Use the Bathroom Wisely and Other Study Tips

Everyone knows what homework is, even those who refuse to do it. It’s those neat little activities or week long projects your teachers give you at the end of class you have to take home, slave over, and turn in the next day.

Homework is work. But it should not only be reduced to worksheets, projects, and things that must be turned in.

Teachers often tell students to study. Yet, without a specific thing that must be turned in, students often don’t know where to begin, or even the first clue as to what study actually means. No doubt you know the dictionary definition of study, but the practical definition? That’s a different set of notes.

Study means carving out time in your schedule every single day to review anything you covered in class, not just for the current day, but for the previous weeks, too. This includes notes, handouts, returned assignments, class readings from the textbook, and your personal annotations.

Study means getting a group of friends together to talk about the material in your shared classes. With social networking sites like Facebook, Skype, and Google +, you have a large array of options that don’t necessarily require you to meet up at the public library or the Denny’s down the block.

Studying this way probably sounds alien, especially since you live in a culture that constantly tells you that “school stays at school” and “home stays at home.” But talking about what you’re learning with anyone may make the difference between the grade you have and the grade you want.

So, studying is different than homework, and definitely has benefits, but how do you do it? Here are some tips:

1.       Make time.

If you do not make time to study, you will not study.

Plan a minimum of 20 minutes of study time per day (even on weekends) for the classes that require the most of you (English, math, history, science). Make an effort to plan your study time around those periods you are tired, or winding down after a long day. Here are the times of the day most students seldom consider using:

• Wake up 30 minutes earlier and study then. You might be groggy at first, but you will adapt. And you won’t be as likely to fall asleep, especially if you’re getting a good night’s sleep (you are, aren’t you?).
• Meal times are helpful because, unless you’re having a family dinner, you are sitting around doing nothing more important than shoveling food into your mouth. The act of eating keeps you awake and, depending on what you’re eating, can even stimulate your mind.
• Use your bathroom time! The bathroom is the place you have privacy for about 15-20 minutes, and seriously, what else are you going to do while squeezing one out? Stare at the walls? Most people read while they’re on the toilet, so why not notes? More productive than that latest Willy Wonka meme on Facebook.

2.       Eliminate distractions

When you study, you need to be studying. It is probably safe to assume that when most students are “studying,” they are also listening to music, keeping track of their smartphones, yelling at their kid brothers and sisters to keep it down, texting friends, and watching TV in the background. If your mind is divided between multiple tasks, it will not be able to do any effectively.

Find a spot where you can study without a lot of distractions. Turn off the cell phone. Avoid the TV. Listen to music that doesn’t have words, or at least music you are familiar with. This might be tough at first, but it gets easier with practice.

3.       Reward yourself

You are not a robot; you are a human being (although, you might want to check). So, take breaks when you study. Read and review those notes and textbooks for 20-30 minutes, then take a break and reward yourself. Turn that cell phone back on and check Twitter. Watch an episode of Breaking Bad. Text a friend. Play a round of Battlefield. Then, if you have more studying to do, shut everything down again, and get back to it.

Studying should not be an activity that kills you, crushes your spirit, or absorbs every ounce of your time. If you plan time every day, you will not only see benefits in the classroom, you will discover yourself enjoying those preferred activities so much more.

So, find a bathroom, take a seat, and get studying!