Dear Student.
It is no doubt that studying is one of the most important activities carried out by students all over the world. However, for some, reading is also regarded as a stressful and boring activity; that is the reason most students procrastinate studying till the night before an examination or test -this habit has been tested over and over again, but has never produced a very good result.
Students who are really interested in passing exams and tests in flying colors do not stick to reading the night before exams; this is simply because the student tends to enter the exam with so much nervousness that he/she is bound to forget, very quickly, what has been read.
In order to attain academic excellence, students are advised to develop a study habit. This entails more than just reading, but also paying attention to what is being read so that the student does not only remember what is being read on the day of the exam, but also any other time such knowledge is needed.
Developing a study habit is actually quite easy to do. The major factor that is needed to do that is determination. However, everybody does not have the patience and perseverance to stick to a plan, especially when it involves reading books.
In this first part of How To Develop A Successful Study Habit, I will be discussing 5 simple steps to develop a successful study habit:
1. Get Organized: While you go around doing everything that makes you a student (doing assignments, writing tests, carrying out extracurricular activities, etc.), it is possible that you may end up losing track of the important things you should be doing. A planner can help you keep everything organized. Students should make a list of assignments, tests and every other activity they may be involved in, then review items in the planner at both the beginning and end of the day to stay on track.
2. Create Limits: Limit the amount of time spent online and in front of the TV. This may sound like one of the hardest things to do, especially in this age and time where everything is done online and the internet is even more engrossing than ever. However, it is practicably impossible to successfully develop a reading habit if so much time is spent chatting and tweeting. Some students even go as far as deleting their social media accounts in order to stay focused -this may not necessarily work for you if you are already a social media addict. Creating limits to time spent on frivolous activities is one of the important keys to unlock a successful study habit
3. Develop a Study Plan. First of all, students need to know when a test will take place, the types of questions that will be included and the topics that will be covered. From there, you should create a study plan and allow ample time to prepare – there’s nothing worse than cramming the night before an exam. You can help yourself by buying a wall calendar and assign topics and tasks for each day leading up to a due date or exam. Setting goals for each semester (or session) is also key to success.
4. Practice Active Listening. It is important for students to concentrate and avoid distractions during lectures. You should concentrate on the main points being made and what the lecturer is talking about, pay attention to how things are said (gestures, tone of voice, etc.) and avoid talking or thinking about problems when listening. Some lecturers also specify what points should be noted and these likely come out during exams.
5. Make Reading Fun. It is very easy for students to skim over an assigned book chapter and not know the main points of what has just been read. In order to make reading more fun, it is advisable to make an outline of the chapter or create flow charts and diagrams that help map out the concept at hand. After each section, write a summary in your own words and come up with possible exam or test questions. Making reading fun is one of the best ways to develop a successful study habit
