By Meagan Young
Studying her color coded and highlighted notes, Sydni Fredricks, 11, prepares for her upcoming tests. Photo by Meagan Young
With first semester over, almost everyone could benefit by starting the second semester with a new beginning and these five life hacks so their lives will be easier.
Exams are over and you now realize that you should have studied harder. The only problem is that many teenagers don’t know how to properly study. Learning how to study is very important for everyone and having good study habits will benefit you in the long run. Students can hack their studying by blocking out any distractions. Do this by putting cell phones on airplane mode while preparing for tests. Also, have an incentive while studying so that there is a reward for what has been done. Do this by leaving a treat at the end of each passage or page when reading, such as a gummy bear. Lastly, while studying, play instrumental music lightly in the background to help you focus more and improve your retainment of information. See our article on tips for studying.
Almost all students deal with stress. Learning to deal with stress is very difficult and can also cause binge eating. So put down the tub of ice cream and consume stress reducing snacks instead. These include dark chocolate, oatmeal, herbal teas such as chamomile and mint, along with foods containing high vitamin C, magnesium, and complex carbohydrates.
Taking notes in class does not always have to be boring. During lessons and lectures use multiple colored pens and highlighters to color code notes and text. It is important to have a consistent color system and not to go overboard, as too much color and highlighting is confusing. For example, use red for important information, blue for examples, green for vocabulary and definitions.
For most students, waking up early is not an easy task, no matter how early they go to sleep. Teens can hack their morning routines by starting to put the alarm across their room rather than right next to their bed so hitting the snooze button in the morning is not an option.
The majority of high school students do not like classroom presentations or public speaking. To reduce the stress and shaking that comes along with presenting in class start by being more confident. Plan ahead and practice more to be better prepared. Talk slow, and take deep breaths to project a more volume. If you begin to shake and your voice starts to crack slow your voice down and talk slower. Set a focal point ahead of time so that you have somewhere to look at while presenting.
By using these life hacks, students can head into third quarter prepared and ready for any tests, speeches, or presentations that come their way. With better studying habits, sleep, and less stress, it’s nearly ensured that better grades and improved test scores will occur.
