School may have come natural to you, or it may not have. You may be realizing that the study strategies you've used for years just aren't boosting your grades the way they always used to, but why? It's not like you're not still smart, and it's not like you're not trying, what gives? Our tutors see this all the time, students who have trouble adapting in school, and more importantly those who stick to old mistakes, often without even realizing they're mistakes. Do you want to get that extra boost in your grades? Do you want to stop worrying about your grades?
If this is you, then these tips may help you! If you follow this guide, you'll find yourself scoring higher, testing with confidence, and studying better than ever before, so check it out!
Mistake #1 - Your Studying is Inefficient
"This isn't me, my studying is great." is what we hear all the time. You've done it for years and understand all the concepts, but do your scores reflect that? If not, then your studying style may need an update. We publish articles on a variety of proven study techniques, such as the Feynman Method or Pareto Principle, but taking a good look at your study methods and schedules alone can help you improve them.
Regardless, your studying is impacted greatly by the quality of your study schedule. If you're not already, having a set hour each day dedicated purely to studying can help you score well on your class tests in as little as a week. In more intense periods, having set scheduling for each hour or multiples of hours can do you well. Just remember to schedule your breaks too!
Mistake #2 - You're Not Using an App Limiter
The internet is one of the greatest inventions created, and also one of the most distracting. If you have trouble parting with your phone, say you're waiting on an important text but TikTok is really calling to you, then you'd benefit greatly by limiting certain apps. Most phones have app limiters already built in, and you can limit the amount of hours spent on a specific app before it locks you out.
If you find that this still isn't stopping you from the distraction, we recommend the app SuperHappy to lock the app for you. SuperHappy is unique in that, in order to unlock an app, you need to convince an AI that you have a good reason to unlock it. We've found that this app is incredibly useful in breaking the anti-studying habits that phones create.
"I just wasted my entire day on my phone" – All of us at some point
Mistake #3 - You Only Review Past Tests Once
Took the test and feel confident? Good. Did you look at the test when you got it back? Good. Once? Bad. It's important to review not just the grade, but the things you got wrong too. This matters because although you may not be tested on the same subjects again (excluding the final), you're able to prevent future mistakes by correcting the previously-incorrect thinking path. Keeping your past tests throughout the semester is equally necessary, especially if your finals or midterms are cumulative.
Mistake #4 - You Don't Take Breaks
The idea of 'grinding' studying has become more popular as time goes on, however more often than not students tend to take it too far, which results in them actually doing worse on tests than if they had just studied normally. Like your muscles, your brain has use limits. If it's used on a complex subject for too long, you won't only get tired, you won't actually retain the information you're reading.
Schedule your breaks in a general ratio of 45 min studying/5 min break, with every 3rd cycle having a 30-45 min break. This can help your mind stay calm and collected while also maximizing your study potential. Take a break! You're working hard!
Mistake #5 - You Aren't Drinking/Eating Enough
All too often we have students who become so busy with school that they forget to eat or drink, but your brain needs energy if it's going to remember anything. Your brain runs on glucose (or with some diets, ketones), and needs nutrients to keep running. Keeping a strong meal schedule during your studying can help you not only stay on task, but will also give you something to look forward to. Dehydration and hunger are both linked to lower studying efficiency, so make sure to feed your brain!
Conclusion
Mistakes are a natural part of the studying environment, but it's important to learn from them and even more important not to repeat them. If you've fixed these mistakes and still find yourself struggling, then tutors may be able to provide that additional assistance. Luckily for you, we at Nucleus Tutoring can give you that helping hand! Feel free to subscribe to our newsletter below or visit our website to learn more about how you can secure your path to success in school today!
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