Good grades come naturally to some students, while others have to work hard for it. Receiving a bad test grade can be frustrating and discouraging. A series of them can make you just want to give up. More often than not, bad grades are associated with a lack of study skills that were not implemented well in early years. It may be hard to gain back your motivation to study, but no one else can do it for you. Here is a list of tips and tricks that may just give you an idea of how to start changing the style of your study sessions and finally achieve those good grades you’ve been aiming for.

• Take Diligent Notes

Your notes need to be written by you so that you can understand what the material is that you are learning. When taking the notes, you don’t have to write what the teacher writes word for word. Instead, write it in your own words, phrase it simply and understandably, and when you don’t understand a term, ask and rephrase it to your understanding. You may also find it helpful to ensure that your notes are organized, and not just a sloppy mess. You can try following note taking formats and using bullet points. Highlight key terms that you know will be on your assessments, and try using different colored pens to make your notes easier to read, and more entertaining to look at.

• Organize Your Study Materials

When your materials are all over the place, you probably don’t even want to begin studying because just the hassle of finding everything you need can become overwhelming. Make separate sections for every subject and keep your notes in order. Labeling everything and even using dates on your notes can be helpful so you know where to look. The process of finding everything can be time consuming in itself, taking away from the actual studying. Try keeping all of your highlighters and pens in a cup or pencil case so that they are not laying all around. Your notebooks should have separate sections and all of your papers should be kept in a folder, separated by class. 

• Create a Study Routine

Pick a time of day where you find that you are most productive. Some students find that they are more motivated in the night time, some in the morning, and some in the afternoon just after they’ve come home from school. Your routine should be tailored to your needs. If you have a major test coming up, then you should set aside at least a half an hour to an hour to study that subject. If you are just reviewing or brushing up, then half an hour or less is fine. Use that time wisely and stick to one topic at a time. Studying the same material for more than ten minutes will start to seem boring, but jumping from material to material will just be down right confusing.

• Find Your Motivation

You need to establish self discipline. Whole scrolling through TikTok for hours may seem tempting, you are not getting much done. Once your set time to study comes around, it is time to put the phone away, sit down, and just focus. Your best bet is to allow an incentive for yourself. Set aside a piece of your favorite candy or snack, and allow yourself a piece for every paragraph, page, or chapter you get through. If you’re not hungry, you can find another reward for yourself, such as time to relax. The human brain reacts more positively to incentives rather than punishment.

• Stay On Task

Your phone may have just given the ding that notifies you that you’ve received a message. Don’t check it! You need to keep in mind that your education is more valuable than a text message. There’s so many environmental distractions that you may encounter, especially when studying at home. You have to limit your distractions. If you know your phone is a distraction, set it to the “do not disturb” mode and put it off to the side. Maybe your younger siblings are loud, try studying at the local library instead. When you are studying, nothing else comes first. This may be hard to keep in mind at first, but as you keep enforcing it, you’ll get the hang of it.

• Make It Entertaining

Studying doesn’t have to be completely boring. You can turn your study session into a game. There are plenty of online resources, such as Quizlet where you can create flashcards, play games, and more. You can have fun and learn at the same time. This can be so much fun that you may forget you’re even learning! It really just boils down to perception. If you perceive studying as a boring task, then it will be boring, but if you look at it as something entertaining and productive, then your study session will be much more enjoyable. This also ties into preventing distractions. When do you get distracted from something you enjoy doing? Probably almost never. 

Your study session is what you make it. No one said it was easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard either. When you set aside the time to have an organized study session, the process will be much easier.Taking the time and effort to study can be rewarding. Relaxing afterwards, knowing you’ve accomplished your goals will make your down time so much more enjoyable. It may feel as though a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. You will have accomplished something that will help you during that big exam, and further on.