It’s a day before your exam and the clock is ticking. You realize that you do not have enough time to finish studying and silently curse yourself for not starting sooner. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. Every student has such regrets. You wish you took your studies more seriously, studied every day and spent less time on meaningless activities like scrolling through Instagram reels and YouTube. Though you cannot turn back time, you can build study habits that will help you become a better student. This article will discuss ten ways on how you can become a better student.
Eliminate Distractions
One of the biggest distractions for students is mobile phones and social media. When you keep your phone around you while studying, you may get distracted due to notifications from various apps. To become a better student, you must reduce the time you spend on your phone and turn off notifications from social media apps. By doing so, you won’t check your phone as often and will be able to focus on your studies and classes.
Wake up Early to improve focus
Our brains function significantly better in the mornings. Waking up early improves our focus and concentration power. In order to wake up early in the morning you must also sleep early. Sleeping early and waking up early will give your body and mind enough rest which will help you study better and achieve good grades.
Regularly Attend Classes as a Dedicated Student
Most students develop a habit of skipping or bunking classes because they feel it is too monotonous. However, if you don’t attend classes regularly, it will become challenging to understand the important topics and how to prepare for them during exams. Attending every class helps you perform well in exams and makes you a responsible student. In order to become a better student, attending every class in college is of utmost importance. So, except for unavoidable reasons, make it a point to be present for all your classes on time and regularly.
Importance of Note-Taking to Become a Better Student
Some students attend classes regularly but still are unable to score good grades, this is because while the professor is speaking they assume that they will remember everything and avoid making notes. To become a better student, it is important to take running notes and jot down all the crucial points mentioned by the professor. This will help you to quickly revise all the facts before a test or an exam. You can read more about it here: Note-taking tips
Ask Questions for better understanding
A good student builds rapport with their professor and asks questions related to the topic or the course. If you are too shy to ask questions during an ongoing class, you can wait to approach your professor after the class instead. Every doubt solved will help you to understand the subject better and get good grades. You will also be recognized as an attentive student by your professor.
Engage in Prior-Reading to Excel as a Student
Teachers often recommend that students should read the textbook before coming to class, but most students ignore that advice. If you are struggling with a particular subject, reading in advance will allow you to realise your knowledge gaps. Once you have identified your knowledge gaps, you can ask your teacher for further clarification during the class. In this way, prior reading helps you to participate in class.
Develop Strategies for Being a More Disciplined Student
Most students end up procrastinating on their assignments or studying at the end moment for a test. Making a to-do list helps keep track of any upcoming assignment submission or test. Planning a study timetable will also help you become a better student and will prevent you from lagging behind on any task. In this way, you can avoid procrastination, prepare ahead of time and score better grades.
Dedicate a study space
When you study in random places like your kitchen, living room or bedroom it is inevitable that you will be distracted. You could feel sleepy when you study in bed and because other family members may be using the kitchen and living room, it is difficult for you to concentrate in such areas. Therefore, it is important to dedicate an area to study. An ideal study space would be quiet, private and free of distraction. Additionally, you must keep all the necessary study material in your study space so that you won’t lose time looking around the house for books and stationery during your study session.
Participate in extra curricular activities
It is a common misconception that students should only focus on studying and ignore other activities, as it wastes time. Being a better student involves holistic development and not just academic excellence. You must also take a break and engage in extracurricular activities because studying all the time may lead to burnout. Though this decreases the amount of time you get for studying, it compels you to be responsible with your time.
Take care of your health
Going to class and studying requires a lot of mental and physical energy. Therefore, in order to become a better student, you also need to be mentally and physically healthy. You can take care of your health by eating healthy, staying hydrated, exercising and taking study breaks. You cannot become a better student if you compromise your health.
Conclusion
Change is always difficult, and trying to be a better student can be a big challenge initially. However, if you strive to become a better student today, you will definitely see the results of your hard work in the future. The above mentioned points are simple suggestions to help you become a better student. Applying these suggestions to your daily life will definitely lead you to success.