How to be a better student: 10 effective tips

Several recommendations to make our study sessions go a long way.

The study process can be a tedious process for many people. Not everyone learns in the same way.

In this article we will review a list of tips on how to be a better studentThis list can be very useful if you feel that you are not performing well enough.

Tips on how to be a better student

In the following lines you will find tips and recommendations on how to study better making the most of your resources and the time you have available.

1. Find your way of learning

The most important thing is to know what is your most efficient way of learning. Not all of us learn things in the same way, some of us are more visual, others more auditory, some of us have good retentive skills, others not so much... What we should do is to test in which way we understand better the concepts to work on, using several options and keeping the best one. Depending on that, we will base our study plan on that characteristic..

For example, if we realize that we learn best by making diagrams and seeing illustrated images on some subject, then we have a tendency to be visual, and we should take advantage of this tendency. We can then design a study plan based on mind maps, concept maps, etc. Elements where the content arrives by means of some significant visual stimulus.

If you are more auditory, do the same with voice recordings, or look for videos where they explain the subject matter you need to learn (also applies to visual learners).

After you have this information about the way you are, it will be easier for you to know how to be a good student, and you will be able to start designing your study plan in a better way. you will be able to start designing your study plan in a better way..

2. Choose a quiet place to study

In order for the learning process to take place properly, the ideal will always be to do the process in a place where we do not have too many interruptions.In addition to making sure it is tidy, in order to avoid the feeling of anxiety that is usually generated by messy places with too many stimuli.

3. Take breaks

The importance of taking breaks during study days is crucial for knowledge to be internalized in our mind. The new information you are supplying to your brain requires time to fall into place, so to speak.

Therefore, ideally, if you have set yourself a study schedule of 2 hours a day, you should take a 15-minute break in the middle of the day in which you close your eyes and relax. The ideal is to rest about 10 minutes every 45 minutes..

4. Take advantage of positive stimuli

In addition to the stimulus that represents to pass the exams, it is proven that if we reward ourselves for studying, the process will be more efficient..

It is about making a daily study schedule, and at the end of the day rewarding ourselves with something meaningful to us; it could be a sweet, doing some activity that generates pleasure, watching a movie, listening to music, etc.

5. Summarize the information

It often happens that we feel overwhelmed by the vastness of the topics we have to study.But it turns out that there are study methods with which the information is summarized efficiently, in order to optimize the content of our learning.

You can achieve this after a first complete reading of the subject, starting to underline what is most relevant for your evaluation. And making outlines with it. So that for the second reading you only need to review what you have underlined and written in these "concept maps". You should always make sure you know exactly which topics are going for your evaluation.

6. Attend the lectures

This method is basically the sum of several methods; the first one is to place yourself in a strategic place in the classroom, where you can pay attention to the professor's indications. Secondly, avoid being distracted by your surroundings during class hours, and lastly, make sure you take the necessary notes so that you can use them during your study day at home. And, of course, ask any questions you may have..

This is one of the tips on how to be a better student that is easiest to follow, as it is based on spontaneity and willingness to learn.

7. Take control of your subjects

Don't let your subjects dominate you, be the one who dominates them. This is one of the most important keys to being a good student. You can do this by having a copy of your class schedule in a visible place in your room, so you can see it daily and familiarize yourself with your academic load. And, in addition, be sure to write down in your agenda all the pending assignments so that you don't fall behind in the study of your subjects..

This will serve as a guide to help you know which subjects you should devote extra attention to.

8. Surround yourself with good students

To be a good student, you should be concerned about building quality social relationships with people who are on the same page as you. By surrounding yourself with responsible people you are giving yourself a source of inspiration and example that will motivate you more. Of course, it is not about copying, but about exposing yourself to an environment where studying is valued.

9. Get into the habit of reviewing in spaced repetition.

A few days after studying a part of the syllabus for the first time, review it again. Then, allow a slightly longer period of time to pass, and go over it again. Once you have done this, allow even more time to pass than the last time, and go over it again. This way of studying is called spaced repetition, and it is the best way to memorize efficiently. is the best way to memorize efficiently..

10. Get a good night's sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep is necessary so that the information you have learned is well consolidated in your memory system. in your memory system.

Bibliographical references:

• Andrade-Lotero, L.A. (2012) Cognitive load theory, multimedia design and learning: a state of the art Magis. International Journal of Educational Research, 5(10): pp. 75 - 92.
• Hernandez, F. (1990). Aprendiendo a aprender. Métodos y Técnicas de estudio para alumnos de E.G.B.- B.U.P.- F.P. Murcia:Grupo Distribuidor Editorial.
• Maquet, P., et al. (2000). Experience-dependent changes in cerebral activation during human REM sleep. Nature neuroscience, 3(8), 831-836.
• Sara, S. J. (2000). Retrieval and reconsolidation: toward a neurobiology of remembering. Learning & Memory, 7(2), 73-84.