Study Tips for Students

Our four-year high school journey is full of wonderful memories and fun events that will be kept close to the heart forever.  Along with the good, however, there is also the bad and sometimes ugly. This can include waking up early, being at school all day, homework, stressing about grades, relationships, and more, but there are solutions to these problems. 

One of the problems that seems the most difficult is stressing about grades. 

Many students struggle when it comes to studying for tests. They often get distracted easily, simply can’t remember the information they need to know, or struggle to find the time needed. 

Senior Zoe Santiago comments, “I have bad time management skills. It’s hard to manage family events, school and extracurricular activities.”

 However, there are many things to do to work on improving your  studying and your memory. According to Topuniversities.com, below are some study strategies that have been proven to help. 

• Organize your study space. Be sure you have enough space to spread out your books and supplies you will be using to study. In your study space, be sure to remove any distractions from the area. When organizing your space, think about the environment you work best in. 
• Form study groups with friends. Studying with friends allows different ideas to be bounced off one another. You many have answers that your friends don’t and you friends may have answers that you don’t. As long as you stay on topic and focused, studying in a group is very effective.
• Be sure to take regular breaks. While some believe studying non stop until you know it all, this can often be counterproductive. Studies have proven that taking regular breaks in order to obtain a long-term retention of knowledge really helps. 
• Snack on brain foods. While it is much easier to eat junk food, what you are eating can strongly contribute to your energy and concentration levels. Keeping you body fueled with nutritious foods has proven to increase concentration and memory. You should also make sure to drink plenty of water. Being hydrated is an essential for your brain to perform at its best. 
• Give yourself enough time to study. It has been proven that those who space out their studying instead of cramming it all in at once have a better chance at remembering the information. Sit down and plan accordingly for which exams you need to study for.

Repetition does have benefits.  Toni McDowell, one of our AP teachers, shares, “I tell my students to read over their notes every day.  As they add material, they reread the notes from the day before and then read their new notes.  By the time they take the test, they do not need to cram because they have studied the material every day.

Hopefully these tips will help make studying easier and more successful for you.