Each one of us aspires to be the best. We all are blessed with a unique set of talents and skills. It is really important to keep learning more about the things we are passionate about or discover something new and to keep growing. Without being a good observer or learner, one cannot excel in anything, be it academics or life. Being a good student is not just about getting good grades and being the class topper. The purpose of learning is much greater. To strive for greater things in life, it is necessary to build a robust foundation. This foundation is laid by the education that we receive and the skills that we learn. The character we develop, among other things, is a result of this foundation. In this article, we will discuss a few effective tips that will help us become a good student.
Being Organized as a Student
Keeping a to-do list and scheduling things can help a student save a lot of time and can also help in becoming more efficient. If we don’t plan our days beforehand, and don’t have our priorities and goals listed out in order, it is likely that we will end up wasting most of our time procrastinating or worrying about what to do next, or simply ditch everything and go back to watching some series. It’s important to be organized as a student.
When we don’t have any strict plan of action, we don’t realize how valuable each minute is for us and how little time we have. By the time we sort things out, it is usually too late. To manage our time efficiently, it is crucial to plan the day ahead of time and set long-term and short-term goals.
There is a well-known proverb in English – “Rome was not built in a day”. So, try and stick to a schedule. However simple it is, don’t postpone a task to the next day. Procrastination can become a habit over time and can cause failure to achieve set goals.
Also, be more realistic when it comes to setting goals and drawing plans. We all have a limit. Add leisure time to the schedule as well. We all know we are not computers. Even computers need rest. Over optimism does more harm than good. Don’t try and read that textbook in a day. One needs to rest and enjoy other stuff as well in order to have better focus.
One step at a time
Some people have the habit of listening to music while driving. A driver even with a little bit of experience can drive while listening to music without any problems. But what happens when a beginner loses themselves to the tunes? There is a slight but not so negligible chance that the diversion can cause an accident, putting their life, passengers’ lives, and even the pedestrains’ lives at stake.
For students, multitasking can be a dangerous habit and it should be avoided at all costs. When you multi-task, your attention is distributed between a lot of things. This not only strains your brain and, drains your energy, and reduces your ability to focus on things. The perfection and efficiency with which you complete the task is also affected. As your focus continuously shifts from one thing to another, as a result, the concentration power gets affected.
Effective Studying
Hard work combined with smart work will yield you the best benefits. There are several scientifically proven tips to make yourself more focused and for self-improvement. Managing neatly written notes for different subjects will make the process of learning smoother and more efficient. Using different colored highlighters, for instance, can make one feel better about studying or taking notes. Don’t force yourself to open that boring book and study. Take a break, go for a walk or talk to a friend, and then try again. Studying forcefully is of no use. You won’t be able to retain a lot of information and will end up feeling frustrated. Do what works best for you.
Exploit your teachers!
Whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, raising questions and clearing your doubts and queries is important in order to be a better learner. Make use of your teachers’ knowledge and also help them improve their pool of wisdom by thinking out of the box. A good teacher will always be a keen learner and they will only be pleased by the students who ask striking questions in the class.
Most of us fear for our vulnerabilities being revealed and hence, we hesitate to clear our doubts. Asking questions does not make us any stupid or inferior to the rest of the class. Instead, it will eradicate ignorance gradually, which is present in all of us. No person can acquire all the information in the world.
Students should ask more Questions
Once you are in college, the habit of learning just the syllabus being taught or what all is mandatory for our final exams will not benefit us in the long run. As the world around us is growing increasingly complex with new sources of information and a variety of ideas, we should avoid being mere passive learners. Curiosity is the mother of creativity and innovation.
We have to develop the kind of thinking which is analytical, reasonable and critical while learning a topic.
Also, reading beforehand and coming prepared to the class can give us a different approach to learning. While most people in the class will try to understand the new topic being taught, we will have more understanding and the capacity to think deeper and raise critical questions.
