Introduction
I will discuss good study habits for high school students from my experiences as a teacher and student. I will focus on what can be done to develop long-term memory and skills to master the understanding of subjects studied at school. This is not a guide on how to cram for exams, but rather, it’s about techniques and practices that should be nurtured from the onset of high school.
Why is it essential to have good study habits?
The answer to this question may sound obvious; many people may say it’s to pass exams. Good study habits for high school students will help them pass exams, but I don’t believe that should be the number one reason for having good study habits.
Learning is for life, and developing these skills early on can help you become a great learner. If you study to pass exams, you’re probably not giving yourself the best chance to enjoy learning about a subject; the learning experiences should be enjoyable.
How can exercise, nutrition, and sleep help you study better?
Before discussing the practical steps leading to good study habits for high school students, I will cover how exercise, nutrition, and sleep can help.
Exercise
Most people know that doing exercise is good for our overall health and fitness, but it can also have many benefits when studying.
More oxygen is pumped into our brains when exercising, making us more alert and energetic. Our mood also improves because chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine are released.
Stress also decreases because the stress hormones such as cortisol decrease. All of this helps us increase our brain performance by concentrating better and improving our memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Exercise enhances physical well-being and bolsters discipline, a trait crucial for academic success. Regular exercise cultivates a routine of commitment and self-control.
This disciplined approach is highly beneficial in a study environment. Often, students may not feel inclined to study at a particular time.
However, the discipline honed through regular exercise can be transferred to their study habits. By instilling this discipline, students learn to engage in their studies even when their initial motivation is low, fostering a more consistent and productive learning routine.
I have noticed this when I had study to do. As a student, I didn’t exercise regularly and often put off things to do until later. When I started exercising regularly, my study habits improved.
Many of my students and students of the past have also noticed their discipline to study significantly improved as soon as they started exercising regularly, sticking to a time, and just getting on with it.
Nutrition
I also wanted to mention nutrition. A balanced diet with plenty of water will help us improve focus and brain function, making remembering what we are learning about more accessible. Overall, we should feel more physically and mentally active.
Brain-boosting foods include omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, vitamin B12 in dairy products, Vitamin D in eggs, Iron, and folic such as leafy greens. Find out more here, including foods containing these brain-boosting nutrients.
Sleep
Sleep is essential for brain development. When you acquire information, brain cells grow new connections, and sleep helps these cells grow and connect.
If we get a good night’s sleep, we should feel fresh when we wake up, but we shouldn’t try to eat too close to bedtime. Our body will work overtime when we sleep to process all the food. This will make it harder to get a complete rest.
Many of my students have also noticed that a ‘power nap’ during the day helps them feel more energetic when waking up. You can find out here about the best way to take a nap. Not everyone does this, but it can and does work for many students.
Practical steps to take leading to good study habits for high school students.
This section will focus on developing good study habits that lead to better long-term memory.
When cramming for exams, the brain gets overloaded with information and cannot enter long-term memory.
Some people want to study for the upcoming exams and end up passing the exams but don’t care about having that knowledge to apply later. This is not a good study habit for anyone to have.
As I mentioned earlier, I am focusing on what can be done to develop long-term memory and skills to master the understanding of subjects studied at school and beyond, helping to become a successful learner for life. Students want to enjoy their studies and have good study habits for long-term memory.
For long-term memory, they need repeated exposure to that information, re-telling of that information, and reflection of that information. Now, I will discuss the practical steps students can take to help them with this.
Same study room
Using the same study room for all their studies tells the brain that it’s time to get into study mode, getting away from distractions found in other places. This will help students focus more and increase productivity, leading to more effective learning.
Set short and long-term goals.
Students should set both short-term and long-term goals. Short-term goals drive students to complete the tasks and feel they have achieved something. Long-term goals comprise many short-term goals, such as a specific subject grade to aim for in a particular subject.
An example of a long-term goal is getting a grade 9 in maths GCSE. The short-term plan could be getting above ninety percent in all ends of topic self-assessments.
It’s also important to note that the goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). You can find out more about SMART goals here.
Make a study plan and stick to it.
Now that we know the importance of choosing a study room and setting goals, a study plan should be made.
· Tasks should be prioritised. It often helps with doing the most difficult ones first.
· Each task should be chunked into 25 minutes of study, planning for a 5-minute break (it’s called the Pomodoro Technique, which is discussed in this video).
· Make a timetable that includes the days and times of the day for studying each task. This helps to maintain concentration and prevents burnout.
· Make sure there are no distractions, such as mobile phones. Switching phones off and keeping them out of sight during the study sessions often helps students stay focused.
· Students should now be ready to study at the times marked on their timetable.
· Staying flexible because sometimes things happen that we don’t expect. Re-schedule the study session, but do not skip it.
· Rewarding themselves after having successful study sessions. It can help motivate them by giving students something to look forward to. It could be something like a cake, hot chocolate, or even watching their favourite streaming show on their smart TV. The hormone dopamine is raised when we experience happy things.
Ask for help and broaden your understanding from teachers, tutors, classmates, and the internet.
During the study sessions and learning what’s already been taught at school, they broaden their understanding by asking their teachers, tutors, and classmates for help. They also look at good online resources for further information from videos or articles.
Regular self-testing
There are many ways that I’ve used, and my students have used for regular self-testing. Regular self-testing is essential because it reinforces memory and highlights areas to focus on in future study sessions.
Active learning techniques are very effective in helping you understand and remember what you’ve been learning about. These include strategies such as summarising a topic in your own words, turning each page into a list of questions, and teaching what has recently been learned to other students in their class. Using flashcards is a versatile learning strategy that helps students of all ages.
Stay positive!
Staying positive boosts their confidence and keeps them motivated. Exercise, plenty of water, and a well-balanced diet can help you stay positive.
Conclusion
You can see now why having good study habits for high school students is important and how each pattern positively impacts our ability to study better. I have talked about why it’s essential to have good study habits, how exercise, nutrition, and sleep can help them learn better, and practical steps that students can take for good study habits.
How can we revolutionise the study habits of high school students further?
Share your groundbreaking ideas and experiences in the comments below!