Wellbeing

Study Skills Tips

Are you riding a rollercoaster at school? Rollercoaster study is where you stay up late doing last minute assignments, then you take it easy for a while and do very little, then panic again when something is due and have to spend huge amounts of time at the end completing the work. If you plan ahead and are prepared, you will find school much less stressful and more rewarding. 

 

Here are the top tips for thinking ahead:

  1. STUDY NOTES:
    If you know that you have a test at the end of each topic or examinations approaching, then on the nights you do not have much homework start working on your study notes and summaries. File them in folders at home so they are ready to go when you need them.
     
  2. ASSIGNMENTS:
    Always start the assignment the day it is given to you, even if it is just a little bit. Make sure you understand the requirements and if you don’t ask your teacher straight away the next day. Brainstorm the steps the first night and do a rough plan of when you will do each step.
     
  3. ASK FOR HELP EARLY:
    There is nothing more frustrating than a student who says ‘I haven’t understood anything we did in the last three weeks.' Ask for help as soon as you have a problem. Keep a list of questions for your teacher on a post-it in your textbook or sticky notes on your computer or a list in your phone. Don’t let problems or issues build up, ask for help early and often.
     
  4. THINK ABOUT WHO YOU SIT NEXT TO:
    Choose wisely who you will sit with in class. This can make a world of difference to your results. If you sit with someone where it is a productive relationship, you encourage and help each other and stay on task in the classroom you will understand your work better and have less to do at home.
     
  5. CONSIDER YOUR WEEK:
    Plan ahead for busy times. If you know you have nights where you can’t do much work or a busy weekend, plan ahead and get things done early. Always look ahead for possible times where you could be caught short of time and make plans to avoid problems.

Mrs Alicia Michielsen

Director of Wellbeing and Inclusion