9 Tips for Success at School and University
Looking back over the almost 2 years I've been working on my university courses, there is a LOT I wish I would've known before starting out. However, looking back also encourages me when I see how far I've come and how much more I know now.
Doing school, and more importantly, doing it well, is quite difficult. Finding an equilibrium between God, work, school, family, relationships, and leisure time is a tall order. Frankly, it has taken a lot of trial-and-error, mistakes, tears, sleepless nights, mentoring, and hard work to get to the point where I am now, and I still have so much to learn! However, I have many younger siblings and friends in my life who are similarly embarking on or struggling down the path of getting an education, and I want them to succeed. So naturally, I want to help them succeed as I best know how.
Now I'm sharing some of the most helpful things that help me to achieve A's, maximize my learning, and juggle work, school, and relationships. These are the things I've struggled with throughout my academic journey, and my desperation forced me to look for solutions... I hope that my experiences will help others to learn how to do school better and more quickly than I did!
1. Get 8+ Hours of Sleep Every Night
Sometimes this seems like an impossible goal, and occasionally I end up getting around 7 hours of sleep, but this step is absolutely crucial. According to the Sleep Foundation, on average teenagers need between 8-10 hours of sleep, and adults aged 18-60 need between 7-9 hours every night. Sleep not only helps your body to recharge itself, but it has other benefits including improving immune system function, improving memory and cognitive function, and aiding in the maintenance of overall health.
I have struggled with insomnia for many years, but some of the most helpful things I have found that enable me to get a good night's rest include:
- Establishing a regular bedtime and wakeup time. Even if my rest was scummy, I aim to get up at a predetermined time and to get up as soon as my alarm goes off. Spoiler alert, this is extremely difficult to do, but it should pay off by your next bedtime, because you'll be so tired, sleep should come more quickly. This step also has an added bonus of increasing productivity because you'll waste less time lounging in bed trying to convince yourself to get up.
- "Winding down" approximately an hour before bedtime. This involves setting aside all schoolwork (seriously, your schoolwork will improve if you opt to sleep for an extra hour instead of staying up attempting to finish it when you're exhausted) and doing an activity that I enjoy. Typically I watch an episode of whatever show my sisters and I are currently watching, although this isn't recommended because of blue light, which hinders the production of melatonin (your body's natural "sleepiness" chemical). However, I do have blue light filters on my phone and laptop, which helps with this issue.
- Making some tea! There are several types of tea I really enjoy, including Sleepytime Tea and Nighty Night Tea. Tea really helps because it warms me up, which makes me feel sleepy, and the herbs in these teas also contribute to sleepiness. Plus I just really enjoy a good cup of tea.
- Taking melatonin and magnesium supplements. I'm honestly not sure how effective melatonin supplements really are, but I've been taking one for over a year now, and my sleep quality has improved. I'm not sure if it's directly related to the melatonin and magnesium or the combination of my bedtime routine, but whatever it is, I'm grateful. I think one of the main reasons I like melatonin is because I have a mint-chocolate flavoured version, but that's irrelevant...
- Plugging my phone in overnight in a location where I cannot easily access it. This step may seem dreadfully inconvenient, but I assure you - it's worth it! I have a plugin at the foot of my bed where I plug in my phone nightly so that if I should "need" to access it throughout the night (let's face it, darkness hides creepy things, and sometimes I just need a flashlight), it's accessible, but it's also a pain to get to. By doing this, I find that I don't get as distracted by random things on my phone, and it enables me to fall asleep more quickly. Also ensure your phone is silenced so you don't feel the urge to check any notifications you may receive!
Additionally, make sure that your room is a good temperature and that it will remain fairly dark throughout the duration of your sleep time. Sometimes this means getting either a fan or a heater (or extra blankets!) or getting a new blind, but it is so worth it to get a good rest. I've also heard people praising weighted blankets for improving the quality of their sleep, but I've never tried one myself.
Finally, this Ted Talk offers a neat technique that helps you fall asleep quickly, and it actually works! Unfortunately, I usually forget about it, but it is pretty incredible and I should probably start adding it to my bedtime routine again.
2. Keep a Schedule
Keeping a schedule is absolutely critical for me to keep track of my goals, courses, and daily checklists. I use this Brownline daily planner because it has a monthly calendar, a page for each day, and even a finance tracker in the back.
At the beginning of each month, I go over my courses and what I need to accomplish, and I block out what I need to complete by what time. Then, I write out the general structure in the monthly calendar, and add the more specific details on the daily plan page.
As you can see, it's kind of a mess, but it helps me stay organized. Along the righthand side of the page are my weekly goals, and on the bottom of the right page are my monthly goals. I have these goals so that I use my free time wisely and productively, but talking about that will have to be for another post.
One key component of making a schedule is to make it manageable. If it's not possible for you to accomplish what you've marked out for a day, you'll get discouraged and it will most likely lead to procrastination, which only exacerbates the issue (speaking from personal experience). Set out goals you know are achievable. It is always better to plan to do less and get ahead than to plan for too much and get discouraged. Typically I aim to complete 1 module per day when I don't have to work, and 1/2 a module for the days I do have work.
Excuse the somewhat blurry quality of this photo. My daily schedule is very much subject to my personal whims, excepting the school portion of it. I ensure that I always complete the schoolwork allotted for that day. The rest is just a general framework to guide me so that I accomplish my personal goals and remember what I really need to do.
3. Start
This step may seem counterintuitive or self-explanatory, but I cannot emphasize this enough. At the risk of sounding like a Nike commercial, just do it. You won't always feel like doing your schoolwork, going to bed on time, or outlining for a research paper... It doesn't matter whether you feel like it or not, it has to be done, so you might as well get stuck in and do it. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "well done is better than well said". Intentions are great, but unless you put action behind them, they're kind of useless.
"Start" is my favourite inspirational quote, because it always reminds me that the hardest part is often getting started, but if I don't start, I'll never get anywhere. Getting started is like making an investment in your future self, and later on you'll be glad you started right now.
Just get going. Don't worry about perfection or even doing school for a set amount of time. Just get going. Once you start, you'll find it much easier to continue.
4. Pomodoro Technique
I forget where I learned about this technique - probably during one of my many trips down the rabbit hole of the vast world of internet articles. Anyway, the Pomodoro technique is useful because it encourages you to work with the time you have rather than against it. It's also nice because you get to have breaks, which I usually forget about when I'm in my school zone.
A pomodoro is a 25-minute interval in which you select a task you need to accomplish, set a timer, and work on it steadily, focusing solely on that one task. Following one pomodoro, you set a timer for a 5-minute break. You repeat this process 4 times, after which you take a longer break of approximately 15-20 minutes.
The logic behind this system is to help your mind to realize that your time is limited, so you need to knuckle down and work hard to get stuff done. By limiting your working time to 25 minutes at a time, your mind also stays fresh, because 25 minutes is a very manageable chunk of time to focus on something. Additionally, by rewarding yourself with a 5-minute break, you instill in yourself a conditioning which makes it easier to do schoolwork - because rewards trigger dopamine to be released in your brain, and you'll come to associate pomodoros with that rewarding dopamine. I like to set up my timer on my phone with preset blocks of time so that all I have to do is click on the respective timer and begin.
5. Take Comprehensive, Simple Notes
Taking notes is something that every student should do. Writing notes is associated with greater cognitive processing of the material, meaning that you'll not only understand it better, but you'll also have greater recall and memory of what you've learned. Phrasing what you're learning in your own words while still keeping your notes brief is important - you don't want to copy the whole textbook! I have a lot of writing shortcuts for taking notes that I've gradually developed over the course of my academic study.
I always try to shorten words where I can. Here is a list of examples:
a/b - about
@ - at
b/c - because
b/t - between
+ - and
~ - therefore
a/t - anything
s/w - somewhere
s/t - something
e/o - everyone
e/t - everything
w/o - without
w/ - with
t/o - throughout
ig - in general/generally
ppl - people
v. - very
↑ - increase(ing)/grow(ing), enlarge, etc.
↓ - decrease(ing)/reduce(ing)/lowers, etc.
neg. - negative
pos. - positive/position
orig. - original
xp/xp'd - experience/experienced
I also try to abbreviate words where I can by eliminating vowels or contracting them, for example:
abbrev. - abbreviation (how ironic :P)
esp. - especially
environ. - environment
dvlpmt - development
interest'g - interesting
helpf'y - helpfully (an apostrophe after a verb followed by a y or ing - the respective gerund).
info - information
Additionally, I try to eliminate all articles, such as an, a, and the to cut down on writing. I aim to make my notes understandable to myself while also not wasting too much time writing things down word for word. The one exception I make is for definitions, where I usually write it down. Concepts, theories, and ideas are perfect for putting in your own words and abbreviating. Further, if you know something, don't write it down! It's not necessary or worth your time. Or, to trigger your memory, just jot down the name of the study, concept, or idea so that if you see that note, you'll know exactly what it's referring to. I also like to write down the page numbers next to the information, so if I need to relocate it or refresh my memory, I know where to find the respective material.
6. Do ALL of the Study Questions (and the Practice Questions, too)!
This may seem like a real pain and a waste of time, but doing all the study questions seriously helps you grasp the concepts you need to learn. Not only that, but doing all of the study questions forces you to go over all of the material, which is important. When you're doing the study questions, try to rephrase or capture the general idea in your own words. This will engage your cognitive processing to help you better understand the material.
Not only should you do all of the study questions, you should do all of the practice questions as well. Usually the practice questions are more of a direct application of what you're learning, so they will help you to put into practice the theoretical concepts you're beginning to understand. Plus, by applying the concepts, you will remember them better, because often they are framed in the context of a situation, and stories are memorable. It will take extra time, yes, but in the long run it means you'll have to spend less time studying to prepare for your tests or exams, which is a huge bonus!
7. Start Studying a Week Before Your Tests or Exams
It may not seem like a big deal, but cracking open the books one week prior to your test or exam enables you to cover more material, decreases your stress levels, and research suggests that people learn better by stacking material (through spaced repetition) rather than by trying to cram it all in at the last second. You probably won't feel like doing it at the time, but studying a week ahead of your tests and exams is a surefire way to improve your recall. Plus, feeling less overwhelmed is always a plus, and trying to read your whole textbook an hour before your exam just isn't going to cut it.
When I study for exams, I try to space it all out and cover each module. I aim to reread each chapter of my textbook (even if that just involves skimming for key terms, examples, and concepts), especially the summaries. Then I look over my notes and flashcards for definitions. Progressing chapter by chapter is helpful because it gives you a concrete direction for study, and helps prevent procrastination because you know exactly what you need to do.
Another helpful study tip is to make acronyms for lists of information, using the first letter of each step or term to spell out another word so you can remember it more readily. I also like to have a family member take my notes and read random questions to me so I will be forced to verbalize in my own words a concept or term. This helps with cognitive processing as well, enabling me to retrieve the information better during the test or exam.
8. Grades Aren't the Most Important Thing
For those who know me, this probably sounds really ironic and hypocritical, because I am a hardcore overachiever. I set ridiculously high standards for myself, and I'm usually disappointed if I don't get higher than a 93% grade. However, I am getting better at not basing my worth on my performance and accepting my failures as learning opportunities and growing from them.
That being said, while grades aren't the most important thing, you should always strive for excellence. Abraham Lincoln once said "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end." Don't settle for mediocrity! Put in the effort.
"So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD and not men, knowing that you will receive an inheritance from the LORD as a reward. It is the LORD Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:23-24
I think it's just so cool that we can look at it that way - even doing school can be glorifying to God! Do your school for God's glory, and don't do it halfheartedly. Work hard at your schoolwork, your job, your relationships... whatever it is, it can all be for God's glory. Honour God in your menial, everyday tasks by doing your best for HIM.
It doesn't matter if your best isn't as good as somebody else's. What matters is that you are putting in YOUR best effort and you're working to improve YOURSELF. Comparison is the thief of joy, because no matter what, there will always be somebody who is superior to you. So instead of comparing yourself and becoming discouraged, look at who you are and who you'd like to be, and work towards achieving that goal. The goal should not be to become "better" than somebody else, the goal should be to become the best you you can possibly be! As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "if I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way." It's all in your approach.
9. The Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower Matrix revolutionized my life when I was first embarking on my online school journey. Not only is it helpful in the context of school, but the Eisenhower Matrix provides an effective time-balancing tool for general life as well!
The basic concept is that four categories of activities are involved in our lives: things that are urgent, things that aren't urgent, things that are important, and things that are not important. Each of these categories intersects to create more categories: important & urgent, unimportant & not urgent, etc. The Eisenhower Matrix gives you a framework with which to categorize your activities, then helping you to prioritize well.
For example, something that may be urgent and important is something time-sensitive, like finals. Studying for finals takes precedence over watching your favourite show, which is neither important nor urgent. Something not urgent but important may be writing a letter or going on a walk with a friend. In this case, because it doesn't have to be done right away, you can put it on the backburner, but schedule a time to do it so it does get done. Lastly, for things that are urgent but not important, such as shoveling the walkway or washing the dishes, can be delegated to others. That's not to say become a tyrannical overlord, but rather trade chores with someone else or find an alternate route. In some cases, people may be glad to take on a simple task that you need done but you don't have time for.
There you have it - 9 tips that help me with school! Surprisingly, I've discovered that many of these principles apply for general life as well. Life is strange like that: a massive difficulty arises in aiming to maintain balance, but the ways to achieve balance are pretty much all the same. Here's a quick summary of the 9 tips, with my added comments on how they can correlate to regular life!
Get 8+ Hours of Sleep (sleep is a bodily need, and helps you maintain peak function)
Keep a Schedule (keeps you organized, reminds you of what needs to be done/your goals)
Start (get going on literally anything! You'll never achieve anything if you don't start)
Pomodoro Technique (I haven't, but you could probably use this to break up any monotonous task. Even so, it's a reminder that taking breaks is important)
Take Comprehensive Notes (keep it simple)
Do ALL of the Study & Practice Questions (put in your best effort ALL THE TIME and keep practicing always)
Start Studying a Week Early (same as #6, be prepared for things. Don't leave it till the last minute)
Grades Aren't the Most Important Thing (you'll never be perfect. Do your best, but don't focus on your flaws)
The Eisenhower Matrix (balance and prioritize pretty much anything)
