10 Healthy Habbits To Get You Ahead At School
School will return before you know it, so make sure you are prepared for a new academic semester by learning some healthy habits. These techniques and advice are good ideas to keep in mind if you want to excel in your classes and keep a healthy lifestyle. You won’t ever have to worry about falling behind in classes if you remember these healthy habits!
1) Organize Your Time
Giving yourself a schedule is an incredibly useful tidbit for staying on top of your workload. If you make your studying and work time a daily routine, it is basically impossible to be unprepared for any class, essay, or test that may trouble you. You don’t need to overload yourself, but designate specific times for working, and your brain will adjust and register those times. Doing a small/medium amount of work every day ensures that procrastination doesn’t get the best of you, and there is no need for pulling all-nighters just to be adequately prepared.
2) Talk To Your Professors
Some students find their professors to be intimidating or unaccessible, but these teachers are here to help you. They are busy people, just like the rest of us, so try scheduling an appointment during their office hours. Taking the initiative to talk to your professor one-on-one shows that you take their class seriously, and that you are dedicated to improving your own work quality. No professor is going to reject an ask for help, so find out how they think you can improve and what type of work they recommend for you. Having a good relationship with your professor can not only help you for immediate classes, but for your future endeavors as well.
3) Study With Others
People have a variety of conditions to make their studying effective, and for many people, one condition is being alone, without distractions. While that is definitely a valid strategy, it can be helpful to study with others. A studying group can bring up ideas or methods that you didn’t consider before, and improve your knowledge and habits. Additionally, any time you have a question, you have a group of people who are likely to know the answer. For the important tests and essays, find a group of peers and spend time helping each other.
4) Categorize Your Papers
Your classes are sure to give you plenty of papers, whether they be notes, essays, quizzes, tests, or practice sheets. It might be tempting to just get rid of these as soon as you can, but hang on to those papers, at least for the duration of the semester. Tests and essays are likely to heavily draw from previous discussions, notes, and work, making these old papers an incredible resource. Try keeping a few folders or binders with dividers, so you can easily sort your papers into categories and find whatever you need without a huge hassel.
5) Work vs. Relaxing
While it is important that you dedicate a good amount of time to studying, it is equally important that you give your mind a chance to relax. The brain values a variety of activities, and too much of one thing can be incredibly draining. Make sure you schedule in a reliable amount of breaks in every study session. Even a few minutes to stand up, stretch, and change your body posture makes all the difference. You’ll want to find a good ratio, maybe 10 minutes of relaxing for every hour of working– whatever suits you and your unique learning style. You don’t want to completely forget about work during your break, so it’s all about finding a nice balance.
6) Prioritizing Work
You likely have a variety of classes and work to be done, so take a little time every week to prioritize your classes. Each class is important, yes, but not every class needs the same amount of time every week. If you have a midterm that week, you should focus more on that class than any other. Some students might find it helpful to make a list of all the classes you need to do, and sort them into a number order. This is a healthy habit, but just having a general knowledge of your classes and which should be focused on is good too.
7) Maintaining Lifestyle
School will probably take a majority of your time, but by no means does that mean you should forget the rest of your lifestyle. A diverse life is a healthy one, so don’t forget about all your own personal needs. Some college students might sacrifice their meals or sleep schedule for the sake of studying, but that is never a good idea. Maintain your social life and spend time with friends. Exercise and get outdoors. Continue your hobbies and passion. Never forget about the things that keep you happy and healthy.
8) Your Work Space
Every student should have a location that allows them to be productive. You know your own preferences, so find the place that fits all of those. It could be the school library, a towel on the grass, or even your own bed, but you need to find one place dedicated to work. Ideally, you should be able to work without distractions and an acceptable level of noise. Just make sure your own needs are met.
9) Productive Music
Music can be an incredibly effective studying tool. Find music that relaxes you and does not draw too much attention. Some might prefer complete silence, but these is a genre of music that is conducive to your studying. You might even want to experiment with genres. This music may not be the music you actively enjoy most 0f the time, but can still provide good background noise without distracting you.
10) Teaching Others
The best way to prove that you understand your material is try teaching others. Take your friends aside for a moment and try to explain a concept, show them your work, and see if they understand what you’re saying. You don’t need to aim for a lecture or anything giant; just give them a simple explanation. You can save the details for the class itself, but making sure you can teach others is a great way to highlight where your own knoledge is strongest, and where it is lacking.
