If you are reading this article, I am sure that you must have studied hard to be able to read and write. That’s why you are able to read this article. It may be that you just don’t remember now about how hard you tried, and if the amount of labor you invested to study had delivered the proportional results or not?
Students staying up all night to prepare for a test is a common occurrence. Have you ever wondered how some students achieve higher grades even if they are not bookworms? What is it that they do which gets them good scores despite having an active social life? Do they never sleep? Or is there some special technique they apply to their learning method the rest of us have no idea about? Well, if this question has been bugging you since the time you started appearing for examinations, you are not alone. The secret behind their success is actually no secret. They just study smart instead of working hard when it is not even required.
Now you must be wondering how they are able to study the same course so efficiently that they are able to maintain a high score every time. If you wish to be on top, you definitely have to put in some extra efforts. But that doesn't mean that you have to completely abandon your social life and become a geek in order to succeed academically. With a little bit of smartness and time management, there is no reason why you can't excel. Let us take a look at some study smart tips below.
Study Smart Tips:
1. Setting Smart Study Goals
Goals and targets will provide you a direction for studies. There are some goals that you have to keep in mind if you wish to study in a smart way without stressing yourself out. If you are wondering how to study a lot in a short time, setting your targets well in advance is the way to go. A goal will help you focus on one thing and motivate you to complete a task on time. Make sure that your goals are specific, attainable, measurable, realistic, and timed.
You should be really specific about what you want. Be realistic regarding how much you can achieve in the required time. Set specific actions that you are required to take and describe them. Work according to your plan. In order to accomplish something out of your actions. set a time frame in which you think you can make efforts for achieving your goal. When you have completed all these steps it is important to track and measure your progress in order to know whether you are close to achieving your goal.
2. Creating The Ideal State Of Learning
The ideal learning state is when the mind is fully focused on learning what is required and makes the most out of a short time span. Such a state fills you with motivation and desire. You must realize the importance of learning a particular subject or a topic. Secondly, make sure that you understand how this learning will benefit you. This way, you can prepare your brain for the information that is about to be retained.
Make the learning process an effective and relevant one. You should know how it can be applied in real life. This approach also increases your practical knowledge to a great extent. That is why this is one of the smart study skills and methods for student success. First, scrutinize the knowledge that you are going to gain out of your learning process. Every form of knowledge leads to the development of certain skills. Find out what abilities you can develop when you apply this knowledge in real life. This will put you in a positive state of mind and spark motivation.
3. Curiosity Is The Key
Did you know that students with an inquisitive tendency can actually study without much pressure even right before the exams? Students who are curious are the ones that fully avail of the benefits of study smart. They progressively ask themselves numerous questions even when the study session is going on. This develops an interactive approach towards learning and makes the entire process more innovative for the student.
A smart student always wants to know more. Even if he is thinking about how to study a lot in a short time, he will find a way to clarify all his doubts well on time. Students who follow the "study smart not hard" policy are always looking forward to uncovering new ideas. They are on the constant lookout for resolving their queries and they don't rest unless their questions have been answered.
4. Using Different Study Materials
When you study only from your textbooks or notes, things can get a bit gloomy. Therefore, try to learn from various sources to keep your study sessions spiced up. You also get a detailed insight into the topic when you study from multiple sources. If you completely rely on your notes and books, you are most likely to miss some concepts. You can always use flashcards for the improvement of your memorization. Flashcards are really helpful for condensing down notes. You can carry them around and study anytime, anywhere.
A trip to the library is often used when you are trying to conduct research. There are multiple sources related to almost all subjects and topics. They are helpful in expanding your knowledge as well as providing a break from the monotony most students get while reading the textbook for too long.
5. Teaching Someone Else
The best way to deepen your understanding of a particular subject or topic is to teach that to someone else. Teaching requires a whole other level of expertise and understanding. The concepts have to be clear to you in detail in order to impart knowledge to someone else. When you teach, you have to repeat concepts that further reinforce the knowledge. You also learn how to express information in your own words which is beneficial for your exams.
You might have to repeat what you are teaching multiple times to make the other person understand. You should also be ready to clarify any query that may arise in the mind of whoever you are teaching and resolve that on the basis of your own understanding of the subject or topic. This acts as a test for your skills as well as knowledge.
6. Covering Multiple Subjects Each Day
If you wish to avail of the complete benefits of study smart, then it is a good idea to study multiple subjects each day. Rather than deep-diving into only one or two subjects and studying them the entire day can spring a lot of similar information on you. You can easily get confused and this also reduces the effectiveness of your study session.
Spreading out your time for multiple subjects will also develop time management skills and provide a variety of your study ways. Studying the same thing over and over can get tedious. In order to give your brain some time to consolidate your learning, remember, "study smart not hard."
7. Stop Multitasking
With the rise of internet technology and social media, most of the students these days are in a habit of multi-tasking. Now, I know, most of you would say that multitasking is a skill. Well, if you are working at a big MNC, perhaps it is a desirable quality. But as far as student life is concerned, multi-tasking can actually do more harm than good. Studying requires immense concentration. If you are wondering how to study smart for the exam then you have to know that multitasking can drastically slow down your learning.
Smart workers devote their entire attention to one task and move on to the next only when they are done with the work at hand. If you are in a habit of checking social media accounts notifications in between study sessions, immediately put an end to this practice. Turning off your phone's notifications, refraining from accessing the internet, turning off the Television, etc are some steps that you can take to eliminate distractions.
8. Testing Yourself
If you wish to raise your academic performance and enhance your output then you should test yourself as often as you can. Students that are known for appearing in-class tests, quizzes, and mock examinations on a regular basis often outperform students who just rely on reading and cramming for exams. Even if you know how to study smart for the exam, there is no point in all the effort if you don't put yourself through frequent tests.
The time has come to change the study tactics, now a student needs to study smart rather than hard. With the ever-evolving and developing technologies in the field of education, it is important for you to change your habits of studying to attain your goals.
Although the mindset and dedication requirements are the same, only the ways and the planning needs to be adjusted. The ways and techniques to be used for studying are still debated around the world. Every now and then we see a change in the technique of teaching and learning. We do not have full control over them as it depends on the outer forces. But one thing is in our hand and that is proper ‘planning’.
Planning about how to study, is in the hands of the individual, and nobody can interfere with that. Now the next question arises, ‘How to Plan’? I can help you with this. I have pondered upon this topic and from my personal experience, I can share with you some insights about how to plan for the study, and finally, the question “how to study?” Here, I am giving you a quick list of how to study more effectively.
Prepare to Study:
Actual studies need to be planned beforehand. This preparation has to be made on various fronts:
Time-table formation and its execution:
Students make a time-table often, but due to lack of motivation, distraction, etc. they do not stick to it. So it is necessary for you to stick to it if you want to succeed.
A timetable is formed according to one’s priority and pace of study. Some students are quick graspers and some are slow. Some topics require more time devotion, while others require less. So the timetable has to be formed keeping all this in mind. To plan, know yourself, and the topics better.
Take a sound sleep and clear your mind of all the unnecessary thoughts. Meditation and jotting of the important points may help you for long.
Set the Space for your Study:
You must have heard from your elders that if a person is determined to study he/she can study anywhere, even in a garden full of children or below a lamp-post. This is true also, but we are not all the same. We are different and this is what makes us special. If you feel that you get frequently distracted by the nearby sounds, objects, etc. or if you feel hungry in every 15-30 minutes then you need to set the pace of your study according to your priorities. You should choose a place for your study.
If you are at home, develop a habit to study daily at a particular decided place. This creates an ambiance of positivity for study around that place. Does it feel absurd? Maybe, give it a try and find it for yourself. Students who study at the same place are found to be more productive.
You also need to decide the type of music or sound you want around yourself while you study. While the sound of a TV may distract someone, the same sound can help someone to keep his concentration firm. So it all depends on individual choices. You just have to explore your inclinations. If you like munching, keep something on your table or room to eat. Otherwise, you will, again and again, go in search of it and ultimately you will lose your concentration.
Search for the Study Techniques to suit your needs:
If you will explore the browser, you will get ample of study techniques and tips that help you to study quickly and easily. For e.g. SQ3R technique - This technique emphasizes on active reading for improving comprehension and learning. Similarly, Elaborative Interrogation - It is a technique used by individuals to understand the concepts. In this technique, the user asks the question ‘Why?’ for everything.
So according to the topic and your basic nature choose the study technique. There are many online resources to help you with that like examinedexistance.com etc.
Now, bring all the three narrated points under one roof. Use them together to get the best results for your studies. But keep in mind that in a train, these points are just the wheels, the main engine is driven by motivation and dedication. If you want to steer the full train, power your engine well.
Conclusion:
Smart studying is all about making the most out of the time available to you without sacrificing your enjoyment and social life. In today's world, smart workers are definitely given more emphasis than hard workers. You should give preference to the understanding of concepts instead of trying to cram up your textbooks a few days before the exams. Only after adopting smart study skills and methods for student success, one can maintain a balance between study sessions, school or college life, leisure time, etc. Do realize the difference between setting goals and getting unhealthy obsessions for straight As.
Study smarter not harder. Once you adopt a smart approach towards studying, nothing can stop you from achieving academic excellence as well as overall successful life.