This killer study routine could completely change your life! It can give you the push you need to go from getting average scores to having Straight As in all of your courses with very little work, just like your favorite study mentors.
Over the past two years, I’ve tried out different study techniques and methods, watching hundreds of study videos just like you and me. I finally learned what works and what doesn’t. In this post, I’m going to share exactly how to create your own killer study routine that will completely transform your grades, and it all comes down to 4 simple steps.
Sorry to cut your reading streak but, I have a youtube video where I spoke very extensively on this topic, I think you'd find that more interactive, especially if you're a visual learner (more on that later in this post), you can click down below and you'd be taken right there:
And if you're still with me here, let's go!
Step 1: Review the Next Topic Beforehand
The first step is by far the most important and yet, it’s the most overlooked. You see, there are 2 kinds of students:
- Student 1, aka David: Goes to class every day, listens to the lecturer all day, and pretends to pay attention. He’s been doing this for years without fail and has become so used to this poor routine that he’s forgotten why he’s actually in school. He usually ends up doing just all right, scoring 50 to 60% on exams.
- Student 2, aka Sarah: Takes her time to study the next topic before class. In just 15 minutes, she goes over as much as she can about the upcoming topic. When exam season comes around, she scores nothing less than 70% in all her courses. Her teacher loves her, and every other student looks up to her, and she ends up as the best student in the class.
Going to class makes you a good student, but studying before class gets you ahead. It prepares you for the information you’re about to receive and prevents you from getting lost during the lecture. For me, that means taking out 10 to 15 minutes the night or day before class to familiarize myself with the topic using textbooks, notes from seniors, or even a simple Google search. It’s shocking how the best study techniques are actually the simplest ones.
Step 2: Engage Actively in Class
After reviewing the topic beforehand, there’s one thing most students neglect: active participation in class. Sitting in class and zoning out won’t get you anywhere. Lecturers usually just bombard you with useless information, except for those who truly care. If you don’t participate, you’re never going to gain anything and will continue to do poorly in school.
Listening actively and paying attention actually does wonders for your brain. We learn in different ways: by seeing, hearing, touching, and even writing. Personally, I’m a visual learner...I have “four eyes” for that reason, I actually use glasses, lol. It’s important to figure out your learning style.
If you’re a listener, listen more; if you’re visual, focus on the slides or pictures; and if you learn by touching, try to engage practically with the material. Experiment with each method and see which helps you assimilate information faster.
Step 3: Study Every Day
This next step is probably the most disregarded one, yet it brings the most results. It’s easy to come home from school, fall back into your bed, and promise yourself that you’ll study tomorrow. But trust me, you never will! Most students postpone studying until the end of the semester, only to end up cramming 4 months’ worth of lectures into 2 weeks, resulting in exhaustion and even illness.
Studying every day changed the game for me. It creates a compounding effect, where a little bit of work every day leads to maximum results over time. Start with as little as 30 minutes a day right from the first day of the semester. Don’t waste that first day of resumption; many of you do, and that is what causes you to fail.
As you continue, gradually increase your study time from 30 minutes to an hour, then 2, 5, or even up to 12 hours if you’re so inclined. It’s not a sprint; it’s a steady build-up that sets you apart from being stuck at 40% or 50% on every test and exam.
Step 4: Prepare Smart for Exams
Now, we’re ready for the final big step, exam preparation. When exams are near, most students start panicking. I’ve been there before, very dark times, but that won’t be you because you’ll have implemented every step I’ve mentioned so far.
Even if you haven’t been able to follow all these steps perfectly, and you literally have an exam in 3 days, I still got you covered. Gather all the necessary course outlines and materials, this isn’t the time to read unnecessary content. You had a lot of months to do that, but now is the time to focus on what’s essential.
Use the course outlines and the most probable areas aka Areas of concentration (AOCs) as your starting point. You might wonder how I know the most probable topics; well, your lecturer usually hammers on those parts during class. If they don’t, get the notes from classmates who did attend, or refer to past questions. Combine all of this to narrow down the areas where you need to focus.
Remember, reading the AOCs doesn’t mean you neglect other parts of the course, the goal is to focus more energy on the topics that are most likely to appear while still having a faint idea about the rest.
After studying, close your notes and test yourself using past questions. Testing yourself is like a mini-assessment that shows whether you truly understand the material or if you’re just wasting time.
To go an extra mile, join group discussions. I used to be skeptical too, but explaining what you’ve studied to others cements the knowledge in your mind. Your group doesn’t have to be huge, 5 people with a common goal of having Straight A’s is enough.
But my friend, all of these strategies are completely useless if you don’t get up and do the work, that is, Stop Procrastinating. If you’re ready to learn how to stop procrastinating and transform your study habits, click on this post right here.
I’ll see you next Saturday by 12 p.m. Professor Folake says peace!
Comments
Post a Comment