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It always happens around this time. The excitement from the new school year is gone. The school work is starting to pile up. The stress of school sets in. Students start to feel anxiety and a lack of motivation. Below are some success strategies for helping high school and college students succeed while trying to overcome the mid-semester slump.
1. Make a Change: Find a new place to study, one that will allow you to focus and get your work done. Somewhere there is no distractions! You’d be amazed at how much a change of scenery can help. If you are happy with your place of study then possibly change where or how you are sitting.
2. Don’t Go At It Alone: Form a study group or find a study buddy. Two heads are better than one!
3. Take Care of Yourself: Getting enough sleep and eating well will help you maintain your focus in class and while doing homework. No matter how hard it gets do not sacrifice your health!
4. Analyze Your Grades: Look at your weakest vs. strongest classes. What are you doing right in your strongest classes? Use those same strategies in your weakest classes. If something you’re doing isn’t working for you anymore, try something new.
5. Ask For Help: Don’t be afraid to ask questions! If you don’t understand a concept approach your teacher and ask for help.
6. Create A Study Plan: It’s time to make a study schedule and stick to it. Go to class, take good notes, get off of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media will still be there in an hour and forty-five minutes. Make time for the library and make time for study sessions. A little planning can go a long way, and keep you away from those difficult late night study sessions.
7. Use a Planner: Plan ahead. Write out what’s happening each week and allocate your time accordingly. Prioritize and do the most important things first. Students who use time management strategies will notice less anxiety and stress.
8. Remember Your Purpose: Revisit your goals from the beginning of the year. Remember why you want to do well. Focus on your vision for the future.
9. Divide and Conquer: Studying will go a lot easier—and you’ll feel a lot better about it—if you break your preparation into bite-sized, manageable pieces. Not only will the task seem smaller—which will keep you upbeat about the activity—you will avoid procrastination and (surprise) build up speed as the preparation goes on.
10. Reward Yourself: Not only will this lift your spirits, you’ll find yourself studying better when you’re in a relaxed and upbeat mood. Pick something you rarely get to do. Create a list of ways to reward yourself ahead of time so you can just select one without much thought when the time arrives.
Melanie Black of Student Futures is a certified academic life coach for students and teens. She has a passion to help students succeed. Academic coaching helps develop life skills for students as well as gives them academic strategies, which help to decrease anxiety and stress in students. Contact Melanie Black today for a free consultation at Melanie@studentfutures.org or (904) 487-8269.
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