How to Be a Successful Student Some people never learn effective study habits in high school. Thus, they may struggle through their first semester of college. A student should figure out how he/she studies the best; many people cannot create a quality essay at four in the morning with the music playing and the television on. Although poor study habits may cause the student to struggle, which results in unhappiness, he/she can become connected by joining clubs, music groups, or sports that will help a person make more friends while balancing his/ her life, thus making him/her a happier student.
So, students should get involved! School does not have to be just about schoolwork. One should find an activity that his/her school offers, and he/she should join if his/her schedule allows. Yet, some people have a harder time adjusting to school than other people and may feel that success is impossible. However, a student can be successful in many ways, such as by being on time for class, keeping an assignment notebook, and managing his/ her time. For a student to be successful, he/she must begin by getting to class on time.
To do this, he/she should make next morning preparations on the night before, such as ironing his/her garments on the night before class; this will save him/her at least five to ten minutes in the morning, and he/she may use that time to read the newspaper or take out the garbage. Next, one should purchase an alarm clock and batteries if he/she does not already own one. After completing the buying process, he/she must set this clock two hours before his/her first class is scheduled to begin.
He/she should set his/ her alarm to wake him/her/her with the annoying “beep, beep, beep” sound rather than the sound of soothing music; he/she must also resist the urge to hit the snooze button, which could cause him/her to be late for class if he/she hits it too many times. By following these simple steps, he/she will have thirty minutes to prepare and eat a wholesome breakfast, which will benefit him/her by allowing him/her to be more focused during class instead of being distracted by the growling of his/her stomach.
He/she will then have fifteen minutes to take a revitalizing shower, which will awaken his/her senses; fifteen minutes to groom; ten minutes to brush his/her teeth; twenty minutes to get dressed; fifteen minutes to drive to school; and ten minutes to get to his/her seat and settle in. By doing these daily activities in the allotted amount of time, the student will stay on schedule and be on time for class each day. The next step for being a successful student will be the acquisition of an assignment notebook.
This notebook will help him/her in many ways; he/she should begin by recording all tests, quiz dates, and chapters that are involved immediately upon receiving his/her syllabus at the beginning of each semester; this provides the student with a convenient reference. The importance of this reference is the student has quick access to information; otherwise, he/she would frantically search through all of the accumulated handouts that he had received throughout the semester. As a result, he will save time.
He/she should also jot down all project and essay due dates and work on them prior to the eve of the due date. By doing this, the student has ample time to complete and review his/her material more than once, allowing him/her to make the necessary changes, which will result in a better grade. He/she should not procrastinate; if a student starts an assignment earlier than he/she thinks he/she needs to, he/she will have time for any unexpected problems that may surface, for example, computer failure or personal illness.
Therefore, by making studying a priority, one can allow time for hobbies and friends. The student must manage his/her time effectively; to achieve this goal, the student should designate specific hours to study and not take phone calls or accept visits because studying is more effective when the student has no distractions; the student remembers what he/she studies better at test time than he/she would if he/she were to stop periodically to talk on the telephone or visit with his/her friends.
People should think of college as a full-time job by putting in an eight-hour day, including class and study time. This dedication will be evidenced in the student’s grades. One should keep in mind that planning ahead is not as bad as it sounds. For example, if a student’s first class begins at 9:00 a. m. and his/her last class ends at 1:00 p. m. , he/she could be done studying by 5:00 p. m. and have plenty of time for visiting with friends and watching television, which make the demands of being a full-time student less stressful.
Therefore, students should find a way to make studying beneficial. Being punctual shows that the person respects rules and possesses knowledge of academic policies; keeping an assignment notebook and managing one’s time are all necessities for becoming a successful student. A person must also have certain desirable traits to remain successful. He should have a positive attitude to be assertive. He must have a sense of his/ her goal to know why he gets up each morning at 7:00 a. . because he could easily get a dead-end job and work the evening shift. He/she needs to be independent; by doing so, he/she will know that he/she cannot and should not expect someone else to force him/her to do well in school. Most importantly, he/she should make the most of his/ her education adventure. Most people generally get only one opportunity to succeed, so they should not let anything – or anyone – stand in the way of whatever they are trying to accomplish.
