Hi everyone,
Eid Mubarak! I am staying home from school today (religious holiday is my excuse!) and just got home from the prayer and before the festivities begin for me, I have to study for a test I missed. But I decided to make this blog post to show you how to take pretty AND effective notes to help you survive this school year and make an A grade! I’ve been taking my notes like this for the past two years (since I entered middle school) and all of my teachers love it. There is something about the old fashioned technique of handwriting that makes me so happy. When I was a very little girl, around age 7, and my father was learning to write in English, he would actually look to me to learn how to write neatly. So I won’t just tell you about “highlighting and making flash cards”. I’ll be showing you real methods for studying and learning.
TAKE NOTE ON HOW TO TAKE NOTES
- Making your notes look pretty and organized will actually inspire you to study for your finals, believe it or not. Try and write down any important information the teacher puts on the board or during a PowerPoint slideshow. If you don’t have enough time in your class to copy everything down, borrow your notes from a friend.
- I like to use extra fine black gel pens to write down all basic information. Use assorted colored pens and highlighters to mark anything you want to remember and for your notes to appear more colorful.
- Write to-do lists on a note and put it in your notebook as a reminder to complete an assignment or task.
- Practicing your handwriting is important. If your notes are sloppy, how will you be able to retain information from your notes easily? When you write down your outline, use a technique known as the Cornell Note Taking System. This is a template I found online below.
Getting organized is important. Use flag markers to divide your notes and make a dashboard of all your studying materials in your binder or notebook.
CLIMB YOUR WAY TO AN A
- Planning – Time management is crucial when to comes to studying. Education is the most important, but it can be difficult to prioritize your time between school and extra curricular activities. Buying a desk calendar or just printing out a template can help you so you can balance your schedule. Keep it realistic and stick to writing in it. An agenda/planner is useful because you can write all your to-do lists, assignments, and test dates in. Remember not to be lazy in writing in your planner; I did so at first and trust me, when I started writing down assignments and important dates in the planner my school was kind enough to provide me with, I received much better grades, mA. Same way when I started journaling everything, I was able to reflect on memories I had because I documented all of it in a diary or notebook. Before you actually begin studying, make sure you get enough sleep at night and stay healthy. Depriving yourself of your health is not worth it.
- Studying – Find a good study spot. There are pros and cons to a lot of different spots, but you are going to make sure that the place you are is free from distractions and is mostly quiet. Keep the television off and use a website blocker to ward off those social media distractions when using your computer or laptop to write a paper or do research. If you’re at the library, try and find a comfortable spot other than a small desk or table. Once you’ve found where to work, remove any clutter and set up. Start off with the most difficult subject first, because you can tackle the easier homework much quicker afterwards. If you prefer music over silence, listen to classical music while you study, as it’s been scientifically proven it can calm your brain and keep you motivated. Eat healthy, nutritional snacks if you do get hungry like peanut butter and apples, walnuts or peanuts, etc. Drink water to keep you hydrated through your study session.
- Learning Effectively – There are so many different learning styles. Are you more visual, hands-on, or listening? Once you have determined your learning type, it’s time to transfer that information to your brain.Highlight important details, underline the text,and jot down important information from your textbook into your notes. Remember, read the textbook! Just go through the important details of the lesson and it will register in your mind. Read your notes and textbook thoroughly and you can learn the material better simply by doing so. Write vocabulary words on flash cards, write math and science formulas on a sheet in your notebook, and make an outline of any stories your L.A./Reading teacher or professor asks you to read. I love using bright sticky notes and Post It notes to write down info and stick them around my room so I can constantly see it so I can memorize it. Do not procrastinate! Easier said than done, but if you really want to reach your goals, you have to take the time to learn. If you are procrastinating right now by reading this blog post, exit out right now and get back to work! Trust me, if you have an exam in about three weeks…start studying now so that all the important information is in your memory and you know what you do and do not understand about the topic!
- Getting Help – There is no shame in investing in a good tutor, joining a study group with friends, or raising your hand to ask a question in class. If you don’t understand, all you have to do is ask for help!
Always remember that even if you feel like you’re not receiving the grades you deserve, just remember that what’s truly important is a good education. All A’s on a report card doesn’t say anything about your personality or what you’re doing to change the world. Your grades don’t measure your intelligence at the end of the day. I made this post to help people eventually learn what they are taught in class while keeping on top of all of their work and doing it well. 🙂
Good luck, lovelies.
xoxo,
Bisma
Bisma's Journal 