RULE 1: NEVER EVER STUDY LAST MINUTE
I actually don't really stick much to this rule because I tend to forget everything really quickly so it doesn't help for me. However, if you just read up a little bit of your content everyday (this doesn't work for math), the content actually stays for a long period of time.
If you're really pressed for time and really really have no choice but to study the night before, I would suggest writing key points on small cards such as formulas for science or math, and in the case of subjects like geography, write down key words of a long paragraph instead of copying word for word. I got through O levels with this method and my grades turned out fine.
RULE 2: USE COLOUR IN YOUR NOTES
I write my notes using a variety of coloured pens. A whole set of coloured pens can be bought at Daiso. If possible, add in drawings too. It has actually been proven through a study that this works.
RULE 3: DO YOUR OWN
It's better to do your own notes than borrow others' notes because different people have different methods of studying. This is especially so for kinaesthetic learners (like me) because we learn better when physical actions are involved in your studying. So do your own notes!
RULE 4: DO NOT CRAM EVERYTHING AT ONE GO, STAY HYDRATED
A few months back before my semestral exam, I was close to failing my math, which is a module that in the case of failure, I would have to retake it. So in order to pass, I practiced math papers throughout the day for 3 days straight (I'm not kidding). In between, here's what I did:
1) Drink a cup of water every hour to replenish fluids. This helped me to stay hydrated and focused. If you're dehydrated, it's harder to study.
2) Walk around and stretch when I get so tired I can't think straight. Use this short period of time to use your phone, walk, jump, whatever. Of course, do it in a short period of time, don't drag it too long and lose focus.
3) Don't skip your meals. Seriously.
4) Sleep on time. This helps you to stay more energized throughout the day.
The end result? I got an A for the paper.
RULE 5: SLEEP EARLY
This is especially so if you have a paper or two the next day. There are people I know of that simply love to sleep at 9pm for 2 hours then wake up at 11pm to study. That's something you shouldn't do at all. You can take naps throughout the day but if you sleep at 3am and wake up at 7am 1 fact doesn't change: you slept for only 4 hours. You're still going to be tired. So go to sleep early, and revise the next day!
RULE 6: READ YOUR NOTES BEFORE SLEEP
A friend taught me to do this. He apparently read an article online that said you are better able to absorb information if you read it right before you sleep. On the other hand, I read an article that says that successful people work throughout the day and before they sleep, they actually relax and read books or fiddle with their phone. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which is better for you.
RULE 7: IF YOU CAN'T GET THE RESULTS, CHANGE THE APPROACH
That sentence doesn't make sense, does it.
Anyway, it means to say that if you can't seem to get your desired results even after studying using whatever method you thought was "perfect", it could be that your studying method is not right for you. When I was younger, I simply flipped through notes thinking that I'll be able to ace the paper by doing that. But as I grew older, this method failed, so I changed to writing notes. And it works. Test various methods of studying to see which is best for you. Some do well by seeing, some listening, and others doing.
RULE 8: ASK
A very simple rule to live by: if you don't understand, ask. The notes aren't going to tell you how to ace the paper if you just stare at it all day without you understanding anything.
Before my O Levels, I was struggling quite a bit with geography. At that time, I was a little afraid to go to my teacher because I was all alone. My friends were either in a different combination, had a different teacher, dropped the subject, or were just plain lazy to join me. However, I went alone to find her anyway, and attended every single remedial I could. I went to my teacher almost every week just to ask about different things. Eventually, I managed to jump 6 grades, from F9 to B3.
But of course, it is better to go with friends. You get to learn more from your friends' questions, and they get to learn from yours.
RULE 9: DON'T BE AFRAID
This is likely to be the biggest problem of all students: fear. Don't be afraid. You didn't study this much to be this afraid of a paper, right? Just sit down, breathe, drink up and have fun with the paper. The more you freak out, the more likely you are the blank out in the middle of the paper. That's even worse.
RULE 10: STUDY WITH THE CORRECT PEOPLE
Here's the thing: Would you rather study with nerds so that you actually get to study for real, or would you study with disruptive people who won't let you study and leave you with a completely unproductive day? It's up to you.
RULE 11: RELAX
While this one sounds a bit like rule 9, it's also a wee bit different. If you feel like you're on the verge of breaking down and saying things like "why am I so stupid", it's a sign that you're too stressed. Get out and get some fun, call your friends out for a drink! It's not nice to face a book all day.
RULE 12: STAY POSITIVE
Be happy.... Even if it sounds quite impossible with all your notes around you. Don't ever tell yourself things like "omg I'm stupid" or "oh no I can't do this let me just fail school and become a stripper". Instead, tell yourself "I CAN DO THIS! I'll ace the paper and not fail school and I'm not going to be a stripper. YES!"
RULE 13: STAY AWAY FROM JUNK FOOD
Don't ever study with potato chips surrounding you. It's not good for your brain and your body! It is okay to eat while you're relaxing, but not too much. By the way, there's this studying method called the gummy bear approach. You can try this method if you really really like eating while studying, since it is a form of motivation.
RULE 14: STUDY AT A QUIET PLACE
This is especially so if you are easily affected by noise around you (aka audio learners, people who absorb information best by listening). Don't go to Starbucks or McDonald's to study, go to the library or stay at home... Unless some idiot nearby decides to drill holes in their wall.
Fun fact: Starbucks chases students that are studying in their premises because they tend to take up space and prevent customers from having seats. I'm not sure if this happens in other countries, because it does happen in Singapore.
Fun fact 2: There are 3 main types of learners: audio, kinaesthetic and visual. Some people have a mix of two. Audio learners should not listen to music while studying because it is a form of distraction. Kinaesthetic learners should walk while reading notes (I don't do that by the way. I feel like it's impossible to read with it bobbing up and down). Visual learners...... Should stay in a place with little people so that you don't get distracted by people running around.
RULE 15: HARD WORK > TALENT
To people who think that talent is the thing that helps people to score, you're most likely to be wrong. Yes, it is true to a very limited extent that talent helps in someone to get good grades because they have "high IQ" and whatever, but hard work is the bigger portion of their grades. Everybody is smart, it's up to you whether or not you want to work for it. Let's have a scenario.
Person A has an IQ of 150 and person B has an IQ of 100. Person A sleeps in class all the time, does not study at home, basically does nothing related to academics. Person B jots down notes and asks questions in class, and revises at home. The end result is darn obvious: Person B gets way better grades than person A. Makes sense. right?
Moral of the story: Quit slacking so much and then blame it on "smartness".
And I think that's it for this post. Remember, everybody has their own studying method, so search for the one that suits you best. Oh and, it's okay to have bad results. Just remember to pull up your socks in time.
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