Nowadays, students are becoming smarter instead of hard workers. Gone are the days when people think that the harder you study, the more time you spend on learning, the more intelligent you are. No, it is not the case today; calculators, computers, the internet, search engines have made students’ lives easy yet challenging at the same time.
Nowadays, students apply effective study habits and perform exceptionally in no time. Because they know what to do? How to do it? The key to becoming a distinctive student is to learn the intelligent techniques of studying rather than studying harder.
“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.”
Leonardo da Vinci
I am not comparing the old days and the modern era. But, what I am trying to explain here is studying habits need to be improved and changed according to the dynamics of the digital world. But you can not avoid some critical factors required to be a successful student with wisdom and good grades.
Focus, dedication, loyalty are the traits you will need in each era to be successful in your academic career. Some students are God-gifted, have photogenic memories, and memorize lengthy lessons in a blink. Well, that is an exception. We are talking about those practices that can be followed by each student who wants to excel in the field of study.
“Recipes tell you nothing. Learning techniques is the key.”
Tom Colicchio
Suppose you want to become a successful student. In that case, you need to learn to be consistent in your studies and to have regular yet shorter study periods. You need to develop some effective study habits that will benefit you in the long run throughout your academic life.
Importance Of Developing Effective Study Habits
As a full-time student, studying will become a regular part of your life. Prepare yourself both mentally and emotionally so that each study session will become more productive instead of a procrastinating session. That’s okay to change your schedule from time to time under unexpected events, but you need to get back on your routine as soon as possible to be back on track.
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.”
Henry Ford
It is really very important to develop effective study habits and apply them to help you in your future endeavors. Following is just a glimpse of the advantages that you can achieve through it.
- Developing effective study habits will not only help you in further higher studies, but they will also help you thrive in your career and life;
- It will increase your confidence, proficiency, and self-respect. It can also reduce anxiety about tests and assignment deadlines;
- By developing effective study habits, you will have plenty of time for recreational and personal life rather than just studying hours and hours;
- Applying effective studying habits to a planned study session can improve your skill to learn and preserve knowledge;
- Students who develop effective studying habits experience high self-worth and recognize their work and effort.
Benefits Of Effective Study Habits In The Future
Once you acquire the knowledge, it will serve you eventually at some point in time. Same as developing a good habit that will help you in every aspect of your life, like personal, social, career, etc.
“The key to pursuing excellence is to embrace an organic, long-term learning process and not to live in a shell of static, safe mediocrity. Usually, growth comes at the expense of previous comfort or safety.”
Josh Waitzkin
- Successful students already plan out the whole week’s schedule. They choose specific times throughout the week to study. They align their routine life according to their studying time slots;
- Even when you are all caught up with your studies, a weekly routine to review your courses will enable you to succeed in your career ahead;
- Doing the most demanding assignment or hard-to-understand subject will help you accept challenges in life. You will not give up in hard times; instead, you will be an example for others;
- Time management is an integral component of your success. These habits, once developed, help you properly manage your time so you’ll be able to accomplish all of your responsibilities in life. Good study habits will require you to follow a system, you’ll be able to use your time better.
“Being a student is easy. Learning requires actual work.”
William Crawford
Additional Points For Reading Textbooks
I am not going to recommend any book in this article. Because I know students are already dealing with so many textbooks in their lives. That already contains so much information. I would like to give you some extra tips to read your textbooks instead.
- Identify what to read by following your syllabus or list of assignments. Never fall behind, but always stay ahead in your studies;
- Divide chapters into readable chunks. Reading 10-15 pages at a time seems manageable compared to reading fifty pages;
- Always preview the chapter before you read;
- If your text has any practice tests, do them right away;
- Pay special attention to the essay questions. If you can answer them, you will have a good grip of the message in the chapter.
List Of Effective Study Habits
Following is a list of some very effective studying habits in my point of view. They are crucial to succeed in your lifetime. It is a long-term investment that you are making in your early ages, and it pays you in return till the last moment of your life.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Benjamin Franklin
- Plan when, where, what you’re going to study;
- Study at the same time: you must create a consistent, daily study routine. When you study each day and each week simultaneously, your mind is conditioned to it and starts absorbing knowledge much faster;
- Each time you study, you should have a specific goal;
- Evaluate your notes, schoolwork, and other class materials over the weekend and give yourself a rating accordingly;
- Make a schedule and set the timer accordingly;
- Always start with the most challenging topic first;
- Always review your notes before starting an assignment;
- Make sure you’re not distracted with hunger, mobile, or other things while you’re studying;
- Think positive when you study, and remind yourself of your skills and abilities;
- Set up your study space. Prepare yourself and the place where you study;
- Make sure your phone is in another room or turned off;
- Let family members know not to disturb you until the end of the study session;
- Gather together all the notes and reference books needed;
- Keep a water bottle with you so that you don’t have to go for water in between the study session;
- Don’t attempt to devour all your syllabus in one session. Take one at a time;
- Never procrastinate in your planned study session;
- Don’t think it’s too late. Start right away. It is never too late to realize your mistake and fix it at once;
- Do not make assumptions based on your previous record. If you could not do well last time doesn’t mean you can not improve and perform better this time;
- Stop comparing your grades and study style with others because it will make you feel bad about yourself;
- Studying without a direction is ineffective. You must have a map in your mind to precisely know what you will achieve through each study session;
- Before you start learning, set a goal that supports your ultimate academic goal.
Takeaway
It’s very common to put off your study due to a lack of interest in the subject. Just because you have other things to get done or the assignment is challenging, you can not put your studies on hold. Stick to the plan. Do not give up.
“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.”
Carl Rogers
Hang in there and pick the heaviest rock first. Once you’ve accomplished the most complicated piece of work, it will be much simpler to finish the rest of your work. Believe it or not, starting with the most challenging subject will significantly improve your knowledge and academic performance.
Summary
Remember that everyone is different, so what might work for your friends may not work for you. Ensure that you’re creating and following good studying habits that ideally suit your velocity.
“Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn, and you will.”
Vernon Howard
Now that you know how advantageous it is to develop and apply effective studying habits. I would suggest you start looking for methods that work for you. You can ask for help from others and let me know if you have other study habits not mentioned in my list.
