The easiest way to beat this cycle is to fill your September toolbox with study skills that will get you through the slump. Try these study skills for the first two weeks of school – the ones in which you are the most driven to stay on top of things – and do so without faltering, and hopefully, the habits will be set in stone this time.

Make a routine – We are creatures of habit because we actually like to be stuck in a rut. Even though the first few times of studying your history notes before you go to bed will not be fun, the satisfaction that will come from forming a positive habit and accomplishing a goal will be. See how creative you can get: do you have time to do two math problems over breakfast? Read your French book every time you take the bus. (Can we have a link to ‘read more’ after this paragraph)

Have a fun way of keeping track of your time – Buy a giant calendar – the kind your mom has in the kitchen – and use colours and sticky notes to plan out your life. This can give you the big picture, while a little agenda in your favourite colour can allow you to fill in details. Or go electronic- iCal and the Microsoft Office calendars are great ways to stay on top of things. Don’t be bound to your school agenda you always lose and have fun this year.

Turn your studying into accomplishable tasks – Instead of thinking Study for Socials, break this into tasks you can realistically check off a list. Read chapter one of my textbook aloud. Highlight important information from my class notes. Make flashcards of important terms. Meet with a friend to study for one hour. The more specific you can be, the more you’re going to get done and the more satisfied you will feel.

Lastly, study smart – Know what works for you and don’t waste time on what doesn’t. We are always learning to study, so work towards becoming an expert at what kind of studying works for you.

Take this September as a chance to change. Make study skills your habit! Join Nicky, Options Solutions “Coach,” at one of her Study Skills sessions, held at the West Vancouver and Vancouver offices throughout September and October. Nicky is also available for one-on-one coaching in Study Skills, English, French, and written and online university applications.

Studying can be overwhelming, especially since final exams cover a whole year’s worth of material. Start by making a study plan. Look at a monthly and weekly calendar to get perspective and to get your priorities straight. Organize each examinable subject into specific units (look at the Table of Contents in your textbook) and then rank the difficulty of each unit in order to ballpark how long you’ll have to study for each one. Then make a To-Do List of tasks you must do in order to prepare yourself for the test. Be as structured as possible with your time in order to both be on top of things and feel on top of things.

How long should I spend studying for an exam?

I like to think of time spent studying as time spent doing tasks. This takes the mystery and fear out of the elusive art of “studying.” If you are able to divide your study time into a list of tasks you make for yourself, this will help you be more goal-oriented and it will also help you determine how much time you will need to study. Tasks could include organizing your subject into units, creating a set of study notes for each unit, creating flashcards, studying your notes and flashcards, and even getting together with friends to study. A more specific answer to the time question would be begin studying now – two to three weeks before the exam. This allows one week to organize and review all the material, one week to create study notes and other methods of review, and one week to study the notes and to get help on questions or areas of difficulty that have come up.

My biggest problem is being distracted when I study. How do I avoid this?

The first step to solving this problem is realizing that this is a problem for you. Here’s a tip: this is a problem for all of us! The second step is identifying the things that are distracting you. The hard but simple part comes after this: you now need to avoid these distractions. This can be accomplished by creating a study environment where these distractions are left out; for example, studying in a different room than your computer, phone and television. If boredom or restlessness is a problem, it helps to study in short bursts; I would recommend 25 minute “chunks”. If motivation is a problem, or your exam is stressing you out too much to pay attention, put this test into perspective. Is there some bigger reason for why you are writing this exam? What is your ideal outcome? Try to focus on the positive and relax, and remember that staying on top of things – through organization, time management and study “tasks,” – you will not only feel more prepared, you will also be more prepared.

It goes without saying that everyone is different. For some students, studying and being motivated to learn comes naturally; for most, however, this is not the case. Fortunately, there are strategies that can be modeled and, once implemented, students will gain a valuable edge in understanding material, preparing for tests, and, ultimately, learning. Students’ success in high school and post-secondary is dependent on their ability to study effectively and efficiently. Effective study skills must be practiced in order to improve. If not, the results will be wasted time, frustration, and low or failing grades.

There is no magic formula for success in preparing for tests and written assignments. Studying any material requires work! However, by being dedicated and applying the techniques and strategies learned in our Study Skills Tune Up workshops every day, students will be well-prepared to take on any course and succeed. These workshops are especially beneficial to grade 10 students attempting to navigate Provincial exams for the first time.

A student who wants to succeed will equip themselves with the tools to help them do so and take to heart the following expression: “Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.”

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