Students are back in school now. It can be hard transitioning from Summer break and getting back into a natural rhythm regarding studying and doing homework, though.
If you’re having trouble making the transition…don’t worry. You’re not alone.
In this article, we’re offering up some essential tips to help make learning easier. Follow this advice and you can finish your work faster and with less stress.
Tip #1 | Don’t Let Homework Sit
Your teachers aren’t assigning you homework to make your life miserable or because they secretly hate you. They’re doing it to ensure you’re absorbing the material they go over in class, which you will need to know when exams come around.
A great way to get ahead of your homework is to get on it right away.
For example, do you struggle to budget your time appropriately? Do games, friends, and social media often distract you from doing things you know you need to do? If so, be smart and tackle that homework as soon as you get home from school. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to get distracted; tackle things according to their difficulty level and try to knock out the most challenging things first.
Sure, you could always get to it later. Let’s be honest, though: it’s a lot harder to get back in the zone once you’ve already let yourself start to unwind. That’s exactly how you get behind.
Tip #2 | Have a Plan
Speaking of time budgeting and working on the longest homework before the rest, these are both important parts of a solid homework schedule.
This is especially true if you are active in sports or other clubs. These will occupy a set amount of your time every week, so you will need to budget your time carefully.
Try to plan out your day the night before, and decide how you need to allocate your time. For example, your schedule on a busy day might go as follows:
- 7:00am-3:00pm | School
- 3:30-5:30pm | Basketball Practice
- 6:00pm | Home
- 6:00-6:30pm | Math Homework
- 6:30-7:00pm | English Homework
- 7:00-7:30pm | Miscellaneous Homework
- 7:30-8:00pm | Dinner
- 8:00-8:30pm | Wash Dishes
- 8:30-10:00pm | Relax
- 10:00pm | Bed
Obviously, you want to prioritize the subjects that require the most homework. If you have stuff that can be finished before you get home, then by all means, try to save yourself some time. Relaxation is important!
Tip #3 | Don’t Do Homework on the Couch
Don’t try to learn in the spaces or at times you are bound to be distracted. If your entire family is watching your favorite show… that’s not a great time to do homework (if you schedule your homework like I mentioned above, you won’t miss this show). In front of the TV also isn’t a great place to do homework at any time of day.
If your room is a palace of video games and other distractions, then you clearly shouldn’t try to study in there, either.
My personal hack? Do your homework at the dining room table. This is often the most boring room in the house, and will likely be quiet until dinnertime. If that’s not an option, then at least try to secure a spot in your room where you can remove all distractions, including your phone. Yes: you can live without it for an hour or two.
Tip #4 | Put it straight in your backpack when finished
Ever gotten to school, only to realize that you left the assignment you spent an hour completing the night before laying on your desk? There’s nothing worse.
This is a simple hack, but it can be a real lifesaver: put your homework directly in your backpack the very second you are done with it.
Forgetting your homework will often mean losing points in class, and for no real reason. So, set yourself up for success, not failure.
Tip #5 | Ask for help when you need it
One of the biggest lessons you can learn in life isn’t about scheduling or life hacking. It’s really just about learning to ask for help when you’re struggling.
Knowing that you need help is an incredibly important life skill. It can save you a lot of pain and anxiety, even well into adulthood.
Tutoring and mentorship can help you achieve higher grades in just about any subject. Maybe you don’t understand your instructor’s teaching style and need the subject explained to you in a different way. Maybe you learn at a different pace than the other kids, or even, excel in certain areas while failing to comprehend others.
Whatever the case, knowing to ask for help when you don’t understand the material will serve you well even through adulthood.