Academic Success Tips from My Parents
Out of all the things my parents enforced in my siblings and I, the most profound were educational and life success tips. Legit would get 100% regardless of the subject/ course/ workload. Here’s a bunch of them.
Before class:
Spend no more than a quarter of the journey to class chilling.
Organize your study materials according to subject. Files and folders in the back, then textbooks, then notebooks. Stationery in appropriate places.
Always carry a folder full of blank sheets (plain, graphed, all the kinds!).
Fix your bag before you sleep. Hang your wristwatch on the strap so you don’t forget it when you go.
Clear your desk/study area as soon as you’re done - you’re not allowed to move out of that spot until you do.
If you have a study journal/ school diary/ study guide, read it everyday before class.
Be the first one there, at least 15 minutes early (30 mins to an hour early is favourable).
If the teacher walks in, you better greet them with a smile, regardless if they’re crabby or not. Everyday.
You have the option to relax and do whatever before the teacher walks in. However, you have to preview the lesson before it starts. No exceptions.
Make ‘preview’ notes, which is basically little helpful tidbits about what’s to come, stuff you’re not sure about, questions and guides, how formulas connect - literally anything that’ll make the class go smoother for you.
During class:
You can talk to your friends before class, but as soon as it starts, not a word or glance in their direction.
Have all your materials either out if you have the space, or within reach.
Listen carefully and take notes where appropriate (on printed ppts, on the corners and margins of the textbook, or an actual notebook), always, every class. There’s no such thing as ‘I didn’t take any notes today’ or ‘There wasn’t anything going on’.
Always write the date and the day. Make an index as you go.
No highlighters during class. Underline textbooks with pencil only, and use pencils for sketches.
Whenever a teacher assigns work or extra readings or reference materials, write them down - always. Optional or not.
You better write down test/ quiz/ exam dates, even if they’re happening the next day and you’ll obviously remember.
Speaking of exams, if the teacher mentions that word, write down everything they say, dialogue tags and all.
Answer as much questions as you can. It would be favourable if you answer twice per class or more, but it’s fine if you don’t. Your performance matters more.
Give people a chance to answer and ask questions.
Listen to what they’re saying and what response the teacher gives, even if you know it. Listening skills are important.
If an exercise is assigned during class, get on it like it’s an exam, and show the teacher your work (if possible) for corrections.
If there’s a couple minutes before the class ends, but the teacher’s lesson finished for whatever reason (a final exercise is going on and you finished, they’re taking questions etc.) you keep to yourself if you’re not talking to the teacher. Read a book, do some work, anything productive.
You can help your friends and classmates now. Never say no, even if you’re not sure, say so and let them know you’re willing to struggle with them for a solution.
If you lend stationery, get it back before you bounce.
Arrange your materials backwards as you go through the day.
If you have another class right after, you better get over there immediately. It doesn’t matter if you’ve gotten more than enough time to mess around. Take your friends if you if you’d like.
During breaks:
Study, read, review, or preview. Something light for at least a quarter of the break this time.
If someone asks for help, help them (again). It’s good practice for you to see if you understand, and it’s good practice for when you go out into the world.
NEVER GO TO TEACHERS UNLESS IT’S ABSOLUTELY DETRIMENTAL.
If you have nothing light you can do, you can do whatever.
After class:
Start by finishing all your homework. It isn’t due this week? Doesn’t matter. Always do your homework as soon as it’s assigned.
Once you’re done with your homework, check your study journal/ school diary/ study guide again. Take note of what’s coming up.
stUDY NOW PLEASE. All the subjects / courses you’ll have tomorrow should be either a) memorized if you didn’t have more than an hour of homework time or b) read and reviewed and tried and tested if you did.
You can use highlighters now. Make summary notes and formula master lists.
Organize your stuff again.
You’re caught up with everything and barely did an hour today? Time to bust out the optional readings then.
You have no extra stuff too? Time to go on the computer and get some resources yourself.
If there’s a big project, plan every step with excessively precise details. Follow them. Don’t forget to add buffers in case you miss something.
You missed something? Plan all over again.
Go to sleep by 7 if you’re in school and 10 if you’re in college. You haven’t finished studying? I’ll wake you up at 3/4 in the morning then.
Did I mention do your assignments the day they’re assigned to you?
No relaxing till the weekend. You wake up, go to classes, come back, shower, eat, then study until you go to bed. Oh, and lay out your clothes right down to the shoes and socks (accessories too) right before you do.
Weekends:
Sike. You only get one day off.
(Legit tho, back in the day, my work week was from Sunday to Thursday, and my parents would allow Thursday night and half of Friday off. We had to get up at eight-thirty in the morning max and study until lunch with zero breaks. Lunch would usually be at 1:30 pm. You can forget about most of Saturday too. We’d study till lunch, then have to go back again until late afternoon (about 5:30 pm - 4:30 if we were lucky). And then of course, since we were starting back on Sunday, we’d be in bed by 7. People would wonder how in the world we’d be able to sleep at 7 with all that we had to do as students - now you know.)
Don’t get me started on exams lol. This may seem harsh, but without this type of discipline, I wouldn’t be doing as okay as I do now with the subpar standards I’ve seemed to developed in college. Well. I’ve got a bunch of other things I used to do (some still do), as these are only the ones I could remember on the top of my head. More coming soon maybe?
Hope this helps you!
EDIT: DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT ADVOCATING ILL-HEALTH. THIS IS ONLY THE ACADEMIC ASPECT OF MY LIFE, NOT THE ENTIRETY OF IT. IF YOU’RE TRIGGERED, READ THIS. THANKSS.
