How to be a Good Student?

How to be a Good Student?

Being a student is difficult. There are so many uncertainties daily that some find it almost impossible to sit down and study. Here we have curated a list of 39 points that will surely propel you to greater academic standards.

Rely on systems, not motivation

Students who do well in school don’t wait until they’re in the mood to do a focused study session before they get down to work. Neither do they wait until they feel motivated before they start preparing for an exam? Instead, successful students rely on systems to ensure that they get the work done, even when they don’t feel like it.

Here’s how you can be more patient.

Review any new information you’ve learned on the same day

This daily review won’t take long to complete, but it’s a vital step that ensures you stay on top of the material.

Applying this tip will also help you to move the information to your long-term memory more quickly.

Write everything down

To be an effective student, write everything down.

Here’s how to become successful in life.

This includes homework to be completed, test and exam dates, project deadlines, competition dates, school and family events, etc. Don’t assume that you’ll be able to remember anything; write it all down to stay organised.

This tip might sound extreme, but life only gets busier as you get older. So this tip will serve you well for the rest of your life.

Here’s how you can focus on success.

Create a rough weekly schedule

It’s impossible to follow a schedule down to the minute, but it’s still helpful to create a schedule.

Write down your rough weekly schedule based on your recurring commitments, e.g. school, extracurricular activities, family and social events, religious activities.

Then block out regular time each week for homework and studying.

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Get rid of distractions before they become distractions

The biggest obstacle to doing well in school is distractions.

To overcome distractions, you can’t depend on willpower. Few of us have the willpower necessary to fight off all the distractions that surround us in this digital era.

Here’s what you need to do to be focused.

Here are some ways to eliminate distractions before they become distractions:

• Turn off notifications on your phone/tablet
• Delete all the apps that distract you
• Put your phone/tablet in another room before you start work
• Set a really, really long password to unlock your phone/tablet
• Restrict your Internet access
• Have only one tab open in your browser at any one time
• Find an accountability partner as you make these changes

Here’s how you can develop a winning attitude.

 Develop good posture

Good posture improves your mood and also enhances your memory and learning.

So sit up straight, pull your shoulders back, and lift up your chin – and you’ll perform better in school.

Here’s how you can motivate yoursel

Don’t multitask

It’s a fact: There’s no such thing as multitasking.

Whenever you’re multitasking, you’re actually just switching between tasks. This reduces your studying efficiency.

So don’t multitask when you’re studying or doing your homework. Instead, focus on one task at a time, and you’ll find that you’ll get more done in less time.

Here’s how you can be innovative.

Cultivate the belief that intelligence isn’t a fixed trait

Research has proven that students who believe that they can become smarter actually do become smarter.

Belief is that powerful.

In other words, intelligence is a trait that you can develop over time.

Don’t ever label yourself as “dumb” or “not academically inclined”, because with the right mindset you can become more intelligent.

Here’s what you need to do to achieve success in life.

Work in short blocks of time

I’ve found that most students can’t maintain a high level of focus for more than 45 minutes at a go.

As such, I generally recommend working in 30- to 45-minute blocks, followed by a 5- to 10-minute break.

Working in shorter blocks of time is more effective for the majority of students, rather than struggling to focus for a couple of hours straight.

Here’s what you should do to be self-disciplined.

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise helps you to remember information better, enhances your concentration, and makes you more creative. This is in addition to the other health benefits of exercise.

What does this mean for students who want to be successful in school? Make exercise a fixed part of your weekly routine. Exercise three to four times a week, for at least 20 to 30 minutes each time.

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Be organised

Students who aren’t organised end up wasting precious time looking for items or notes, or doing last-minute work they forgot about.

Here are some ways to become more organised:

• Set a daily reminder to check if there’s any homework due the following day
• Set reminders to start preparing for tests and exams
• Use the MyStudyLife app
• Use a planner or Google Calendar
• Clear your desk at the end of every day
• Use an app like Google Keep to do a “brain dump”

Break big tasks into smaller ones

Big tasks seem complicated and overwhelming, which is why many students procrastinate.

Break every big task down into smaller tasks. For instance, instead of deciding to work on your history paper, you might break the task down into smaller tasks. When you work on the history paper, focus on completing one task at a time. This will make it less likely that you’ll procrastinate.

Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night

Students who perform well are effective learners. As the research shows, sleep is a vital part of becoming an effective learner.

Sleep boosts memory and enhances learning. So go to bed at roughly the same time every day, and make it a priority to get 8 hours of sleep a night.

If you do this, I’m sure you’ll see an improvement in your academic performance.

Create a conducive studying environment

Here are some tips to do this:

• Tidy your desk daily
• Ensure that you have all the stationery, notebooks, etc. that you need
• Ensure that the lighting in the room is suitable
• Use earplugs to block out noise if necessary
• Put up one or two motivational quotes at your study area
• Get a comfortable chair
• Remove all distractions from the room

Keep track of important dates, deadlines, etc.

This is related to the 3rd tip, but it’s more specific.

I’ve worked with many students who try to keep track of important dates by storing them in their brains.

Needless to say, these students occasionally forget about upcoming tests or deadlines. This results in panic – and low-quality work too.

Use Google Calendar or Google Keep (an old-fashioned planner works too) to keep track of important dates, and you’ll become a more effective student.

Take notes during class

I’m always surprised by how many students tell me that they don’t take notes in class.

It’s important to take notes in class because it helps you to pay attention and to learn the concepts better.

Ask lots of questions

Asking your friends and teachers questions about what you’re learning is a great way to stay engaged. It also ensures that you understand the new material.

Don’t be afraid of asking silly questions. Besides, if you pay attention in class, your questions will likely be logical and insightful.

Eat healthily

Research shows that the better your nutrition, the better your brain function.

And the better your brain function, the better your performance in school.

Do consistent work

Don’t do last-minute work, and don’t cram for exams.

Easier said than done, I know.

But if you do consistent work, you won’t even need to study that hard for your final exams.

Manage your thoughts and emotions

Students who lose focus or motivation are typically discouraged. They’re often discouraged because they feel as if they won’t do well academically, so they lose hope.

Take a few minutes to prepare for each class

Preparing for class is something I encourage every student to do. Every night, think about the classes that you’ll be having the following day in school.

Take a few minutes to skim the textbook or notes, so that you’ll be familiar with what your teacher will cover the next day. In addition, do a quick recap of the previous topic, because the new topic will likely build on what you’ve already learned.

This process won’t take long, but it will pay off in the long run.

 Give yourself rewards

To keep yourself motivated, give yourself small rewards whenever possible.

For example, you might decide that after 45 minutes of work, you’ll reward yourself with a 5-minute YouTube video.

Or if you enjoy exercising, you might decide that after you finish your math and science homework, you’ll get to do a 30-minute workout.

Rewards are a simple way to encourage you to get to work, even when you don’t feel like it.

Manage your stress

Students who don’t manage their stress well are more likely to experience performance anxiety and get worse grades.

Do and submit your homework on time

Make it a non-negotiable to submit your homework on time, and give a good effort for each assignment.

This is the foundation of doing well in school.

Challenge yourself

Taking it one step further, don’t just do the assigned homework.

Challenge yourself and do extra questions that require deep thinking. Look for online resources. Learn information that’s outside the syllabus.

This will help you to see the wonder and beauty in all that you’re learning. You’ll also be reminded that getting better is its own reward.

Make time to relax

Doing well in school isn’t about getting good grades and outperforming your classmates. It’s about leading a balanced life that’s focused on contributing to others.

To lead a balanced life, it’s important to set aside time for relaxation.

Block out time for relaxation in your weekly schedule to ensure that you don’t burn out.

Be consistent about your study time

This is a follow-up to 4th Tip. In addition to having a regular weekly schedule that you stick to, it’s important to be consistent about your study time.

The more consistent you are, the less likely it is that you’ll need to feel “inspired” to get down to work.

Have a specific plan or objective for each study session

Many students share with me that their mindset toward studying is that they’ll “study hard”. This might sound good, but it actually means that they don’t have a specific objective or plan.

This isn’t the way effective students approach academics.

For each study session, set a clear objective as to what you intend to achieve. This might be to read through a set of notes thoroughly or complete 30 multiple-choice questions.

Test yourself periodically

Don’t assume that just because you’ve read the notes and looked through some examples that you understand the material well.

For all you know, you might have been daydreaming during those study sessions.

What else should you do?

Test yourself periodically. Do plenty of practice questions and keep a list of the mistakes you’ve made, so that you won’t repeat those mistakes in the exam.

Take practice exams under exam conditions

It isn’t practical to do too many practise exams under exam conditions because it’s time-consuming.

But before every exam, I recommend that you do at least two to three practice exams under exam conditions.

This will help you to prepare adequately and will train you to deal with the time pressure of the exam too.

Start studying for tests at least one to two weeks in advance

Cramming for tests is always a bad idea.

I recommend that you set a reminder on your phone (or make a note in your planner) one to two weeks before every scheduled test so that you’ll start preparing for the test.

For big exams, I recommend that you start studying four weeks in advance or more.

Find ways to help others and contribute

Students often lose motivation when they focus too much on achievement and too little on contribution.

After all, the aim of education is to become equipped with skills and knowledge so that you can help others.

When students lose sight of this, they sometimes feel as if the school is meaningless.

To keep things in perspective, find simple ways to contribute in your capacity as a student, e.g. volunteering, fundraising, solving problems in your school, serving the underprivileged.

Develop a sense of purpose

Few students can maintain a consistent level of concentration and drive if they lack a sense of purpose.

If students feel as if their school life is just about striving to get straight A’s, they will likely run out of steam.

Don’t blame others

The key to developing resilience is to take full responsibility for your life. This means that you refuse to blame others for anything that’s going on in your life.

No blaming your teachers, parents or friends. No blaming the school principal or the government. No playing the victim.

When you take this approach toward your student life, you’ll see that there’s always something you can do to improve the situation.

Hang out with people who are motivated and focused

No matter how much we’d like to think that we’re immune to peer pressure, we’re most definitely not.

Do you hang out with people who are pessimistic? Are they always complaining? Do they pursue excellence, or do they try to find shortcuts?

Spend time with people who are positive, motivated, focused, kind, generous and hardworking. You’ll find yourself developing those traits as the days and weeks go by.

Analyse the mistakes you make in tests and exams

It might not be a pleasant experience, but I encourage you to go through every mistake you make in tests and exams.

Analyse why you made each mistake. Ask yourself questions such as:

• Was the mistake due to carelessness?
• Did I forget a key fact?
• Did I have a poor understanding of a certain concept?
• How can I make certain that I won’t repeat the mistake?
• What do I need to do to be better prepared for future tests?

This analysis will help you to make continual progress in your academics.

Pre-commit to specific behaviours and habits

Pre-commitment is a strategy in which you commit in advance to certain desirable behaviours. This way, you won’t be tempted to do otherwise in the future.

Keep a “done” list

Just as important as keeping a to-do list is keeping a “done” list.

Write down all the things you’ve accomplished at the end of each day. This will help to remind you that you’ve indeed been productive, even if you don’t feel so.

In the long run, keeping a “done” list will help you to stay positive and motivated.

Don’t try to remember to do things; make it impossible to forget

• Homework
• Projects
• Studying for tests
• Bringing your textbook to school
• Bringing your water bottle to school
• Bringing your calculator into the exam hall for a math exam

The list goes on.

To be successful in school, don’t just try to remember to do these things. Rather, make it impossible to forget to do these things.

There’s a huge difference between these two approaches.

To make it impossible to forget to do something, you might need to stick a Post-it note on the front door. Or set an alarm (or two alarms). Or create a daily reminder to check your calendar or planner.

As you adopt this approach, you’ll become a more reliable and effective student!

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