It goes without saying that studying at high school implies finding the appropriate balance between concentration, comprehension, retention and even some kind of relaxation. Accordingly, it requires plenty of your energy and time. Whether you need to study for a particular test/exam or would like to learn how to study long-term and retain necessary information throughout the semester, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll consider how to study better by helping you change your daily and long-term study habits, as well as give you the best high school study recommendations to manage your study time and stay focused while being at high school.
1. Manage Your Time in an Efficient and Timely Manner
Proper time management is critical to academic success. High school students have to prioritize their assignments, avoid any procrastination, and use their time wisely. Additionally, students should plan ahead and allocate certain time for each school task.
2. Make Use of Active Learning Systems
For a start, active learning methods are more effective than passive learning methods. Therefore, students should incorporate such learning techniques, namely summarizing, note-taking, questioning, and group discussions into their study sessions. This also includes the use of Internet learning resources such as Anki Pro.
With the help of virtual flashcards, you can easily remember not only words in a foreign language but also prepare for the upcoming exam. These techniques help students better understand and remember the material.
3. Practice Good Hygiene While Studying
It comes as no secret that good hygiene while studying is a proper separation between school work and rest. This actually assist you in focusing on the tasks you need to do, while little stress and anxiety in the rest of your future life.
First of all, you should make sure that you are not studying in bed or on a bed. The point is that studying in sleeping areas constitutes the very definition of NOT maintaining a good separation between work and play. This most often leads to increased stress levels and insomnia. This can ultimately reduce your concentration and ability to learn in the long run.
4. Take Breaks
It is particularly remarkable that breaks are essential for effective learning. Students should schedule short hourly breaks or so to avoid unnecessary burnout and improve concentration. During breaks, students can stretch, take a walk, listen to music, or engage in relaxing activities. It is essential to avoid activities that may distract them from their studies, such as watching TV or playing computer games.
5. Teach the Study Material to Someone Else
In fact, teaching other people is a marvelous way to express your thoughts and summarize the information you’ve been learning. Besides, it shows that you learned more about the material than you can probably think. Try to find a trustworthy study buddy, or a patient friend, or a sibling, or even just an action figure or a pet, and explain the material to them as if they were really hearing and comprehending about it for the first time.
Whether the student you’re working with is real or not, the process of teaching school material out loud to another one requires you to reframe the information and think more attentively about how all the elements match together.
6. Reward Yourself
To make studying school subjects a little more engrossing, give yourself a reward when you reach a certain milestone in your high school studies. For instance, allow yourself to eat candy for every 25 AnkiPro flashcards you test yourself on, or for every two paragraphs you read in your textbook. Besides, give yourself extra time of watching a movie or playing computer entertainment for every page you study from your class book.
7. Pack Your School Equipment the Night Before the Exam
Whatever you need, pack it the night before. This small action will assist you in relaxing and falling asleep. Moreover, it will ensure that you don’t leave anything essential behind in the morning rush to get out the door. So, take pencils, a calculator and note paper with you. By the way, you can lay out your shoes and clothes for the next day. Simply put, prepare everything you need to reduce any unpleasant stress and allow you to have a rest the night before the important day.
8. Set Goals
It’s important to note that setting right goals helps people stay motivated and focused on their studies. Students should set realistic and achievable aims, such as improving their grades in a certain subject or mastering a certain topic. Additionally, students should track their progress and reward themselves when they achieve their goals.
9. Get Enough Sleep
Adequate sleep is vital for academic performance. Students should aim to get at least eight hours of sleep each night. It’s a must. The thing is that beauty sleep helps the brain consolidate information and improves concentration, memory and cognitive function.
10. Take a Walk
Even small exercises can improve your physical and emotional state, energy and concentration. If you have a chance, take a walk with your kith and kin or do some quick cardio exercise ten to twenty minutes before the exam.
11. Stay Organized
As a matter of fact, organization is essential for effective learning. Students should ensure that their notes, textbooks and assignments are neatly organized. Additionally, students should create a to-do list and prioritize their tasks.
12. Stick to a Set Schedule
What matters here is that your brain builds pathways and habits over time. That is why learning is about building mental muscles and endurance. To put it in a nutshell, getting into the habit of studying over time will assist you in improving your concentration and mental stamina. So, your ability to learn only improves with precious time and effort.
13. Find the Right Learning Environment
A suitable learning environment is essential for effective learning. Students should find a quiet, well-lit, and convenient place to study at a high school. What’s more, students should eliminate any distractions such as smartphones, modern televisions, and omnipresent social media. It is also vital to have all the necessary study equipment such as textbooks, notes and tablets in one place.
14. Rewrite or Paraphrase the School Material in Your Own Words
Generally speaking, it can be quite easy to get lost in a schoolbook and look back at the page only to figure out that you don’t remember what you just read. So, try to pause at the end of a section and rephrase it in your own words. Whether you pick up to simply summarize out loud or write down information, changing the wording of your text is a fascinating learning tool.
15. Ask for Help
Remember that asking for help is critical to academic success. Students should not be afraid to look for special help from their teachers, tutors, or classmates if they are having trouble with a particular subject. Additionally, students can join study groups or seek academic advising if they need additional help.
