We have all had situations where studying seems impossible and, let’s be honest, no one ever wants to do it. Although it is never fun to study, it is always important. Study skills are necessary for success. In order to obtain necessary study skills, you must learn to eliminate existing bad habits. Here are a few tips and tricks to improve your studying skills in order to ace your next exam.
Step One: Determine Your Learning Style
Everyone learns in different ways. Some learn manually, this involves hands on action with the material you are studying. This type of learner connects words with a physical activity. Some learn visually, these people learn better by reading the information. They understand better by using pictures and imagery for the explanation of concepts. Lastly, some people learn audibly, meaning they retain information by listening. Your learning style has a greater impact on your studying than you may realize. It changes the way you internally process the information, how you experience the information, and the way you can recall it.
Step Two: Environment Matters
Studying in an environment where doing anything else is not a good idea. It is easy to get distracted while studying because, let’s be honest, doing anything else seems better. I used to find myself looking at my phone, listening to music, going to my kitchen to get snacks, or even cleaning. Basically, doing anything and everything except for studying. I’ve found that studying at the library is more beneficial for me. It is quiet and there is nothing to do there to get me off track. Try to find an environment that allows you to feel comfortable and keeps you focused.
Step Three: Do Practice Problems Repeatedly
Understanding what you are studying is what leads to perfection. You can watch your teacher or other classmates do practice problems a thousand times, but the only way for you to learn is to physically do them yourself. I like to go back and redo previous homework assignments for practice.
Step Four: Ask For Help
Never be ashamed for needing extra help. If you’re learning a concept that seems difficult to understand, ask questions about it right away. It is better to do so when first learning the concept that is hard to understand. That way, the corresponding material you learn later on makes more sense. Your teacher will recognize your efforts and appreciate them.
Step Five: Take Breaks
It is never a good idea to cram all of your studying into the night before an exam. You want to do a little of it day by day to process what you’ve learned. In addition, studying the night before is draining, and when you’re tired it’s even harder to retain the information.