STUDYING 101

It's the end of September, which means that you have either taken one test or about to in the upcoming week. As horrible as it sounds, it's time to get back into or start studying. Developing study habits will be different for everyone, but there are general things to consider to make your time more effective.

1) Where should I study?

The location of where you study plays a huge role on how effective you will be. Some people like quiet surroundings such as libraries and coffee shops, while others like areas with background noise or prefer to listen to music. Where ever you choose to go, make sure that it will not make studying harder for you to do.

2) Should I study alone?

For the most part, it is less distracting when you study by yourself. However, studying with a friend can help you understand the material better, because by explaining the concepts and terms to another person you are learning it faster. If you know that being with a group of people will easily distract you, then it would be best to find a space to be to yourself and "go all out".

3) How do I get rid of distractions?

Most of us have cell phones and laptops that can easily distract us. The simplest advice anyone can give you is to take your cell phone or laptop and put it in a different room. As weird as it sounds, when I knew my cell phone was downstairs I wouldn't be tempted to walk all the way down to grab it, just to check instagram, snapchat, etc. If you do need to use your laptop while studying, I would suggest downloading the "Self Control" app. This app makes you unable to go on sites such as facebook, youtube, etc. for a certain amount of time that you select.

4) How should I study?

As you probably know, everyone learns and memorizes information differently, meaning that there isn't only one way to study. Think about the subject you are studying for. If you are studying math, you would need to memorize formulas and know how to use them, so practicing these formulas until you get it right would be the most effective. If you are studying history, then using cue cards to memorize the definitions would be more effective, as well as being able to fully explain the events that you need to know. Some people learn by re writing information down, reading information, speaking the information, or physically acting the information. Find what works for you and stick to it!

5) How long should I study?

Studying for long amounts of time is just as bad as studying for short amounts of time. Your brain needs breaks every now and then! If you are new to studying, I would suggest studying for thirty minutes straight then taking a five minute break, and repeating until you are satisfied. If you have been studying for a while but still haven't created a schedule that works for you, I would suggest studying for an hour straight then taking a twenty minute break, and repeating this until you are finished. Breaks give you the ability to free your mind for a while and then get back to your work with a fresh mind.

6) When should I study?

All throughout high school my goal was to start studying a week before the test or quiz. This gave me plenty of time to learn all the required material and review it before the test or quiz. It is almost guaranteed that if you wait the day before your test to start studying, it will not be enough time to learn everything that will be on that test, plus staying up until two in the morning is never a good idea. So make a study plan, and aim to cover a certain amount of information each day before the test.

I hope my advice has helped you! I know that studying isn't always fun, but try to see the bigger picture. Achieving a good mark on a test will contribute to your overall grade in that class, which done the line colleges and universities will look at. In other words, every test mark adds up... this may sound scary but just remember that you are given the opportunity to learn... which a lot of people aren't able to, so don't take advantage of it! Trust me when I say that getting back an A on a test feels amazing... it makes all the hard work worth it!

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if you have anymore questions or would like to talk personally, message me on instagram, or email me: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlys_campus/ & kimzavera28@gmail.com

new blog posts every thursday!

xoxo

kimberly

#highschool #study #studying