Smart study during holidays is a necessary part of any student’s life. Taking tests, writing assignments or reports are only part of the story. Studying consists of taking information and internalising it in ways that allow for precise recall.

While we spend all of our childhood in school, we are rarely taught how to take notes or study.

How to become a more successful student

Take good notes and record all the ideas presented by the teacher. You can fill in the blanks with the textbook. Date each entry and keep all the notes for a particular class together. If your instructor writes it on the board, you should copy it into your notes!

Study a little each day. Most students wait until the last minute to study for a test. Yet, there is only so much you can learn in a day. Study in small, frequent sessions. The time to start studying for the final should be the first day of class. It is never too soon.

Study for a few minutes right before bed. Everyone needs a good bedtime story. Yours can be a riveting tale about sub-particle physics. Studies have shown that information learned just before falling asleep is better retained. Fifteen minutes each night over a 16-week semester is 28 hours! That is a significant amount of study time!

Just because it’s the festive period. Never take a break! You will thank us for it later!

G & G

Visit the teacher/lecturer before the holidays. Avoid being a pest, but show you care about learning the material. Have an intelligent question to ask. Avoid asking anything that can be found in your notes or the textbook. You will only make yourself look lazy, especially if your grade is borderline. Stop by the teacher or lecturer’s office. Ask appropriate questions a few times each month.

Smart study during holidays has an attitude that works. When viewed negatively, studying becomes much more challenging. It is about as exciting as mowing the grass on a hot summer day. It’s something unpleasant that has to be done.

In reality, studying is a chance to learn new things, secure your future, and show your best.

Build Value

Avoid procrastinating. Smart holiday study recognises your mood and whether you are in the frame of mind to study. If you are overly distracted or disinterested, wait until your attitude has changed.

Pick a location conducive to studying. A quiet location with minimal distractions is best. Studying with the TV on is not an option! Find a quiet place where you can focus most easily. It will be easier to recall the information. If you haven’t, start smart study during the holidays today.

Leave everything else at home. Leave your laptop if you do not need it. The internet, social media, and 60 minutes of wasted time are only a few clicks away. Avoid bringing anything to your study session that is a distraction.

Do the required reading before class. When there is a reading assigned do this before class. You will already have a good idea of what’s going on. It is also easy to take notes since you are familiar with the material.

Take frequent breaks. Avoid studying for more than an hour without taking a short break. Get up and move around. Call a friend and chat for a few minutes. You will get more done in the long run.

Studying more effectively will take less time and give better results. School, college or university does not have to be stressful. Smart study during holidays to develop good habits is the key to success. Learn to study more intelligently rather than forcing the situation. You can be a highly successful student.

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