Studying can be hard. Finding the will to sit down and study for a class you don’t particularly enjoy or aren’t good at can be difficult to do. It’s even harder if there are other events in your life that keep you distracted. However, there are ways to make studying easier and more enjoyable.
Skye Fernsler (‘24) uses different techniques to make studying more pleasant.
“I like having a planner [that has] all of the different things that you need to do for the day, and then checking them off as you go. I think that visual, seeing [what I need to do for the day] helps me a lot and is very motivating,” Fernsler said.
Making a peaceful environment is also very important for a successful study session.
“I like having a candle when I study; making a study vibe or putting on calming music,” Fernsler said.
Sherry Andrawes (‘24) is a very academically driven student who wants to be valedictorian this year. She has discovered many different strategies to get the most out of her study sessions.
“Don’t study the night before; study bit by bit, day by day, and give yourself breaks in between,” Andrawes said.
One of the best things you can do for yourself is studying for your classes a little bit every day, and not cram the night before. It’s much better for your long-term memory.
According to the article “American Psychological Association”, “Decades of research have demonstrated that spacing out study sessions over a longer period of time improves long-term memory. In other words, if you have 12 hours to spend on a subject, it’s better to study it for three hours each week for four weeks than to cram all 12 hours into week four.”
You can also use your homework to go over what you’ve learned. Going back over your notes and seeing what you remember is a great way to see what you still need to study.
“Usually I do my homework and then I like to go back to that homework and practice again, like covering it up and see if I can use [the information],” Andrawes said.
Jason Stoddard, the Government teacher at AGHS, has tips from a teacher’s perspective for students struggling with studying.
“Number one, find a place that you are comfortable with [that has] minimal distractions, and then make it a part of your routine,” Stoddard said.
The hardest part for some students is getting frustrated with a subject that they aren’t strong in. Confidence is key: if you aren’t confident in your knowledge about a subject after studying, you won’t do as well on the tests.
“Take your time and try different methods [of studying]. Something might work for one person that doesn’t for another,” Stoddard said. “If you get frustrated, go away for two or three minutes, then come back. Don’t let it get to be too much.”
Don’t wait to study until the night before a test. Find a comfortable and quiet area to have quality study time; use a planner if that’ll help with organization, and try to use different methods of studying so you can eventually find the best routine for yourself.
