is not connected. If you are disturbed by noise, find a secluded and quiet space.
- Try to equip it with various comforts. If you are indoors, use an ergonomic chair. Plants also contribute to making it more peaceful and welcoming.
Step 2. Establish a routine that allows you to study
For best results, many students follow a weekly plan. It is not necessary to spend many hours on books. You can schedule 3-4 study sessions per week. It all depends on your needs.
- Spread out your study hours over the course of the week. This will give you more time to assimilate and review the concepts. As some research claims, the important thing is to study regularly to avoid unnecessarily slaughtering yourself on books at the last minute.
- Another key point is to stick to this routine. The weekly plan is not only aimed at learning, but also allows you to integrate studying into your daily life. This way you will learn to get into the right state of mind and focus when you have to apply yourself on the books.
- Make sure you have a clear goal for each study session. For example, on Sunday evening you can review the lessons of the previous week; on Tuesdays study Italian and the mathematics concepts explained in class; on Thursdays review new history and biology topics. Establish everything you will need to accomplish in each session so you don't lose focus.
Step 3. Go to school regularly
It is probably the most important thing to get high grades. Whenever you are absent you risk being left behind with notes, explanations, homework and study in general. These are all opportunities to improve, so don't miss them: you will not be able to fully recover what you have lost.
- School must be your top priority. Get out of bed every morning and don't be absent. Of course, don't skip any lessons.
- School attendance has undoubted advantages. Classroom lessons are usually a supplement to the notions found in textbooks. Professors can present a topic in a different light, use other examples, or show new points of view that improve understanding of a concept.
- Realize that you will have less difficulty studying if you pay attention in class. By listening to the explanation of a topic you will already have a first smattering and can reduce the overall time you need to deepen it at home.
- If you miss a lesson or two, ask your teacher to find out what he explained. You can also ask a partner to help you retrieve or consult their notes, if they allow you to.
- However, remember that it is better to take notes by yourself rather than borrowing notes from a mate. In fact, according to research, students who use lent notes perform less than those who regularly attend school and follow explanations.
Step 4. Organize the material and check
Disorganization is a huge obstacle. Some people can remember each day's check, homework, deadlines, and individual subjects, but most of us don't have this ability. Try to create a system that allows you to keep everything under control, whether it is using a diary, files, binders or an archive.
- Notebooks are useful for taking notes. You can buy one for each subject, so you can easily separate and find your notes. If they are of different colors you will also have less difficulty in distinguishing the subjects.
- Binders allow you to be even more organized. For example, you can divide them into various sections: one for explanations, another for finished homework and another for exams and classwork. Some have pockets that you can put your notebook in as well. Once again, you should have a binder for each subject, each in a different color.
- The diary allows you to keep track of the final timetable of the subjects, the checks, the assignments in the classroom and the deadlines. There are several types. Some have a few lines to write. However, if you need a more structured one, choose one that allows you to organize yourself on a daily basis, hour by hour.
Step 5. Manage your time well
To study seriously and effectively you must learn to manage your time and, consequently, allocate a part of it to the organization and another to learning. This way you will be able to improve your grades.
- Establish your priorities. You need to prioritize school and study if you want to improve your performance. For example, you could list things to do every day, or even every week or month. Start with the most pressing tasks and then add the rest in order of priority.
- Plan your time. Use an agenda to organize all your schedule. Try to put the most urgent things first and finish it when you have fewer interruptions. Alternatively, you can allocate the most challenging activities to times when you have the most energy.
- Eliminate distractions. Avoid anything that distracts your attention, be it noise, email, phone or computer. Divide your work into smaller chunks if you can keep your focus that way - give yourself a reward every time you hit a milestone.
- Avoid doing multiple things at the same time. You will probably be convinced that you are a "multitasking" ace. However, science suggests otherwise. People who work this way actually make more mistakes, forget all the time, and take longer to complete a task. This happens because it disperses the concentration between various activities, subtracting it from the most important commitments.
- Start with the most complex projects. It is also important to know how to manage over a longer period of time. Many students make the mistake of putting things off at the last minute and then beating themselves up with work and getting poor grades.
Step 6. Create a study group
It could be a great strategy. After all, isn't it said that "two heads work better than one"? First, it can be useful when a concept is unclear. In addition, teamwork allows you to assimilate concepts faster.
- Studying in a group is useful when all members are seriously committed. However, its usefulness diminishes when dedication and organization are lacking.
- Try to get the group together regularly. Make sure you involve friends and peers. Each member should make a meaningful contribution, not just answer the simplest questions. It is important that each can count on the cooperation of the other.
Part 2 of 3: Study Seriously
Step 1. Learn to take notes
In order to study and review, you need to take notes in class. We usually forget things easily. According to some studies, without verification, we forget 47% of a content within 20 minutes. After a day we forget 62% of them. What you write down during a class explanation can therefore affect the results of an exam, an assignment and a question. It also helps you to listen carefully to the lesson.
- It is not necessary to write down everything the teachers say or explain. Try to condense the essential points. Learn to recognize the most important information. Hear key words and concepts. Usually everything the teacher repeats or writes on the blackboard is relevant.
- Notes should consist of short sentences or passages, not long paragraphs. Focus on the essential rather than the trappings and don't forget to reread what you wrote and fill in the gaps.
- Try to write down the main points related to facts, details and explanations. Include the most important definitions, word for word, if they are provided. Again, everything that is repeated and that you read on the whiteboard or on slides is essential, so don't hesitate to put it in your notes.
- Review and edit your notes within 24 hours. Highlight anything you can't read or don't understand by writing the questions in the margin. Try to fill in the gaps by comparing your notes with textbooks. If you still have some unresolved doubts, next time ask the professor to repeat what he said.
- Write by hand instead of using the computer. Using a pen and paper you will be forced to listen, summarize and identify the most important information. In other words, actively reflect on what the teacher is saying. According to some research, those who take notes by hand memorize information better than those who use computers.
Step 2. Commit
In addition to attending school, the most important thing that allows you to get good grades is to have the constancy to study. This is where notes come into play: analyze them, rewrite them, synthesize them and rework them. Find a method that helps you assimilate the concepts.
- Try creating an outline and rewriting your notes. While on the one hand you will benefit from re-reading what you have written, on the other, by adopting a more active strategy, you will be induced to reflect on the concepts and rework the explanations. Express yourself in your own words. Also, if you speak aloud as you write, you can put another part of the brain into action.
- It uses mnemonic devices and techniques, such as puns and rhymes, to recall concepts and notions. Primary school children, for example, use this acronym to remember the partition of the Italian Alps: "But with great pain brings them down" (MA designates the Maritime Alps, CO the Cottian Alps, GRA the Graian Alps, PE for the Alps Pennine, LE means Lepontine Alps, RE Rhaetian Alps, CA Carnic Alps, NO Noric Alps and GIU Giulie Alps). You could do the same by making up a song.
Step 3. Finish homework
Don't neglect them. Remember that the teachers' assessment is mainly based on the work done at home. Even if you have been awarded several, failure to comply could lower your grade by 3, 4 or 5%. The difference between a 5 ½ and a 6 can be decisive at the end of the quarter.
- Organized. Make sure you journal your check and deadlines.
- Schedule home study by prioritizing the most pressing tasks. For example, if studying math takes a lot of time, take the time to do the assigned exercises correctly.
Step 4. Give yourself some rewards
Studying is difficult. To make it easier for you, try to stay motivated by taking breaks and treating yourself to small rewards. They will help you work and strengthen your study habits.
- You can divide the afternoon into various time intervals, making a break of 15 minutes every hour. Use breaks to daydream, check email, or get some fresh air.
- You can treat yourself to other rewards. Do you like cookies? Promise yourself that you will eat one after dinner if you can finish your math problems. Alternatively, play half an hour on the computer for each biology chapter you can review.
Part 3 of 3: Improving Commitment Outside the Classroom
Step 1. Don't be afraid to ask for help
Aim to be proactive in and out of the classroom. Professors are usually happy to lend a hand to students who ask for their help and often set aside some time to clear up any doubts about concepts, assignments or projects.
- Ask the teachers your questions before or after class, for example when you meet them in the hallway and they are not busy with other students.
- Find out if they have an office hours and write it down in your diary. If you have any questions or would like help in understanding a concept better, reach out to them.
Step 2. Lead a balanced life outside of school
Keep in mind that studying is not the only way to have a good academic performance. It is important to have balance in life, otherwise it becomes much more difficult to concentrate and study. Remember that you are not a machine, but a person with physical and emotional needs.
- Eat right and train. Good nutrition and physical activity not only keep you healthy, but mentally prepare you for learning.
- Sleep is another important element for personal well-being and balance. We need sleep to maintain mental performance. So if you can, try to rest at least 8 hours a day. Avoid activities, foods, or drinks that keep you up late, and set regular times for going to bed and getting up in the morning.
- Too much work can lead to stress, anxiety, and sometimes depression. Go out, see your friends and socialize. Be with your family and the people you love. Find ways to reduce stress.
- Get involved in some extracurricular activity. While it's best not to overload yourself with commitments, you can socialize and meet new people by playing a sport, doing theater, or attending a club.
Step 3. Set goals
Studying and getting good grades is just the beginning. What do you need this hard work for? Reflect on your future and set goals. Be specific and ambitious - your determination will strengthen your study habits and keep you on track.
- You don't have to set exaggerated goals. You just need to pass the next exam or go well with the end-of-term questions. Plus, you'll have something to work on right now. Among other short-term goals you might consider enrolling in a summer course or gaining the skills needed to become one of the best in your Latin class.
- Long-term goals could include the degree program you would like to enroll in, the one you would like to study in the future, or even the professional career you would like to pursue.
Step 4. Learn to deal with failures productively
There is a big difference between being a successful person and a perfectionist. Perfectionists set high and unattainable goals and tend to judge themselves, mostly because they want to receive the approval of others. In fact, they are more anxious, depressed and prone to emotional disturbances. Therefore, learn about your limits and overcome obstacles.
- Sooner or later everyone has to face the adversities of life. Don't get discouraged. Don't think that a mistake is a personal failure.
- Try to see obstacles as an opportunity to grow and learn. If you got a bad grade on a math test, review it, take note of your shortcomings, and talk to your teacher about it. If you scored lower than you expected on a topic in class, ask the teacher how you can improve.
- Set yourself high but realistic standards. Nobody can be perfect in everything. Above all, remember that academic performance is measured in grades but that ultimately, the most important thing is to learn.
