Study Smart! Top Tips from Overachievers

With exams just around the corner, many of us are thinking of two things. First, will the exams be online or face-to-face? Secondly, HOW do we study? Although the first question can only be answered by your respective institutions, I got the answer for the second question. Grab your pencils and sticky notes! We’re gonna STUDY!

Before we Start

Do you want me to let in on a secret? Position holders never study HARD. They study SMART. Wait. What? Yes!! Read THAT again. I know it seems like the other way around but getting good marks isn’t about the timeless efforts you put in. Rather, it’s more about how, when, and where you study. If you’re able to be consistent in your ‘how’, ‘when’, and ‘where’, then you’ll studying smart every single time. To illustrate this point, I’m sharing five techniques I employ. These keep me at the top of my class. Now, you can too! They’re easy and don’t require exhaustive efforts. So keep on reading. You’ll learn a lot.

Study Tip #1: Set ‘achievable goals’

Let’s be honest. Who hasn’t tried to make a study planner at least once? We all have. More often than not, we fail miserably. Blame it on your friend calling you or your parents throwing an intimate get-together or even BTS posting a new music video. I’ve been a helpless victim of the latter for quite some time now but I’ve learned that setting ‘achievable goals’ is better than that whole study planner routine. So, the question remains. How do you set ‘achievable goals’? First, divide your syllabus into the remaining time till exams. Then, set a ‘place’ and ‘time’ when you know that no one would dare disturb you (not even your annoying siblings). The key here is to ‘BE SPECIFIC’. The more specific you are, the more efficient and effective your studying regime will be.

Study Tip #2: Take breaks in-between study sessions

This is probably the most common mistake. I’ve had people come up to me and say ‘why aren’t you studying?’ Well, I’m a human, not a machine. Taking breaks from textbooks and computer screens is essential. Just make sure your breaks aren’t too long. Personally, I would recommend you study for 30-45 minutes and take a 15-minute break. Once you feel refreshed, you can hit the books again. This helps in the retention of information as well as studying for longer durations.

Study Tip #3: Group Study or ‘Teaching it to a friend’

This tip is an important one. Teaching it to others benefits both parties. You study well and the learner also learns something. A US study compared the scores of students who studied for themselves vs teaching the material to others. The results manifested that peer tutoring led to higher academic achievement. Personally, I always disturb my friends and ask them to study with me. I teach them the material while they listen and ask questions. This is undoubtedly the best strategy (well, in my opinion at least). Even during Covid-19, I switched the medium to Google Meet and WhatsApp calls. When you’re dedicated to something, you discover ways around the intrusive obstacles and hurdles. Do what it takes! Call up your friends and start teaching it to them. They’ll thank you later even if they’re ignoring you now.

Study Tip #4: Switch off your screen

Here, I’m referring to mobiles, computers, laptops, kindles, tablets, etc. Lose anything that the 21st century has deemed a distraction to studying. A study conducted by a psychologist portrayed that students who read the material from hard texts (printed media) were better able to remember the topics compared to students who read from their screens. I know it’s a little difficult but it’s worthwhile. Take off notifications and block social media websites until you’ve reached your daily quota. You’ll see a big impact! After that, watch all the BTS or tik tok videos you want!

Study Tip #5: Sleep, Exercise, and Stay Hydrated

It’s been proven time and again that we absorb and retain information better when we’re rested, full, hydrated, and alert. There’s a reason why our parents tell us to sleep for at least eight hours. Jake Tamminen, a well-known researcher, mentions that “Even though you’re not studying when you sleep, your brain is still studying. You can’t get the full impact of the time you put into your studies unless you sleep.” Consequently, students who do not sleep well have a more difficult time recalling information.

Therefore, the best advice is to study your daily quota and sleep. Do not pull all-nighters as they cause more harm than good. Also, before you take your exam, do some light exercise. Walking and jogging are the best options here. We don’t want to over-exert ourselves so that we’re tired for the exam. Instead, we want our brains to ‘get up’, be alert, and reduce stress hormones caused by the upcoming benchmark.

Ready to Start?

Every person is different. We all study in different ways. These tips are the outcomes of personal experience. It will take time to incorporate them into a routine and it might seem daunting at first. However, persistence will see you through and you’ll be overachieving in no time! So get out there and show those exams who’s really in charge!

Interested in reading more from me? Check out my last article here.