Prep Integrity

"We are what we repeatedly do; excellence therefore is not an act, but a habit."

Studying 101

 

Basic Studying Tips:
  1. Have a positive mindset - it affects how you much you choose to absorb information. If you’re reluctant and grouchy, you’ll be more impatient to just get it done rather than learn as much as you can.
  2. Have everything you need with you, and nothing you don’t. That means no forgetting your chem book in your locker and having your iPod Touch instead. An iPod won’t help you answer questions whereas a textbook will undoubtedly lead you in the right direction.
  3. Take 5 minute breaks, fuel up with water and protein, and walk around your study area to get re-energized. Studies show staying immobile for an extended amount of time lowers the brain’s ability to process material. But don’t snack while you study - your mind will always subconciously be focusing on eating and studying, not just studying. Eating while distracted causes you to not realize just how much you’re consuming.
  4. Set realistic goals - telling yourself you have to finish Moby Dick that night will only make you irritable and anxious. Instead, set smaller goals that will gradually get you where you want to be.
  5. Get enough sleep!! Teenagers need at least 8 hours of sleep a night so their brain is at peak performance. Can’t because you have too many activites going on (see my Balancing It All tip)? Take a ten minute nap and set your alarm - just ten minutes can give your brain the boost it needs.
Studying for Exams:
  1. The minute you hear of an exam, write when it is in your planner so you don’t forget.
  2. Throughout class listen for hints the teacher may drop on what material may be on the exam.
  3. If you have textbook reading assigned, do it that night when it’s assigned! The information you read about will arise the next day in class and you could get extra-credit discussion points for answering questions correctly.
  4. If it’s not already required, jot notes about your reading to strengthen your long-term memory.
  5. If you have vocabulary words or concepts you need to remember, use note cards to quiz yourself. Don’t make descriptions too elaborate - you want recall only key words that will trigger explanations upon seeing them on an exam. This helped me so much for studying for the ACT or my AP European History class!
  6. Keep reviewing your notes and quizzing yourself using flash cards each night so by test day you feel completely prepared because you remember and understand the information.
  7. However, if you aren’t understanding certain concepts, ask your teacher for help after or before class - they really are there to help you! If you still don’t understand the information, ask another teacher who teaches the same subject about it. Sometimes all it takes is another perspective to get a good grasp on the material!
  8. The night before the test, make sure all other homework is finished (well) so you have extra time to study for the exam. Review any concepts you’re especially struggling with and have a family member quiz you aloud. Don’t stress this! Instead, get enough sleep and eat a healthy breakfast so your energy doesn’t run out during the exam.
Doing Projects:
  1. On the day the project is announced, write down the due date in your planner so you don’t forget!
  2. If partners are needed, choose someone you get along with, but also someone you can count on to pull their own weight and will help make the experience enjoyable, not painful. Get their mobile number or friend them on FB so there’s always a way to communicate.
  3. Decide what materials you may need for the project; construction paper, poster boards, markers, glue, accessibility to PowerPoint? If you need to buy supplies, divide the purchase with your partner so both of you are involved.
  4. If research is needed, do it with your partner during class or after school, whether it’s online or with library books. Doing it together will ensure you’re both on the same page and aren’t collecting the same material as the other because it wasn’t a joint effort. Look out for shady websites or articles you can’t accuratly cite for your bibliography.
  5. If you or your partner has severe anxiety about public speaking, talk to your teacher after class about it to set up a time to present your project to them after or before class or see if it is something you can work through. Most teachers are very accomidating about this, but they’ll still challenge you to face your fears and gradually become comfortable as the center of attention.
  6. On the day you’re presenting, run over what you’re going to say beforehand to eliminate any nerves and take deep breaths before you go up. When presenting, speak clearly and loudly so the teacher doesn’t have to strain to hear you and deduct you points.
9 months ago
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