#blackcatstudies

School is tough. I get it. Sometimes you just want to curl up into a ball and never go outside again. This post contains advice peope have given me over the years as well as stuffed I’ve picked up on my own, regarding how to do well in highschool/college etc. All of the tips below are things I have personally done to help make my studies easier. I hope they help you. 

Write everything down: 

I mean everything. Of course you should write down due dates, but also put in any meetings you have to go to, events at your school, even things having to do with your social life. I use one calender for everything so that when I’m planning activities I know how much homework I have to do on any one day and can plan around that. 

Plan ahead: 

This goes with what I just said, don’t only write down the date that a paper is due, decide when you’ll start doing research for it, when you’ll make the outline, when you want to have draft 1 done, etc. Do this for anything that takes longer than a day to complete. Doing this will hopefully help reduce stress and make your workload more manageable. 

Make to-do lists: 

Everyday make a list of all the homework you have to finish that day and then start checking things off as you complete them. The amount of satisfaction I get from checking everything off my to-do list is unbelievable. Also be specifc with your lists. Instead of writing “study for french test,” write “review vocab,” “study notes,” “practice writing portion” etc. You will feel more accomplished being able to check off all of these smaller tasks as you do them. 

Prep your things the night before: 

There is nothing worse than arriving at school and realizing you left the assignment you were supposed to turn in that day at home. To avoid this pack your backpack the night before with any books/homework/whatever that you need to bring to school the next day. You can lay out your outfit for the next day as well to save time getting ready in the morning. 

Give yourself time to breathe: 

Everyone has their limits, don’t overfill your schedule to the point where you have no time for yourself. Make sure to block out time each week to do something that you want to do, whether it’s reading, watching netflix, or hanging out with friends. Remember your mental health is more important than your studies. Always put yourself first.

Ask teachers for help: 

Go to your professors if you don’t understand an assignment, have questions about your grade, are having trouble in their class, or for anything else you can think of. The vast majority of teachers want to see their students suceed and will be happy to help you with anything you need. 

Be a good student: 

Now when I say this I don’t mean that you have to have amazing grades in your class or study ad nausium. What I mean is make an effort to show up to class, try to participate when possible, turn in assignments on time etc. Basically show the teacher that you are activialy engaging in the learning process. What I’ve learned is that teachers are much more likely to “bend the rules” for students that show they are really attempting to do their best. 

Not everything has to be perfect:

It is much better to turn in a badly done assignment than to not turn anything in at all. Trust me. Sometimes you have to settle for turning in something that is not your best work. 

Find a good study space: 

Everyone likes to study in different environments, some people prefer being alone in their room, others like to study in coffee shops, the point is figure out what kind of environment you need to be in, in order to succesfully study. Ask yourself what kinds of distractions you need to eliminate before you study. Make a routine of going to your study space(s) and studying for a certain amount of time. This will help you get into the habit of studying. 

Take advantage of your school’s resources:

If your school offers tutoring services, special study sessions, etc. use them. Many times these resources are included in the cost of tuition, so since you already paid for them, why not use them. 

Alright since you guys seemed to like my last post about how not to die in school, I’m back with part 2. Once again I’d like to remind everyone that all these tips are based on my own personal experience, which means that even if they worked for me, they might not work for you.

Don’t let yourself be a slob:

Please don’t take this as me saying that you have to keep your room/desk/bed immaculately clean and organized at all times. Everyone’s definition of clean is different. What I want you to do is figure out the minimum level of cleanliness you need in order to stay sane and then strive to maintain that level. For some people it’s enough to just make their bed every morning, others are are fine with a messy room as long as their desk is clean, etc. Having organized surroundings will make you feel more organized and put together mentally.

Check your syllabi often:

Instructors usually put important information on their syllabi, like what they will be covering each class, assigned reading, when essays are due, or extra credit options. I encourage you to check your syllabus before each class to make sure you have not missed any assignments and also so that you can prepare ahead of time for any large essays or projects.

Check your emails daily:

This goes with what I said above. Professors will often use email to notify you of changes in the syllabus, canceled classes, etc. Schools use emails to remind students of add/drop deadlines, when payments are due, and for other administrative purposes. The point is, if you do not check your email daily you’re going to miss out on important information. The same goes for any online platforms that your school may use such as canvas, blackboard, or moodle.

Figure out what kind of learner you are:

Everyone has a different learning style; what works for other people may not work for you. Ask yourself questions like: do you learn better when you hear things or read them? Do you need to write things down or say them aloud? Then figure out what studying methods cater to your learning type. The summer before my first year of college I took the time to research different studying methods and I ended up experimenting with a whole bunch before I found what worked for me. I’ve included some resources to get you started below.

quiz to determine your learning style

another learning style quiz

study tips for different kinds of learners

Keep graded assignments: 

This is so important. Don’t throw away graded papers, quizzes, or projects, instead keep them in a safe place until the end of the semester at least. Teachers sometimes make mistakes when calculating final grades, but if this happens to you, you now have proof that they made a mistake.

Take a picture of your class schedule:

In the first few weeks of the semester/school year it can be hard to remember where and at what time all your classes are. I like to take a picture of my class schedule so that if I forget where I’m going I can easily check it on my phone. I do the same thing for any other important information I need to remember, like my student id number for college. 

Meet with your advisors at least once a semester:

If you’re in college/university you’ve probably been assigned an advisor (or advisors) to help you figure out what classes you need to take to graduate. Please, please use them. Not only should you be meeting with them consistently to make sure you are on track to graduate, but you can also ask them for help regarding which classes to take, what order to take them in, or what paperwork has to be submitted when.

Wake up at the same time every day:

When you have a class that starts late in the day the temptation is always there to sleep in. However, I would encourage you to try to get up at the same time every day during the school week for two reasons. First, having a regular schedule makes it easier to wake up and second, on the days you have later classes you can use the extra time to get started on homework. A day only has so many hours, use them wisely.

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