60 percent of students who start college aren’t going to complete their degree in the standard four years given. The main reason for this is that many students are unable to maintain good grades as they don’t know how to study efficiently. Summer break means they don’t touch their textbooks for four months. Although students know how to read their textbooks, practice on past exams, and self-test, most don’t study year-round. Here are the 4 key components for studying during summer vacation to maintain your grades.
Schedule study time
It’s incredibly important to schedule out specialized study times, especially during the summer. Students who prefer to “binge study” by cramming all night before an exam consistently get lower grades than students who study well in advance. Why not start during your off months? By the time your first test comes in the fall, you’ll be prepared. Use a calendar, digital or paper, to schedule time blocks for studying. Revise course material weekly throughout the summer.
Boost your brainpower
Despite college campuses having ample dining options, 59% of college students have vitamin deficiencies. Unfortunately, this doesn’t change when they go home for the summer. Poor diet choices severely affect your ability to study. Without key nutrients like vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acids, your ability to retain knowledge is diminished. Students need to focus on eating a balanced diet all year round. Or, take a vitamin supplement to ensure your body and mind are getting the nutrients they need.
Teach answers to others
Students already know it can be helpful to meet with other students to study. The group setting allows them to ask questions and help each other understand concepts. However, during the summer months, you aren’t around your classmates every day. Consider organizing summer study groups with peers who live near you. In these summer study sessions, take turns “teaching” the group. Explaining an idea as if your audience is unfamiliar with it ensure you cover every important detail. Thus, teaching your peers helps you learn along with them.
Spaced education method
Harvard professors have developed a study strategy that ensures students retain more knowledge. The “spaced education” method refers to spreading out your study time. Rather than studying for 8 hours on one topic, students should spend one hour on one topic and then switch to something else. This is helpful during summer vacation when you want to spend most of your time having fun. Spend a portion of your time learning, and then revisit that topic the next day. The space between revisions has been proven crucial to remember what you learned.
For more college students to succeed in their courses and ultimately graduate in time, they need to study all year round. Summer vacation needs to include study time to maintain your knowledge and be prepared for September’s tests. By following the four steps mentioned above, students will study productively during their time off and remember what they revised in the fall.
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