Navigating the demands of high school can be tricky, particularly when it comes to study. It can seem like a daunting task, especially if you don’t have any study techniques to rely on yet, but don’t fret – we’re here with some smart study tips for high school students. Whether you’re gearing up for exams, tackling a challenging subject, or simply looking to improve your study habits, you’ve come to the right place.
Be organised
You still need to study in the lead-up to an exam or test, but don’t leave all of your studying until the last minute. Studies have proven that the best way to understand what you’re learning and remember that information long-term is by spacing out your studies and revision.
So instead of leaving everything to the last minute and cramming, create a study schedule. Keep track of important dates and deadlines using a planner or calendar (physical or digital) so you know what you need to study and when. It’s also a good idea to set some goals for yourself at the start of the year, term, or semester – having a clear objective in mind will help you stay focused and motivated, particularly for days when you don’t really feel like studying.
Practise makes perfect
Okay, not necessarily perfect, but definitely better.
Say you wanted to learn how play the guitar. You might go onto YouTube and watch hundreds of tutorials or read a whole book about music theory. No matter how much preparation you do, the first time you pick up a guitar and play, it’s probably not going to sound great. Realistically, you need to practise what you’ve learned lots of times before you’re expected to get it right.
Why not treat your studies the same way? You could:
- Incorporate past practise tests into your study schedule
- Write your own flash cards with questions on one side and answers on the other
- Test yourself often, or have other people test you on the information
- Ask your teachers to write you some example or revision questions
Make it visual
Textbooks, notes, Word documents, hundreds of facts and figures to read… Sometimes they just make your eyes swim, and you lose concentration as well as understanding.
If you’re finding it hard to read for long periods of time, you could try using diagrams, graphs, and other visual material as a basis for your revision instead. Then, if you need to, add notes or explanations to help you expand your learning. Make it as intricate or simple as you like; the important thing is finding a way to represent information that you can recognise at a glance.
You could even have a go at sketchnoting (and if you’re not artistically-inclined, don’t worry – you don’t have to be great at drawing for it to be effective).
Mix it up
When you’re planning your study schedule, it’s tempting to revise each subject in a block, move on to the next, and never look back.
But imagine you’re learning to play tennis, and for the first four months all you do is learn forehand. Next you learn backhand. Then finally you’re onto learning volleys. This style of learning is called “blocking”. Sure, you’ll eventually learn all the skills…but it can get kind of boring, and it’s not reflective of what an actual tennis game involves.
This is where another learning technique called “interleaving” comes in. Studies have suggested interleaving can produce much better and longer-lasting benefits. It involves switching between related topics, training your brain to not only learn the information, but making connections between it all too.
Not convinced? In one study, students were given homework sheets using either the blocking or interleaving methods. When they were tested one day later, the students trained with interleaving scored 25% better. When they were tested one month later, the interleaving advantage grew to a massive 76%.
Go over material you’ve learned at different times throughout the term, instead of revising once and leaving it behind until exam time. For example, each time you learn a new topic, put a reminder in your calendar or phone to go over the material again in 2, 4, and 6 weeks down the track.
Mistakes can help you learn
Everyone makes mistakes, especially when you’re learning new things. But instead of letting it get you down, you can turn your mistakes into a learning tool. Understanding where you went wrong and how to make your answers right is a great way of focusing in on your problem areas.
Keep time in your study plan to go over material and check for mistakes. When you do homework or practice tests, ask your teacher for feedback – they can help you better understand exactly how to complete a specific task or give you ways to improve your responses.
Ask questions
Simply reciting long lists of facts and figures off by heart doesn’t necessarily show deeper understanding of a topic, which is often what teachers want to see in your exams. But if you give those facts and figures some more context, it could make things easier to remember and improve your answers.
The simplest way of doing this is to just ask questions. Ask your friends what they know about the topic, quiz your parents, or even do some searching online (just don’t get too distracted). Doing this will expand your knowledge of a topic beyond simple recall, and might even expose you to concepts or interpretations you hadn’t thought of before.
Seek help when needed
Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you’re struggling with a concept or subject. We get it, asking for help isn’t always easy, especially if there are high expectations of you or you’re too embarrassed to admit you don’t understand something. But even though school is important, your health and wellbeing always comes first, and it’s not worth the stress and anxiety.
If you’re feeling unsure, don’t leave it to the last minute to ask for help. Whether it’s letting your teacher know you’re struggling, joining a study group, or seeking tutoring assistance, there are heaps of people out there who are more than happy to help you – all you need to do is ask.
Find out more
If you’d like to keep searching for even more smart study tips for high school students, check out the other articles on our website here.
