With school hurtling towards many students all too quickly, it can be difficult to get back into the studying mindset, especially if, like most, you have been avoiding your summer homework like the plague and spending all your free hours playing Pokemon Go. However, now may be a good time to start revisiting old study habits, and even learning new ones, so you can head back to school with all the tools you need to be successful. I know, it's probably not the way you want to be spending the last few weeks of summer. Believe me, I feel that on a spiritual level. But in the long run, these study tips will be well worth the time you put into practicing them.
1. Make Note Cards
There are a few different ways that note cards can be the best stationary you have ever invested in, but above all, it should be noted that making note cards is a fantastic study tool. One of my favorite ways to use note cards is with a method a teacher back in 8th grade taught me. He would have the whole class stuff one side of a note card with everything we could remember from our notes to use in our tests. Some people got fancy, using all varieties of glitter pens and lamination to make sure all that teensy information stood out. Others, not so much. I still use this strategy to this day! I usually end up making up to three note cards with the same information on it so that what I need to know gets ingrained in my mind.The only downside is that I can't use the note cards on tests like I used to. Having said that, this is a seriously helpful study method, especially if you are a visual learner.
2. Annotate
There was once a time (ahem, freshman year) when I hated annotating with a burning passion. It was the bane of my existence and I couldn't imagine a more boring way to spend my time. But, as I grew older and took more AP classes, annotating became my lifeline. Now, I can't open a book without my trusty pad of sticky notes by my side. Marking things with a colorful little tab or even highlighting important information and quotes that stand out is a really good way to find and comprehend patterns, themes, and other pertinent ideas in a text. I have found that annotating is also a great way to stay focused, especially when trying to muddle through a tedious textbook. And on top of that, going back through your annotations, even if they are just snarky comments, is a great way to jog your memory about what it is you're supposed to be studying.
3. Set Goals
I have learned the hard way that if you have, for example, a 50-page history chapter due in three days, you should definitely not do it the night before. It's overwhelming, annoying, and extremely frustrating to pull an all-nighter, and it's even worse when you know that you've been procrastinating. Setting manageable goals for finishing long-term assignments is key in making sure that you don't get stressed out and that you understand the content! Breaking up a novel or project into chunks is a great way to measure your progress and it's also kind of exciting when you achieve your assignment goal for the day.
4. Utilize the Internet
This is one of my favorite ways to get ready for big exams, especially in subjects that I don't understand very well. Most textbooks have interactive websites with games, quizzes, and other resources that can be really helpful in comprehending and remembering content specific to what you've been learning. Other websites like Quizlet and Khan Academy have collections of flashcards and other virtual study tools that students can use. Even YouTube can be a good resource. My saving grace during my sophomore year chemistry class was a collection of YouTube tutorials on all things chemical that I was lucky enough to discover. The world wide web is a wonderful place to discover new study tools!
These are just a few of my favorite study habits and tools, all of which have helped me immensely as I've gone through years of classes and quizzes. However, if they don't work for you, don't use them! Experiment, try new things, use this downtime to make mistakes and find the study tools that best fit you. That's what summer homework time is all about, am I right? With that said, make this upcoming school year your best! Good luck!
