Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips

By Huntington Learning Center

Start the School Year Off the Right Way With These Study Tips

The new school year is here! Start the year off right - develop a study schedule, organize your materials, and take a few moments to reflect on what you can do to make this year the best yet.  

Stay a step ahead Don’t wait until you are behind to adjust your study skills. Starting the school year off the right way will provide you the opportunity to maximize your learning and stay ahead of your studies.

Attend to your learning Good attendance is necessary for school success. Arrive at your classes early, make sure your materials are ready, and prepare for the day’s learning. Being ready before the school day and the individual class begins will help you acquire the most new knowledge.

Review your study habits Think about your previous years’ study habits and determine what worked best for you. Talk to your teachers about any concerns you may have and how this year’s courses will impact your individual study habits. If you have laboratory based courses, such as chemistry, biology, or physics, seek additional time in the lab to review your learning with course materials on hand.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses Understanding what your strongest academic areas are, and identifying the areas you struggle with the most, will help you plan your studying and maximize your learning. Huntington Learning Center can help. Each customized tutoring plan we create is based on the individual student’s strengths and weaknesses. Your tutoring plan will reflect your needs and is crafted based on your individual assessment data.

Find What You Need Each student is different and what works best for you is personal. Some students choose to study in large chunks of time and others prefer to spread their studying out over time. You may study best at home in your bedroom but your friend may do better in a secluded corner of the public library. Determining your ideal conditions for studying will aid your preparation.  

Choose the perfect spot It is important to determine the perfect spot for you to study. All of these study tips will be irrelevant if your study location is insufficient. Where are you most comfortable? Which study spot has the least amount of distractions? Where do you complete your best work?

Set a weekly schedule Take the time to create a master study schedule you can stick to each week. Be careful to schedule plenty of time around family, athletic, and extra-curricular activities. Consider building in extra time in case unforeseen circumstances or commitmen ts arise. 

Know when you need help If your school work is quickly becoming overwhelming and you are struggling to keep up it may be time to ask for help. The professional tutors with Huntington Learning Centers will administer assessments to determine your current strengths and weaknesses. Your progress will be carefully monitored to determine areas of continued need and the tutoring plan will be updated as you master new learning.

Stay in Touch It is important to stay on top of both coursework and your individual performance. Knowing when you need additional support, and asking for help, is best done as soon as difficulties arise. If you wait too long to seek assistance you will likely be wasting precious study time. 

Review expectations Don't just read the syllabus and stick it in a folder. Your course expectations should be reviewed often to ensure you haven't missed any important dates or information. Compare the expectations periodically with your master calendar to make sure you haven't overlooked anything.

Connect with others There may be other students in your class who are searching for a peer to connect with. Having another student in the class to study with, compare notes, and bounce ideas off of is a great way to stay connected with the academic work.

Communicate with teachers and tutors Do your part to communicate with your teachers and tutors. When you are feeling confused ask for help. When something seems frustrating or overwhelming let them know. Utilize your teacher's office hours or review sessions and spend time during tutoring sessions to share your concerns or problems.