Improving Your Study Skills

Mental health issues can affect individuals’ ability to concentrate and study. Chronic stress not only interferes with transferring information from short- to long-term memory, it also can cause forgetfulness. With the new school year well underway and college midterms quickly approaching, there are a number of ways for students to improve their performance in the classroom.

While it may seem obvious, attending class, staying organized by having a notebook or binder for each course, and using a planner to track assignments and due dates is crucial. (Apps, such as MyStudyLife, also are available to keep tabs on classes and their requirements.) Other helpful practices include creating a To Do List for today, tomorrow and items that need to be completed by the end of the week/month; and “Chunking” large tasks, such as tackling an 8 page paper by writing 2 pages each day for 4 days in a row.

Students should set aside a specific time for and plan the individual subjects they will study each day. After prioritizing your assignments, it is important to tackle the more difficult ones first while you are alert. Alternating where and what you study by regularly changing both your surroundings and the topics will increase the likelihood that you remember what you learn. Consider establishing a 10 minute break after every hour of studying to relax, listen to music and/or have a snack. Rather than cramming during a single exhausting session, it is more effective to study for shorter periods of time on multiple days. After you finish your work, be sure to reward yourself with something you enjoy, like spending time with friends or catching up on Instagram or Twitter.

In class, what your teacher or professor talks about is often what will appear on quizzes and tests. Pay attention and take notes, especially on anything the instructor writes/shows on the chalk, white or Smart board. If you find that you are having difficulty with a particular topic, get help immediately. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to catch up, especially in a foreign language, math or science class. When you start your homework, put your cell phone away so you are not tempted to text or Snapchat. If you have reading to do, survey the chapters first by briefly skimming them. Titles, headings and bolded reference words will allow you to anticipate major concepts. Taking notes while you read will improve your comprehension.

If you are interested in learning more about how to study, visit the following websites. Hack My Study, features guides on a variety of topics, including “How to Temporarily Block Distracting Websites.” How to Study covers everything from “How to Write an Annotated Bibliography” to “How to Perform Well on an Essay Exam.” MIT Open Courseware contains material used in various subjects taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Study Stack allows you to search free flashcards that have been shared by students and teachers. Next week, PlanDNoVa will explore boosting your Test Taking Skills!