There’s only one person who doesn’t need to make better grades; the kid who screws up the curve for the rest of us. If that’s you, congrats! If that’s not you, read on…
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See the big picture.
It’s easy to be motivated at the start of a semester. You’ve got new classes, new friends, and a new schedule. But, that upbeat outlook often turns into boredom after a few weeks. An easy way to keep up your motivation is to remember to see the big picture. You DO remember why you’re putting yourself through all this mess, right? Keep your long-term goals in mind as you march forward on your path to ultimate victory.
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Get and stay organized.
Many people tend to organize their school work during the first week of class and then slowly lose control during the semester. We know how difficult it can be to stay organized: you have to keep up with your notes, calendar, homework, readings, and papers. Luckily, you don’t have to do all of this on your own! There are some great apps out there to help you manage everything you have going on. One of the best is PERRLA Complete. It helps you stay organized by grouping your assignments, papers, to-do’s, and more by class so nothing gets lost. PERRLA Complete’s comprehensive calendar shows you everything due each day (not just your events). It also lets you write perfect papers by formatting them for you and by breaking them down into manageable steps. But, the greatest part is that you can do all of this in one place. Using a tool like PERRLA Complete can help you stay on top of your classes all semester so nothing falls through the cracks. Give it a try completely free for 30-days here.
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Stop multi-tasking.
Scientists suggest that humans can maintain focus on a topic for about 15 minutes. After that, our minds start to get a little stir-crazy. This semester, instead of trying to multi-task your paper and dinner and your social life, try giving each task your full attention. Concentrate on one thing at a time and give it your all. This not only makes accomplishing tasks simpler, it can also help you cope with the anxiety of having multiple responsibilities at one time. You don’t have to do them all at once, but can take them one at a time. Then, when it’s time to have fun, make sure you give it your full attention as well. Go all out and really enjoy time away from your work.
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Study like a boss.
Studying is one of those things everyone hates. But, it’s critical to not only learning the material, but retaining it beyond the end of the semester as well. The first thing is to get into the habit of studying regularly. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but studying consistently in short bursts will help you retain the information you learned in class much better than a marathon session the night before the exam. Next, study when you are running at your best. If you’re tired and hungry then your brain is going to be concentrating on resting and eating, not the Biology material in front of you. Although studying can be a pain, breaking it down into shorter and better quality sessions can help you make the most of that time so you don’t spend extra hours on it later.
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Build a relationship with your teacher.
Most teachers have a real passion for what they’re teaching (even if they don’t always show it). Do you know what teachers love most?: Students who actually care enough to pay attention and participate in class! See her as a real person who is trying to trying to do good in the world. Ask intelligent and honest questions about the subject matter. This feedback will help her to remember that she’s making a difference in someone’s life. And, just maybe, her favorable opinion of you might come in handy at some point during the semester.