TOP Secret Exam Study Tips From a Straight A++ Student
Studying now for your future self is worth it. Every sacrifice, effort, and hard work you give now will reflect your dream job and lifestyle one day.
You don’t have to spend all your time studying if you apply these effective Study tips and tricks to help you study and get near to your goal.
Always remember: WORK SMART, NOT HARD.
Here are ways to help you be one of the top students at your school.
Be Motivated
It’s hard to wake up every day, wanting to be productive with school works but your brain and body are not feeling the same thing. Maybe you lack motivation?
Think of all the things that keep you going. What really motivates you to continue studying hard? Know your real passion and interest in life.
Think of yourself and how you can impact the world in the future. Imagine yourself graduating from college, getting your dream job, and doing what you love every day while earning enough for you and your family. Think about what you want for the future.
Make a Schedule
You need to learn how to maximize the use of your time. To avoid procrastination and be productive, you must create a plan for each day.
I like to plan at night and list the things I need to do for the following day. To stay organized, I recommend you use any project management tool or planner app to list down your tasks.
I am using Quire to list my tasks every day. It is a free app to help you keep track of your work. Learn more about Quire here.
Make a Routine
You must create a habit of doing your school tasks at a specific time to program your brain to be active in doing a particular thing during that time and make sure to wake up at the same time every day.
After eating breakfast, you have an hour to browse social media and after that, you can start studying for 4 hours.
In that way, you don’t have to stress yourself for the rest of the day and you can do other things you like without worrying about your studies.
Set Goal
The great thing about setting a goal is that you can see how you’ve got in reaching that goal. It gives you extra motivation to study hard.
Suggested goal: Score 90+ in my next math exam
Have a Study Corner
Find a quiet place inside your house. Having a comfortable study corner will help you finish the task early + some extra motivation.
Set Away Distractions
This step is very hard to maintain! I am guilty about it too. You need to stay away from social media and focus on your studies for a long time each day.
The best way to do this is by turning off your phone or put your phone on silent mode and store it away from you. If you really feel the urge to touch your phone, set a timer for 5 minutes to use it!
Figure Out What Study Method Works for You
Do you like soft or hard copies of lessons? Do you take notes manually or using a gadget? If you’re not completely sure about it, better try both ways so you could better understand your preferences.
Create a Fun Study Habit
Studying is not just reading books all the time. To better understand the lessons, why not have fun while studying? Try Quizlet and play while learning. You can test yourself on what part you don’t understand and what lessons you’ve mastered.
Collaborating ideas and group discussions online with your friends works as well. You will learn from others, and they will learn from you too. It’s a fun way to exchange knowledge while socializing.
Always Prepare for The Exam
For effective study habits and to master the lesson, it is effective to prepare 1 month before the exam. If you already understand the lesson, try moving on to other subjects.
One week before the exam, refresh your brain by reading them again. A day before the exam, read all notes to make sure you didn’t skip the important parts. Finally, at night before the test, spend 5 to 15 minutes scanning your lessons and have a goodnight’s sleep.
Always Take Shortcuts
Understand the original long method of solving problems is sometimes not necessary. A lot of geniuses already discovered and created a lot of shortcuts to make life easier.
Always think steps ahead and learn how to use shortcuts. But of course, you should grasp the concept of the lesson first before you can take shortcuts.
I learn how to solve complicated math problems by searching short methods on YouTube. I understand my science lessons by searching summarized versions of books on Google. You can do these too! It would save you a lot of time and effort.
Rewatch Video Lessons
Take advantage of your video-recorded discussions. If you don’t have those, search-related video lessons on YouTube instead. If you rewatch a video multiple times, you can understand the topics more and it will be just a piece of cake for you afterwards.
It is important to rewatch those videos at different times. For example, watch it in the morning and then at night before you sleep.
Best Way to Study for a Test: Repetition
This is related to the previous tip. If you familiarize yourself with the lesson and analyze it multiple times, you will remember it more and master the topic.
For example, you need to memorize the periodic table, take 1/4 of the list and memorize it for the 1st day, and the remaining parts on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th day.
Focus on Things You’re Not Good At
Some lessons are hard to understand. What you need to do is focus on the difficult part of the discussion, spend more time, and give more effort to understanding them. You wouldn’t need to review easy stuff you can answer anyway.
Formula Card
Create a formula card from day 1 of your math class. Don’t forget to put the meaning of the symbols you’re not familiar with. This will help you to solve every math problem quickly.
Create Summary of Each Lesson
Write down what you understand using your own words. I write my notes in every part of the discussion in a different ink or with highlights. In that way, I can scan my notes before the exam effectively.
I use the Cornell Method to take notes. It is 100% effective for me, and you should try it too.
YouTube is Your Best Friend
Find professors online that can teach you your whole semester lessons in just an hour. Watching videos are more effective than reading books.
Although what I typically do is to read the book first then watch videos related to it, so I won’t miss any information about the lesson.
Take Advantage of The Resources
This generation has a lot of resources, technology, and other things that can help you to be steps ahead in learning. Ask your seniors about their techniques and request reviewers if possible so you could save time.
Download free books, or if you have an extra budget, buy premium books, and subscribe to educational websites.
Ask Friends for Help
It’s okay to not know everything. Make studying interactive and organize group study with your friends.
If you plan to have a group discussion online, make sure you know how to share your screen and use a drawing pad if necessary. I suggest using discord for this matter.
Be Healthy, Eat Right, and Have Enough Sleep
Your health has a big impact on your studies. Take care of yourself and make sure not to overwork. You need food to think better, and enough rest for your brain to function well.
Have a Day Off
Take a rest. It’s okay to feel lazy sometimes. Enjoy yourself and set time for studying and other things. Not every day is study day after all! I recommend studying on weekdays and rest on weekends. Don’t forget to socialize with your friends and family.
Conclusion
With all the proven tips I gave you, I would like to add one thing more and that is to believe in yourself. No one affect your future more than your actions in the present. Study hard today for a bright future. Good luck to you!
