Do yourself a favour, study smart

all this it becomes hard to concentrate on studying. Yet if you’re in school, you have to do at least a little studying in order to progress from year to year.
The key to effective studying isn’t cramming or studying longer, but studying smart.
How you approach studying matters so much. Many people look at studying as a necessary task, not an enjoyment or opportunity to learn.
Researchers have found that how you approach something matters almost as much as what you do. Being in the right mindset is important in order to study smarter.
At times you can’t force yourself to be in the right mindset, and it is during such times you should simply avoid studying. If you’re distracted by an upcoming game, or finishing an important project, then studying is just going to be an exercise in frustration. Come back to it when you’re not focused or obsessed by something else going on in your life.
Where you study is also as important as those books you are using. A lot of people make the mistake of studying in a place that really is not conducive for concentration.
A place with a lot of distractions makes for a poor study area. If you try and study in your dorm room, for instance, you may find the computer, TV, or a roommate more interesting than the reading material you’re trying to digest.
Finding an ideal study place is important; who knows you might reliably count on it for the next few years. Before studying you must also make sure that you have brought everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Sometimes people bring things they don’t need. It may seem ideal to type notes into a computer to refer back to later, computers are a powerful distraction, they can do so many different things. Playing games, going online, surfing the web are all distractions that have nothing to do with studying.
So ask yourself whether you really need a computer to take notes, or whether you can make do with the old-fashioned paper and pen or pencil. If you study best with your favourite music playing, make sure your iPod or music player is with you.
Outline and rewrite your notes stressing out the most important points with a highlighter or a different colour. This way you will be able to boil information down to its most basic components.
The important thing to remember in writing outlines is that an outline only aids as a learning tool when it is in your own words and structure.
Every person is unique in how they put similar information together (called “chunking” by cognitive psychologists).
So while you’re welcomed to copy other people’s notes or outlines, make sure you translate those notes and outlines into your own words and concepts. Failing to do this is what often causes many students to stumble in remembering important             items.
It may also be helpful to use as many senses as possible when studying, because information is retained more readily in people when other senses are involved. That’s why writing notes works in the first place it puts information into words and terms you understand. Mouthing the words out loud while you copy the notes before an important exam can be one method for involving yet another sense.
For some students the use of memory games (mnemonic devices) seem a backward way of studying, but rest assured, it is one of the most effective ways of studying.
Memory games, or mnemonic devices, are methods of remembering pieces of information using a simple association of common words.
The key to such memory devices is the new phrase or sentence you come up with has to be more memorable and easier to remember than the terms or information you’re trying to learn. These don’t work for everyone, so if they don’t work for you, don’t use them.
The old age adage, practice makes perfect, is true. You can practise by yourself by testing yourself with either practice exams or past question papers.
If a practice exam isn’t available, you can make one up for yourself and your classmates (or find someone who will). If a practice or past exam from a course is available, use it as a guide and not as the actual exam lest you will get disappointed if the real exam has none of the same questions.
Such exams help you understand the breadth of content and types of questions to expect, not the actual material to study for.
It’s advisable to practice those exams as a group that way you can help each other on your weaknesses as well as consolidating your strengths.
Studying must be routine, try to make a schedule you can stick to. Many people treat studying as the thing to do during your spare time. If your set study time is scheduled just as your class time, it becomes much less of a hassle in the long run. Instead of last-minute cramming sessions, you’ll be better prepared because you haven’t put off all the studying into one 12-hour marathon.
Spending 30 or 60 minutes every day, studying for a class before or after is a lot easier and will allow you to actually learn more of the material.
You should study regularly throughout the term for as many classes as you can. Some people study every day, others put it off to once or twice a week. The frequency isn’t as important as actually studying on a regular basis. Even if you just crack open a book once a week for a class, it’s better than waiting until the first exam in a massive cram session.
So many people view studying as a chore or task, it’s human nature to avoid it. If, however, you find rewards to help reinforce what you’re doing, you may be pleasantly surprised by the change you may find in your attitude over time.
Rewards start by chunking study time into manageable components. Studying for four hours at a time with no breaks is not realistic or fun for most people. Studying for an hour, and then taking a 10 – 30 minute break and grabbing a snack is usually more sustainable and enjoyable. Divide study time into segments that make sense and work for you.
Above everything else you must also understand that the key to success lies in living healthy and positive. It is difficult to live a balanced life while in school, but the more you try to seek balance in your life the easier every component in your life becomes.
Remember all work no play makes jack a dull boy, so take sometime out to relax with friends participate in some outdoor activities and get some air.
Take note that you only live once so you got to have the best of everything without losing focus on what you want to become in future.
Studying isn’t just about passing an exam, as most students look at it as. Studying is an effort to actually learn things, some of which you might actually care about.