Buckling Down 101 by Joy

Buckling Down 101 by Joy - January 2014 Scholarship Essay

Do you have test coming up that you need to study for? Is senioritis bringing your grades down? Is your mom saying that if you don't get your grades up you can't go to Daniel Thomas' party next Saturday? Worry no more. Here are some tips that can set you up for success on those tests!

The first rule to it is not to overwhelm yourself with studying. Meaning, spending five hours a day seven days a week having your nose glued to fact sheets and notes can send your mind in a whirl spin, in which you retain absolutely nothing. "Less is more," when it comes to studying on your own, pacing yourself proves to be affective. Now, "less is more" doesn't mean spend thirty minutes grazing over notes then spending the remaining five hours of your night on Youtube looking up hair tutorials. Pick a specific topic that you need to review and focus on that one night and another the next night. Be mindful to take breaks, eat some healthy food to keep you stimulated, then back to work.

A very helpful way to prepare for studying is to take very detailed notes during class. That means telling the cute girl who actually pays you attention that you will have to talk to her after school. What better way to prepare for a test than to learn from the person who is giving the test.

Study groups! The holy grail to studying. Other people, if the right people, can really enhance your knowledge on topics. Grab a group of friends, gather in a sensible place away from distractions, and buckle down. This method is one of my favorites, you can bounce facts and ideas off each other and create games out of remembering facts.

Here's a quick recap for buckling down and studying; less is more, focus during class, and study groups. Following these steps can assure success on tests!