FEW MORE TIPS REGARDING STUDY


Studying can seem pointless and boring, but you've got your future to think about. So you are hereby invited to check out these tips on how to study properly with minimum personal agony and maximum time for fun.



Tip #1:
Study a little bit almost every day for a week or so before a test, not for five miserable, Dorito-fueled hours the night before.


How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you study for a hard test -- or any test? A little bit at a time. One of the worst study habits is waiting until the last minute and then staying up late studying the night before. Ugh! That's just signing up for misery, disgust, Dorito poisoning and a crappy grade that doesn't even reflect what your brain can do!

Here's a better way: chopping up your study time and spreading it out. Think about the material that you need to cover, and think about how you can spend time covering it.

Hmmm, when do I have time to study? I've got dance class on Thursdays, so I'll skip studying that day. I could study a little on Friday, but I also want to hang out with my friends that night. That leaves me Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and a little bit of Friday to study.

What chapters am I being tested on? Biology chapters three through six, on cells and genetics. To be ready for the test, I better look at the questions at the end of each chapter, and know how to label a diagram of cell structure.

So here's our plan. This Friday, look at the cell diagram and memorize how to label it. That'll be pretty easy, and if you start studying right after school, you'll be done in plenty of time to hang out with your friends. (Studying, ya know, is not about being miserable. Studying is actually about being successful, and part of success is having fun.) Next week, review one set of chapter questions a day, except on Thursday. On Thursday go to dance class and totally blow off the DNA for a little bit. Then spend a little time on Monday reviewing any chapter questions that you didn't quite get last week. If you're really stuck, ask a friend for help.

How do you think you'll feel the night before the test, knowing you had time to study everything? You feel prepared, not scared. And it's a good feeling!

Studying isn't always fun, but it doesn't have to be miserable, either. Studying for a little bit every day for a few days is way better than spending the night before a test cramming and freaking out. So break up your studying into manageable pieces that let you have time to get everything done -- including having all the fun you need to stay happy!




Tip 2:
Do your hardest homework more than once.


Don't look at me like I just said I like to eat puppies with horseradish sauce. Listen to what I did say: Do your hardest homework more than once. If you have a homework problem that blows your mind, work it until you get it right. But don't stop there. Even once you think you get it, do it one more time so you really know what you're doing. You don't want to just think you've got it; you want to really get it.

Do hard problems once for understanding, and the second time for totally showing them who's boss. Then do 'em a third time. Kidding! Back down from the books already and go take a kung fu class something. Twice is enough.




Tip 3:
Always remember the obvious -- and the chocolate.


Last of all, remember the most obvious good advice: The night before a test, get to sleep at a halfway decent hour, wake up on time, and eat a healthy breakfast. We both know that an unfed sleepyhead is not in ideal condition to wrap around a hard geometry problem. And right before the test, jazz up your brain with a little chocolate if you can. Really! Studies show that a little sugar rush can improve your test score? So eat that candy bar. You studied hard, and you earned it.