Successful students have good study habits. They apply these habits to their classes and study sessions, and that’s what helps them achieve academic success.
If you’re a student looking to build study habits that will supercharge your academic performance, then read on to find 10 common habits that most successful students share and how they can help you improve your grades.
1. Keeping Track of Deadlines and Important Dates
The first step to becoming a successful student is knowing when your deadlines, exams, and other important events are. Keeping a list of all these important dates in your calendar and reviewing it weekly (or even daily) can help you stay ahead of upcoming assignments and exams. Not to mention you get to cross each item off once it’s completed – imagine the satisfaction!
2. Creating a Study Plan
A study plan is a schedule filled with what and when you’re going to study. How you choose to create one is entirely up to you, but you might want to set up notifications on your phone using apps like Sorted³ or use a physical planner to keep an eye on your plan.
Having a study plan can keep you motivated to study, so if you’re one of those students who often find it hard to stay focussed then this is ideal for breaking your study sessions into manageable chunks.
3. Spacing Out Study Sessions
For example, you can spread out 10 hours of studying over several days rather than cramming all of it into one long marathon session – it’s going to be much more beneficial for your grades as well as your wellbeing.
Spacing out your study periods can not only maximise both your attention and retention, it makes for a much less stressful study experience too. Plus it helps to stave off procrastination since you won’t have to face any dreaded long study sessions.
4. Knowing Where to Study
Silence is not always golden; quiet spaces like a library or a reading room may work for some but not necessarily for everyone, hence it’s important to know where you study best. Do you focus better with some neutral ambient noise, like in a cafe or using Dark Noise? Do you find that listening to music whilst you study helps you to absorb information faster? Only you know your preference, so if you like the noise, by all means embrace it. If not, then make sure you find your own quiet study space.
5. Eliminating Distractions Whilst Studying
We all get distracted by something: whether it’s your phone, your flatmate, or the noise…!
Luckily, distractions don’t have to stand in the way of your university success. To increase your chances of winning the war against distractions, you just need to put your phone on silent, turn off the Wi-Fi, ask people to give you some privacy, and find a place where you won’t be disturbed or distracted – whatever it takes! It may require some self-discipline to begin with but you can do it.
6. Studying With a Group or a Partner
You know what they say: two heads are better than one. This is especially true when it comes to studying, because working with a classmate or two enables you to…
- Exchange notes
- Bounce ideas off each other
- Wrap your head around a complicated concept more easily
- Complete assignments more quickly
- Hold each other accountable for studying
Give it a try! Studying on your own may work well for some subjects, but no doubt you will need a little help from time to time – speaking of which…
7. Asking for Help When Necessary
We all need a helping hand at some point, and it’s better to reach out for help as soon as the need arises rather than let yourself fall too far behind. Other than your peers, you can also speak to your professors, lecturers, tutors, and/or advisors who are there to help you succeed.
8. Taking Good Notes in Lectures
It’s true, students who take good notes in lectures and study sessions tend to perform better academically, and there’s a reason for that! Writing information down helps you absorb key terms and ideas faster, so make sure you develop a strategic approach to note-taking.
Most people can type faster than they can write, so if you’re looking for an app that can help you take thorough notes and capture every crucial detail, then you need to try the Noted app now. It’s free, and it makes keeping and organising notes much simpler!
9. Reviewing Notes Regularly
Notes are no good if you don’t put them to use. Going over notes at the end of each day or week can help you remember important subject matter you’ve learned and make your studying more targeted, and thus more effective.
Before you start a study session, an assignment, and start revising for an exam, you should always review your notes thoroughly to refresh your memory. This is why you need an organisation tool like Noted, which is designed to keep your notes nice and neat, and easily accessible anytime anywhere.
10. Revising Way Ahead of Exams
Once you have your exam timetable, devise a revision plan and find periods of time between lectures and activities when you can fit in some revising. This way you won’t have to stress about studying the night before an exam.
Study Smarter, Not Harder!
With Noted, you can study smarter, better, and faster! Learn more about the app and how it can help you stay organised as well as optimise your learning.
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