Uplevel Your Studies by Adhith

Would you want school studies to rob your free time?

Most people would say no because they like to do other things like play video games or watch TV. But it’s proven that studying is a valuable skill that helps you beyond school and can assist you more than watching a screen.

 I knew someone who went to class without studying and got poor grades. Because grade requirements limited his opportunities, his future goals might be affected, as colleges and employers may overlook him due to weak academic performance. In contrast, I studied diligently, earned strong grades, and gained leadership roles in clubs, which opened opportunities and strengthened my intuition.

EBSCO, a research database company, asserts: “Study skills refer to a variety of techniques that aid individuals in organizing their learning processes, particularly in preparation for exams, assignments, and other assessments. These skills are crucial for academic success across all educational levels and are applicable in various contexts beyond school, influencing efficiency in personal and professional tasks.“

Various study methods exist, emphasizing organization, time management, and concentration; each individual may find distinct strategies effective based on their unique learning styles, such as visual, aural, or kinesthetic.

Notable brain coach Jim Kwik states: “The most successful people never graduate from learning, they just change classrooms.”

Many students don’t know how to study effectively, which is a common problem. I went into middle school trying to figure out how to study. Luckily, I figured it out by piecing together strategies I saw other people doing. But people around me were not prepared for the level of education they were about to experience. After tests, I would overhear people saying, “I didn’t study enough,” or, “I didn’t study well.”

GCU said, “Roughly half of our respondents (50.5%) said they spend, on average, less than two hours per day hitting the books.” 

When inside the exam room, it feels incredibly quiet, yet the shared stress makes the air thick. When the test ends, everyone leaves looking completely wiped out, as though they’ve just finished an exhausting race. Afterwards, people start sharing answers, frightened over potential errors, and feeling overwhelmed by doubt. Then the venting begins—complaints about the test being too hard, the class being unfair, and the teacher not caring.

There are many effective approaches for studying. I have found methods that work for me because of my desire to do well in school. To do well in education you have to work for it, using studying as a tool for success.

One tool I often use is to study for 10 minutes, take a 1‑minute break, then repeat, to maximize the amount of rest you take after studying so you don’t burn out.

According to the Learning Center at UNC:

• Create a study guide by topic. Formulate questions and problems and write complete answers. Create your own quiz.
• Become a teacher. Say the information aloud in your own words as if you are the instructor.
• Derive examples that relate to your own experiences.
• Create concept maps or diagrams that explain the material.
• Develop symbols that represent concepts.

Successful people choose a variety of beneficial ways to study for their tests. There is not one most effective way to study so you must choose a good option.

Choose the one strong way that is up to your liking and get your head in the game!