As more than half of the school year is finished at Foran, students continue to keep up their grades while balancing their lives after school. Many students struggle with stress from schoolwork, quizzes, and tests, but there are many ways to study and be prepared. Some students may not know where to start and can get overwhelmed. To improve studying skills, it is important to get a perspective from upperclassmen and students who take AP classes.
The environment is one factor that can help improve studying. For some students, it’s having a quiet space or being around peers with background noise, like the TLC.
Motivation is another problem for some students. It’s crucial to form a schedule to track when your work needs to be done and when you have an upcoming quiz or test. This schedule will help give you structure for your studying, making it easier to find motivation.
Studying for an AP class can be very overwhelming with all the work given. When it comes time for a test, students have to absorb a lot of challenging information. One way to do this is to pay extra attention in those classes and take notes if a teacher gives a preview of what will be on the test. This will help form a base for studying. If they do not give any information, look back at the work from the unit. From there, write down any information that could help. This could be vocabulary words, formulas, calculations, and whatever else seems to be important.
Sophomore Gigi Coppola believes that when taking your first AP course, it’s crucial to do your work because it could lead to “burnout” if not done on time. Coppola states, “Stay on top of your work and study when you can because you’ll need it.”
Some study spots you can find that can help you focus in school are the TLC, literacy center, and numeracy center. All three places provide a quiet learning environment with teachers who can assist you with your work.
The numeracy center can provide help on any level of math work. There is one of the math teachers in the classroom who can show you the proper way to solve a problem or to help you study for an upcoming test.
The literacy center is able to provide help with any class other than math. This environment is best to use when you need help with an English class. There you can find help with finding motifs and themes for a book or getting a second opinion on an essay. Before submitting an essay check it with a teacher in the literacy center so you can find areas of improvement. The literacy center is also a great place for help with college essays and applications.
Other places to go to study after school could be any quiet space in your house or somewhere like a cafe or library. Quiet spaces help you focus on what you’re doing since it’s harder to become distracted.
Finding when to start studying for a test can be difficult but it is best to stay on top of your work and do it as soon as possible. Senior Aiden Stay recommends to “prepare earlier on for tests, and study soon”. Stay goes on to explain how breaking bad habits like procrastinating can lead to better grades. Studying soon can break this habit.
Overall studying for any class can be difficult, but there are many ways you can be prepared. Just know teachers and other students are there to provide help whenever you need advice on how to study for a class.
