Succeeding academically can be challenging at times and
breeze at others. Studying, attending
class regularly, and completing assignments on-time are all important in
academic success and gaining the most from your education. We wanted to give you some tips that may help
as our students develop their study habits into skills that will help them as
they pursue their life goals.
- Focus. This is a hard skill for many individuals, but the ability to focus on one task at a time and see it through to completion is a great skill to have. One way to develop this is to make sure your workspace is free from distractions. Set mini goals to complete assignments more effectively. For example, when writing a paper, tell yourself you will write at least one full page before taking a snack break or checking Facebook.
- Note Taking. Making sure to take good notes and use them is important. Practice writing only the important information by taking notes during your favorite TV show, or movie. Find a way of organizing your notes that works best for you. For instance, some use bullet points, while others draw boxes on the page. Review your notes before and after a test to validate your responses. Don’t simply memorize your notes, but find ways to actively engage with them. This way, you are more likely to remember the concepts in the future, rather than only specific details.
- Clarification. If you are confused on a concept being learned, be sure to ask questions. Your teachers are there to help you develop and understand the material being learned. The only silly question is the one that never gets asked.
- Organization. Make sure your workspace stays organized so you always have the materials you need at your fingertips. This will help you accomplish assignments faster and will eliminate wasting time digging through a pile to look for “that one paper” with important notes.
- Time Management. Invest in a day planner and write down all important assignment due dates, school holidays, and activities. Use the planner to schedule your day from class, to homework, to social time so that you never miss or forget anything important. It’s important to balance work and social in your life, so make sure you have time for both!
- Collaboration. Sometimes all you need for motivation is someone to bounce ideas off of, get feedback from, and talk problems through. Whether you collaborate with a fellow classmate, teacher, parent, or counselor, working with someone else can be very beneficial in helping you to better understand a concept.
Which of these skills do you feel you need to improve? Have you mastered any? Just remember, each skill you develop while
in school, will help you become more successful in your future education,
career, and life in general. Wherever
you are a heading, take what you learn in school with you.
Remember the ME in MEWA; at Metro East, it’s
all about you.
