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1. Did you ever find yourself writing to your planner “Study the whole day for the big exam with 15-
30mins break times every 2hrs” and your planned day turned out to be you studying for an hour
and then got bored and does other stuff instead (facebook anyone?)? Well don’t worry because
you are not alone. Students encounter many issues in their lives. It can be as small issue as
deciding what to wear (or got nothing new to wear) to the big issues such as dating or family
problems. And because of all of the competing things for your attention, it’s hard to concentrate
on studying.
But accept it or not, we need to study, In order to progress from school year to year and
received that much awaited diploma you’ll have in your graduation. So instead of testing how
many marshmallows you can fit in your mouth, flicking the lights on and off repeatedly or frying
ants with magnifying glass, quit messing around and start reading these tips and techniques so
that you can study for your exam and hopefully ace it.
Start With The Right Mindset - Being in the right mindset is important in order to study smarter.
Aim to think positively when you study and avoid catastrophic thinking.
Sometimes you can’t “force” yourself to be in the right mindset, and it is during such times you
should simply avoid studying. If you’re distracted by a relationship issue or an upcoming game,
then studying is just going to be an exercise in frustration. Come back to it when you’re not
focused (or obsessed!) by something else going on in your life. In the meantime, here are some
things you can do on those times, instead of studying:
- Give your dog a mohawk haircut and color it green.
- Glue money to the floor and watch people try to pick it up.
- Bite the heads off Gummi Bears and take them back to the supermarket.
- Wander to your fridge/pantry every 15 minutes, open the door and expect to see something
different than the previous times you did it.
- Warm yourself up with a textbook bonfire.
Know Where To Study - A lot of people make the mistake of studying in a place that really isn’t
conducive to concentrating. A place with a lot of distractions makes for a poor study area. The
library, a nook in a student lounge or study hall, or a quiet coffee house are good places to
check out.
Bring Study Materials ONLY - Remember to bring only the things that you need. For instance,
while it may seem ideal to type notes into a computer or search the web for answers, computers

2. are a powerful distraction for many people because they can do so many different things. So
ask yourself whether you really need a computer to take notes, or whether you can do the old-
fashioned paper and pen or pencil.
Outline and Rewrite Your Notes – Rewriting notes is the best study technique that works for
me base on experience. Because you are reading and writing it at the same time. That means
double the power. Outlining is also a great method. Most people find that keeping to a standard
outline format helps them boil information down to its most basic components. The important
thing to remember in writing outlines is that an outline as a learning tool is your own style.
Should it be dotted? Numbered? Or with pictures? It’s up to you. Some people I know even
draw plants or other objects for outline purposes.
Make it a habit – Making a routine makes it easier for people to study, because just like taking
the trash out (which you also don’t like to do), it will become a habit and you will adopt on the
schedule after some time. Spending 30 or 60 minutes every day will allow you to actually learn
more of the material instead of cramming. Some people study every day, others put it off to
once or twice a week. It’s up to you. Just make it regularly and stick to it. Don’t ever break it.
Take Breaks or Reward Yourself – Because so many people view studying as a chore, it’s
human nature to avoid it. If, however, you find rewards to help reinforce what you’re doing, you
may be pleasantly surprised by the change you may find in your attitude over time. Rewards
start on giving breaks to your studies. Like youa re done on chapter 3, so you can relax for
30mins. Big rewards should be like; watch your favorite television program, spend time with
your friends or buy yourself new clothes or desserts. Whatever it is you want to reward yourself
with it.
Remember that if you are not as intelligent as Einstein, Oprah or Hermoine Granger, you “need”
to study. The key to effective studying isn’t cramming or studying longer, but studying smarter.
We hope you can begin studying smarter with these proven and effective study habits we just
shared with you.
This article is brought to you by YourSash.com. YourSash is dedicated to creating custom
graduation sashes for students across the nation. Our stoles are made from top-quality bridal
satin and professionally embroidered. There are no cheap ribbons, no patches and no iron-ons
here, just the real deal. So on your last day at college, look your best! Start customizing your
graduation stoles today and graduate in style.