July 10, 2021
Causing mischief and being irresponsible, I was once in your child's shoes. From turning in my assignments late to not remembering what was due for homework, there were many long nights of my mother's rants. It was not until I decided to take the first step to grasp control of my life and take accountability. I hope this post helps, even if its just one student because I know that feeling of being lost and disorganized. So here's 5 study habits that effect a student's success in not only school, but I have took it upon myself to use these in College but also in the real world.
1.) Invest in a Planner
Back in Middle School, these were referred to as an "agenda" provided for every year. However, I always took this for granted... silly me. This is a great way to track all of your assignments and even plan ahead incase you have events in your life and other conflicts, because as we know, sometimes life comes at you fast.
You can find these at any retail store, I would recommend getting yours at Walmart for the price, but also one that covers the current and next year after. Today, I use a planner for not only my assignments, but also for my bills, events, birthdays, anything important to my life is probably on there.
2.) Manage your Time
This is something that should not only be applied to school, but is a life hack. When we're younger we spend over 30 hours in the classroom and our time is very limited for outside activities. However, once we get to College, we are given an insane amount of free time (depending on your schedule) and often times people tend to waste it being social or watching Netflix or Youtube.
If you can master this skill earlier in life, the better off you'll be and it will establish a sense of discipline. Also, this allows you to complete your tasks efficiently and attain all of your goals. During my day, I have certain sections blocked off for different tasks, but I also fit in time for 30 minute breaks. These are used to grab food, use the restroom, or go for a walk. Always block off time for yourself, as this is crucial for your mental health and overall energy.
3.) Set Goals
This is something we've been taught very early from our parents and teachers and yet, so many of us do not do this. Setting goals is essential to one's growth not only academically but as a person. Start with your long-term goals, this is something that is typically 60 days to even 12 months and beyond. Then, I'd recommend creating your short-term goals from this list, pin pointing exactly how it can be attained and what are the necessary steps you need to be doing daily and weekly which will in itself, bring you one step closer to achieving them.
Make sure your child's goals are attainable. This will prevent burnout and any type of resentment or discouragement. One of my goals in High School was to make the honor roll. This was a student who had a GPA of 3.5 or above, and maintained it across 2 semesters. To do so, I had to maintain my grades every semester, which involved strategic planning and getting good grades on my tests and quizzes. Moreover, setting goals is great to do while you're in school, but it doesn't stop when you reach them. New ones begin to come into place.
4.) Show up to class
Sounds silly right? But this is something a lot of people (even myself at one point), took for granted, especially in College. Your teachers are very observant and aware of who's showing up, raising their hand, and doing the work. Make sure they are asking questions, even if they're afraid to. Getting used to being vocal and expressing their curiosity is never a bad thing. This not only builds respect between your child and your teacher, but it also shows their commitment and dedication to learning! Even on our worst days, we all do things that we may not be fully in the mood to do, but we do it anyways. That's life.
5.) Pratice.Practice.Practice.
Ever hear the term practice makes perfect? well, that's not entirely true (depending on the activity at hand), but repetition creates a habit, a good one at that. I'd say for any class you're taking, if you truly want to get good at it and make an A. Do practice problems and if you have access to internet, there are tons of resources of free math problems. I used to be assigned homework from my loving mother, even when I wasn't given any by my teachers. During the holidays and summer, but it has helped shape me in to the person I am today.
I hope these study habits have been helpful to your child and comment down below if you as a parent have used any of these, or any ones that I may have missed!