So, we’ve just gotten midterms, and for most of us there will be at least one mark that we’re not one-hundred percent thrilled with. But don’t fear! We’re only halfway there! There’s still time to boost your marks, and we have 10 vital tips that will help you do it!
1. Use planners; You may have been one of the lucky few who has never needed a planner before, but high school is all about multitasking, and you can easily get overwhelmed with due dates, team meetings, and other demands on your time. Even though it may seem tedious at first, it actually helps a lot. For example, use google calendar to keep track of all your assignments and due dates, and make sure to set up notifications. Or, you can buy yourself a super-cute planner at the dollar store, chapters, or staples for the new year.
2. Improve your note writing skills; One reason that you may be underperforming is your ability to take notes. Hurriedly scribbled, scrawled out notes can be very difficult to make sense of when revising before a test. Therefore, it is important to make eligible, logically organized notes. For example, if you have bad handwriting, or are a slow writer, take out a Chromebook from the library. Or if you find yourself not taking nice notes, give yourself an incentive by bringing some nice highlighters, or pens to take them with!
3. Use mnemonics and other tricks; Mnemonics can be really useful for memorizing long categories, lists, and numbers. For example, Katy Perry Came Over For Great Songs’ is a great way to memorize this biological classification- Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. Another example is, to remember Metabolism; Response; Homeostasis; Growth; Reproduction; Nutrition, you can use the phrase My Really Hungry Grasshopper Refuses Neglect.
4. Take practice tests; You could ask your teacher or go online to find and print out some practice tests. Practice tests always help you to understand how much of the information you actually know vs the information you think you know. For example, take the practice test well in advance of the test itself, so you can ask questions about what you don’t understand, or take one the night before the test just to keep you sharp, or even time yourself taking one to practice efficiency.
5. Identify your learning style; Experiment if you are a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner. It is crucial to know this. Your learning style can be different from family or friends. It will help you get good grades in a shorter time. For example, if you are a visual learner, try searching some youtube videos about the subject and watching them if you are struggling with a particular concept.
6. Set goals; Read the course overview to get an idea of what is needed to be studied and memorized. That way you can measure the time you have and plan out a schedule. For example, If you have a huge unit test at the end of the week, set your goal for each night to go over a certain number of the lessons in the unit! Breaking down the information will also help you to focus and learn better.
7. Learn from your mistakes; It’s midterm, and if you’re underperforming, find out what you’re doing wrong by looking at the handed back tests and assignments. Concentrate on those areas more and try to improve them.
8. Finish all of your assignments at least a day before it’s due; This is an obvious one, but do not procrastinate, if projects are rushed they usually won’t be your best work. If you try to finish it hurriedly, your thoughts are scattered and this does not have a good impact on your project or assignment.
9. Use post-its; This is optional if you have a planner, but sticky notes often help to remind you of important things for that day. Put them all in one place, like a binder or cork board, or use them to write down key equations or pieces of information you usually forget.
10. And lastly remember to take breaks every time you feel tired. It is important to keep stress out of the way on your way to success!
We hope these tips will help you improve your marks this semester. Gaining even a couple percent is an achievement to be proud of! …
~Nikita Chugh
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