Habits of Highly Effective Students
1. Planned Studies
Students who plan their studies perform much better than the students who study whimsically. If you are preparing for JEE/NEET then one should plan to study all three subjects in a day, if not all 3 subjects at least 2 subjects in a day followed by studying the 3rd subject the very next day.
Usually students prefer spending more number of hours with the subject they like or feel more comfortable with. But one should understand that performance will not increase beyond a level by working more on what you already know. Rather one should emphasize on weak subjects or weak topics slowly converting them to your strengths.
2. Never believe in Last Minute Preparation
Students till their 10th standard could score decent marks on last minute preparation. But be rest assured that this is not going to help you at all during your preparation for competitive exams. Your goal is not to perform just in 1 or 2 tests. Your goal is to perform in the final JEE/NEET exam. Last minute preparation may fetch you some temporary results but such results will not be long lasting.
3. No to Television & Social Networking sites
Instead of watching television, please involve yourself in some sports or go for a walk. Many students have food right in front of TV. It starts like I will watch TV just during my lunch then you realize that you take hours to complete your food. TV distracts your mind so much that your concentration power reduces.
In today’s time if internet is a boon to the society, it is at the same time a bane to the society. Too much involvement in such sites to update your profile pics, or status, whatever it is, just think once it is so much essential. Can’t we give it up for just 2 years of our life?
4. Avoid WhatsApp and other Messaging app
Many students sit with mobiles while at studies. But actually whoever sits with mobile during studies is not studying at all. If you really want to use whats app or similar tools include some breaks in your study plan. But during studies say no to it.
5. Study on Table
Most important is to avoid studying on bed. Rather just go to sleep, at least it would be fruitful. Studying on bed is equal to showing your parents that your studying but actually your mind is sleeping. Table studies gives maximum output as your concentration levels are high. Try to have a small corner at your house where there are minimum distractions.
6. Avoid too many Books
One should understand that most of the questions are common in books. Every author will try to cover all the concepts and questions related to them. So select a book/guide which you are comfortable with. Do not buy too many books. Any how you will not get time to go through all the books simultaneously.
7. No to Cramming
Whenever anything is taught in class, try to understand them fully. Always ask why and how as much as possible. If you get hold of the concepts, you will enjoy subjects. If you mug them up without understanding, then in the long run it is not going to help.
Of course you will need to remember formulas in order to save time, every time you can’t derive formulas, but if you understand the derivations and reasons behind the concepts taught, your mind will automatically remember it. You are not actually making any efforts to remember if you understand them fully.
There are some sections where you have to remember like in chemistry the colors/names of compounds, few exceptions in few of the chapters. In such cases you have to practice questions related to them, you will be comfortable with such things too in same manner like a teacher remembers the names of the students in the class because of daily interaction.
Of course you will need to remember formulas in order to save time, every time you can’t derive formulas, but if you understand the derivations and reasons behind the concepts taught, your mind will automatically remember it. You are not actually making any efforts to remember if you understand them fully.
There are some sections where you have to remember like in chemistry the colors/names of compounds, few exceptions in few of the chapters. In such cases you have to practice questions related to them, you will be comfortable with such things too in same manner like a teacher remembers the names of the students in the class because of daily interaction.
8. Setting Goals
The student should set up goals which are realistic and achievable. Having goals set will help you to study and you can also monitor your progress.
9. Be Attentive
A good student never allows back logs to come up. A student should always come to class prepared for the class fully. The student should revise on what was taught in the previous class. The student after each class should practice questions related to the concepts in the class on the same day of the class.
10. Avoid Procrastination
Procrastination means delaying your work. Do not delay for tomorrow as this tomorrow will never come. Study/ revise as matter of regular habit. When efforts are regular, you need small efforts, when you postpone you end up with loads of booklets, assignments and tons of study pressure. This will cause stress in you and you will be confused and it would be difficult to cope up.
11. Be free of Tension & Stay Positive
Let’s keep it simple, be regular in studies, you will never feel tension. Tension is the outcome of irregular efforts. Stop worrying or getting tensed about what will happen in future. If you do not study and waste time in thinking about the future; you will end up losing your valuable time. Do not allow other random thoughts to arrest your mind; simply focus on STUDIES.
Always be positive. Give some time to yourself. With regular efforts, you will find improvement. It is observed many students give up much faster. Even if you do not perform well in initial tests, its ok. Just analyse your weaknesses and slowly work on it.
12. Avoid Silly Mistakes & Analyse Mistakes
Nobody scores 100% marks not even the first ranker in any competitive examination. A good student after giving test, analyses the entire test paper, understands the mistakes and evaluates how the scores could have been better. The student should learn through the mistakes, and understand the unclear concepts through the test. In short they should analyse their paper to such an extent that if same paper is given to them anytime later, they should be able to score 100% marks.
13. More Writing, Less Reading
A good student practices more. They do not see solutions to any question till they have tried their level best. They do not believe in reading, they use more and more rough pages to write and practice. A student who consumes more number of pages while studying will have concepts retained for a longer period.
14. Sleep & Eat Well and Be Active
Get proper sleep and maintain a stable diet. Avoid food that makes you feel drowsy. This will keep you healthy and will help you in concentrating on studies.
Studies are important. But that doesn’t mean you will stop playing football, you will stop cherishing your hobbies. You need to learn to balance things. Give some dedicated hours for your hobbies which keeps you happy. A happy mind gives the best results. But yes your hobbies should be healthy and constructive for you to develop as a good human being who can be a strong pillar to the society.
15. Always Regular in Tests
A good student gives utmost importance to the tests. The students who appear for each test with the same importance as they would appear the final exam, they develop temperament to deal with the exam pressure which would be tremendous on the final day. With testing students learn the ability to score maximum irrespective of their knowledge. They have to develop skills to attempt paper righteously giving best output. We always believe it is not knowledge only which gives results, rather along with knowledge the students have to develop ability to score maximum in the exam.
After every chapter or topic that you study, make sure you take practice test related to it The test should be done with time limits used. After the test, evaluate and analyse your answers as compared to solution key. The questions that you did wrong, should be worked on with related topic refreshed to ensure you get it right the next time.
One month before the exam, focus only on test simulations. Give as many simulates tests that you can give in that time. Analyse, evaluate and rework all of them.
Ten Commandments to Prepare for Competitive Exams
1. Know the exam well
Find out the exam pattern, the questions type, number of question asked, time available to answer, paper based/computer based exam, possibility to go back and forth in the questions, negative marks if any, minimum marks needed to get through to your target college, Time of the exam(morning/afternoon/evening) etc.
2. Know your syllabus well
Find out about the topics that are asked in the exam, the relative weightage of different topics, the ratio of difficult vs. easier questions, the recommended reference books etc.
3. Make a Plan
Now you have researched everything about the exam and study material, divide your topics in very Important, moderately important and low important category. Preferably mark this in your reference book itself so that you know how much time give when you study it.
4. Make a daily routine
Keep your weekly and daily target of study objective, study time, and study material to be covered and follow it. Also keep some buffer time in your schedule. Keep some time allotted for outdoor activities/games/exercise, entertainment, rest, family/friends as well. A regularly followed balanced routine is far better than a short lived strenuous routine.
5. Monitor your Progress
Keep a track of your plan vs achievement on a weekly basis. And try to cover up if you lag behind your plan.
Keep a track of your plan vs achievement on a weekly basis. And try to cover up if you lag behind your plan.
6. Test, Evaluate, Analyze and Rework
After every chapter or topic that you study, make sure you take practice test related to it The test should be done with time limits used. After the test, evaluate and analyse your answers as compared to solution key. The questions that you did wrong, should be worked on with related topic refreshed to ensure you get it right the next time.
7. Simulate the exam
One month before the exam, focus only on test simulations. Give as many simulates tests that you can give in that time. Analyse, evaluate and rework all of them.
8. Make your flash cards
Write all the formulas, shortcuts, acronyms etc that you want to quickly revise in separate flash card or lists. This should not be more than 5-6 pages. Use these pages on the day of the exam to quickly run through important reminder.
Write all the formulas, shortcuts, acronyms etc that you want to quickly revise in separate flash card or lists. This should not be more than 5-6 pages. Use these pages on the day of the exam to quickly run through important reminder.
9.Set your body clock
A week before the exam, set your body clock to follow the exam day schedule. Wake up time, test time, sleep time, eating time, all of this should follow the schedule that you plan to follow on the night before the exam and the day of the exam.
A week before the exam, set your body clock to follow the exam day schedule. Wake up time, test time, sleep time, eating time, all of this should follow the schedule that you plan to follow on the night before the exam and the day of the exam.
10. The D day plan
A day before the exam, have a light study schedule, have light meals, no outside food, hydrate well, take enough sunshine in the evening, talk to family/friend, sleep well and on time to wake up fresh and energetic for the exam day. DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST before exam. You brain needs glucose to function well. Hence ensure that you have a good high carbohydrate dinner the day before the exam and a easy to digest, light, sugar source( like fruits) as breakfast on the day of the exam.
No comments:
Post a Comment