5 Study Tips For Students

If you go to college then you will know all about the headache that exam time can cause. If you are in summer school then you will have to cram even more in during a shorter time. You probably have your own study habits that work for you but that being said, there some universal rules that apply to everyone. Here are a few study tips for students. 

Sleep it off 

Being in college means a lot of late nights and a few early mornings as well and while you may be okay running off Red Bull for a while, it is a horrible way to help you study. You retain far less knowledge if you study while tired. You might think you don’t have time to sleep but the irony of the situation is that if you are exhausted you would learn so little that you would be better off sleeping anyway. So do your best to stay well rested.

Take a Break

If you are studying for an extended period of time then you need to take rest every hour or so. Your brain needs to refresh and recharge for a few minutes before you start again. To make it even more effective do some quick exercises to get the blood flowing in your head. The extra oxygen will wake you up and keep you going.

Work it Out

Speaking of doing quick exercises you should all do some longer ones as well. Working out regularly will also help keep your mind fresh. It stimulates endorphins and keeps you energized for longer periods of time. It will also help work out any exam stress you might have and on top of that it will help you sleep better thus being well rested for more studying. 

Use a Memory Device

A memory device is a great trick most people don’t take advantage of. Find something like gum or peppermints to chew on while you study. Your brain associates this action with the information you are learning. When it is time for your exam pop another piece of gum or candy in your mouth and it will trigger your brains association of that activity with what you studied.

Find Some Peace and Quiet Place

Last but not least find your happy place. Seriously though, find a place that is free from distractions where you can focus. Avoid the cool and hip coffee shops or trendy places. Go to the library or someplace at home. The most important thing you can do now is focus. Do all of this and good grades will follow.

Jeff Jordan lives and writes in Southern California. He writes about education, automobiles and real estate. These study tactics will be useful at a school like Trident University

Categories: College Life   Tags: study tips for students

5 Study Tips for Students - How to Improve Concentration

It can be a painful lesson for a student to learn in the first few months of college that the study habits they used in high school may not work for them at an institution of higher learning. The fact is, what is expected of a student is far different. Worksheets designed to improve memorization of facts are replaced by midterms and exams that require knowledge of concepts. Adapting one’s study habits to these new criteria can mean the difference between success and failure. Learning them in high school will give an advantage to the college-bound student

Tips for better study concentration

There are a variety of techniques that can be employed to increase concentration while studying and achieve better results.

Chunks of time

Create a list, preferably at the beginning of the week, of everything that needs to be accomplished and when exams will be held or projects due. Prioritize items and schedule time around them. Use an appointment book if necessary. Don’t skip a class when an exam is coming up because there could be a review session. Make sure to build in study breaks periodically.

Preview

Don’t get overwhelmed all at once by everything that needs to be known. Preview the material, note what is emphasized the most and what is still not understood. This should help focus on what is truly important. This is not a replacement for reading but should enhance it.

Study like a test

Some students will try to study while laying in bed or watching TV then are surprised when they feel stressed while trying to take a test in the formal environment of the classroom and can’t recall some of the information. When studying, try to recreate as much as possible a similar environment as the one where the test will be taken. The greater the similarity between settings the better the likelihood the material will be recalled during test time.

Don’t cram

Rather than wait until the night before a big test and trying to study all at once, review the material for an hour or two a day beginning about a week before the exam. Extend the amount of time studying as the test draws nearer. Information is more easily recalled if the learning is spread out over time. Trying to stay up late the night before a test will only leave the brain tired which actually inhibits the ability to concentrate.

Study with a group

Form or join a study group made of students from the same class. Helping others learn will reinforce the information and others from the group may present original ideas that would not have occurred to other students.

While any of these tips will help students concentrate better on studying, they should be modified to fit each individual’s circumstances. Nevertheless, improving study habits and increasing concentration will help take some of the dread out of exam time and lead to more success.

Author Bio: Christina Lloyd writes for a website about financial aid for students, including high school student grants and grants for graduate students. She believes it’s important for students to develop good study habits as early as possible in their education.

Categories: College Life   Tags: study tips for students, how to improve concentration