How to Study Effectively

Many high-school and college students have a hard time studying effectively. Notice that I said "effectively" because many students study but it is not necessarily effective studying. Some students do not even know how to begin studying, they are smart so they never had to study, but they hit a wall when they get to college where the curriculum is more difficult. So here are a few tips and pointers to get you started or to help you be more effective in your studies.

Set aside time to study! Make sure you have time where you will not be in a hurry. It is really important to have time set aside for your studying specifically. Write the time that you choose on your calendar or put it in your phone calendar, whichever calendar you use the most or both if you need it. Having this time set aside already will relieve some of the stress and pressure. Depending on the type of test or exam you are studying for, you might need to set aside a few times before the exam. Trying to cram as much as you can into your head the night before the exam will not have the best results. Staying up late and studying the night before the exam does not help you because people who get good rest before an exam tend to do better.

As mentioned above: Get good sleep! This is a difficult task sometimes because college lives are so hectic. Trying to fit in studying, a social life, maybe a boyfriend or girlfriend, and not to mention the classes themselves which take time, it gets crazy. You might have to turn down a movie with your friends to get the sleep you need but the difference will show in your grade and overall GPA. It is worth it, especially if your college life depends on scholarships that are affected by your grades. Do not let the lack of sleep affect your grades, get good rest throughout the week. If you have to stay up, do it on the weekends.

Study in spurts. For some people it is easier to learn in small bits. You can aside 15 minute chunks throughout your day to just read over your notes or study your book. Study in between classes while you are waiting for the professor to show up. Even during commercial breaks, just turn the TV on mute and read a couple of quick pages.

Highlighting is also a way to effectively study. Highlighting points out different things in your mind. It is also easier to find those notes quicker when you want to go over it again. So when you are doing your regular reading for a class, highlight what you think is important (if you plan on selling the book after then just take notes on what you think will be important on the next test).

These tips and pointers have been personally tested and are sure to help. Whether it is a regular test, mid-term, or your final, make sure to stay calm and do not stress out because that can affect your ability to remember what you studied. Good luck on your test!