We are not all blessed with a brain like Stephen Hawking but that’s ok. High achieving students don’t have to rely on genetics, they just employ effective study habits. Here are some habits of successful students, so there’s no reason why following these ideas won’t bring you success too:
Making a study plan
You need to plan for future success. The most successful students don’t tear their hair out and stress out over the monumental task ahead of them. They focus on each piece of the puzzle at a time, by creating a clear study plan. By planning the work in stages, you’ll feel great motivation when you tick something off the list as ‘done’. Approaching a task one step at a time will help you to stay ahead of the game.
Take regular breaks
Cramming for hours on end without taking a break is not beneficial. After a certain period of time, our brains just refuse to absorb any more information. The best thing to do is grab some fresh air, take a walk or put the kettle on and chat to your housemates for a while.
Getting plenty of sleep and quiet study time
When you rest, your brain is better able to absorb what it’s learned during the day. Staying up all night and only grabbing a couple hours of sleep will leave you burnt out and exhausted. Equally important is having a clear, quiet space available to carry out your studies. Housemates should have an understanding that during times of assessment or exams, loud music, late night parties and other disruptions should be kept to a minimum. For Gloucester student accommodation, visit http://studentaccommodationgloucester.co.uk/
Ask Questions
Those who succeed never stop asking questions. After a lecture, if you’re not sure of something go and speak to the lecturer. Engage in your learning experience instead of sitting passively and letting it happen to you. Be an active participant and always question why.
Regular self-testing
Instead of leaving every time to the last minute and cramming, the most successful top students review their studies and self-test at various intervals. This is a more effective long-term way to remembering lots of information. Systematically reviewing notes helps to embed the information more effectively.
Practicing in test conditions
Another method used by top performers is by preparing for their tests in the same way as conditions will be during the real test. Setting a timer, not looking at your notes and answering exam-style questions are great ways to practice the real-life conditions you’ll find yourself in.
Doing what they love
The best performing students are those who are passionate about what they. When you’re passionate about something, it gives you drive and motivation to carry on discovering and improving all the time. Not every student learns in the same way and some methods will work better for some than others, but the key is to try a number of techniques and see what works best for you.