Straight A's: all glory to God, straight A's in School

Intro

Good evening, welcome to Harvest Students. If you’re new here my name is Junior, I am the Assist Pastor of discipleship here at hbc, and i am excited that you have chosen to be here.

As a Teen life can get very frustrating, especially at exam time: the revisions, the challenge of dealing with some anxious parents or teachers, the frantic friends who haven’t done much how do i balance time between devotions, family, revision, friends etc.

1. Have life & career goals

1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

One of the best way to prepare for exams is to know what kind of life or career goal you want to have. There are 1000’s career paths to choose from. Some persons may not have any idea what you want to do as a career, but there are ways that you can be helped.

Finding a career may feel like a difficult task, but by starting to look into various careers now, you will make the process much easier.

task, but by starting to look into various careers

now, you will make the process much

easier.

There are self assessment tools that helps you to narrow down this process.

Here’s an example: video

With this you can narrow your search to your interest, and open up your mind to a world of possibilities, helping you best choose the subjects that would best get you to your goal.

2. Know your learning style

Proverbs 14:8 ESV

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.

People use different senses and approaches to learning. Some methods work better for some people than others do. For example, visual learners like to see pictures or graphs of information. People who learn aurally like to hear information, such as in a school lecture or presentation (which might also include visual tools). Some people learn best when they are able to read information and absorb it. They may also prefer to rewrite information, such as when taking notes. Kinesthetic learners like to have a hands-on approach, where they actually do an activity to learn about it, such as when doing role-playing exercises, or building a piece of machinery to see how it works.

and approaches to learning. Some methods

work better for some people than others

do. For example, visual learners like to see

pictures or graphs of information. People

who learn aurally like to hear information,

such as in a school lecture or presentation

(which might also include visual tools).

Some people learn best when they are able

Graphic display

to read information and absorb it. They

may also prefer to rewrite information,

such as when taking notes. Kinesthetic

learners like to have a hands-on approach,

where they actually do an activity to learn

about it, such as when doing role-playing

exercises, or building a piece of machinery

to see how it works.

3. Keep a Schedule

1 Corinthians 9:25 ESV

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

Create a schedule for yourself. Not just a class schedule, but a personal schedule in which you can outline how to use time between classes effectively.

When will you study?When will you do your shopping?When will you work on that midterm project?When will you fit in laundry and socializing?

4. Review & rewrite

Galatians 6:3–4 ESV

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.

During

Each day, during the class or after school, go through the notes from that day. Re-write them and highlight, underline, or circle the key points.

This helps to get the stuff into your long term memory.

5. Make study aids

At the end of each day and week, make study cards with important things you learned from each class for that day and week, and quiz yourself on them. This way, when it gets closer to test time, you will not be in a rush to make study cards for the entire curriculum or part thereof.

6. Take breaks

Students who are the most academically driven are destined to succeed, but they can sometimes place themselves under too much stress.

Unfortunately, stress works counter-productively against their goals.

Without a focused, calm, and collected perspective, it’s easy to expend more energy overcoming your stresses and anxieties than on the work itself.

Set a timer for 2-4 ours, and at the end of each set take a 10-15 minute break to eat drink take a walk etc.

How to Get Good Grades

A Few Simple Steps to Stress-free Academics

Once you reach college, you’ll find that getting good grades requires a different approach than it ever has before. You won’t have as many reminders, and in many ways, you’ll find that much more is expected of you. But don’t be intimidated by the warnings of high school teachers or your parents, college is not another world of impossible deadlines or monstrous piles of work. In fact, the key to success in college lies in adapting your study techniques to the circumstances, and not allowing the distractions of college life to encroach on your studying.

In many ways, college might fit your learning style even better than high school. In college, you won’t be forced to practice your homework, study, or review before tests. You’ll simply be expected to know the material, and be able to show what you know when it comes time to take a test or write a paper. There’s room for flexibility in this arrangement that you’ve never had in high school, which means that you can find a study plan that fits your unique learning style.

The trick is making a few simple commitments from the start.

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Eliminate Distractions

You’ll definitely have to dedicate part of your time to studying every day, and you need to make choices that help you stay focused.

If you maintain concentration, you’ll be using your time as effectively as possible, which will allow you to move on to other fun activities in your day.

Here are some tips for focused study time:

Get all personal tasks like laundry and groceries out of the way.Stick to a personal schedule -- study at the same time every day.Keep a well-organized and clutter-free desk.Don’t study with peers that are a distraction. Consider studying in solitude if you find that study groups are consistently slowing your progress.If necessary, find a quiet location on campus where you may go when your roommate is loud or a distraction.Take regular study breaks. A common technique is to set a timer for 60 minutes, and work consistently during the timer. Then allow yourself a 10 minute break, and start the timer over.

Keep a Schedule

Create a schedule for yourself. Not just a class schedule, but a personal schedule in which you can outline how to use time between classes effectively.

When will you study?When will you do your shopping?When will you work on that midterm project?When will you fit in laundry and socializing?

When you follow even a loosely drawn out schedule your chances for stress-free academics are much higher because you’ve established expectations and are more apt to live up to them.

Many people use an old-fashioned calender notebook, but there are also many online assistants available. Google accounts, for example, have a wonderful calendar feature that can be configured to send reminders of deadlines and appointments.

Review Before and After

Here are two effective and quick study strategies:

Before and after each class review your most recent class notes. Focusing on the most recent gives you a quick refresher, which helps you keep up with the class lecture on each day. If you make this a regular practice, you’ll be much more calm, focused, and collected in class, as well as when it comes exam time.Review key facts, theories and concepts just before you go to sleep at night. Your mind is quite capable of integrating knowledge in the early stages of sleep. Give it a try, you’ve got nothing to lose and you may just have your friends wondering what your secret is.

Get the Hard Stuff Out of the Way First

When you sit down to study, make it a regular practice to get the hard stuff out of the way first. Your harder courses will take more of your brain-power, so dedicate your early study time to the intensive stuff.

Also, make sure you are fresh and ready to study by scheduling your study time early in the day, and at a time when you are not distracted.

Study in Groups

Sometimes you can boost your chance at success by studying in groups with other students.

With other peers, you have the opportunity to clarify points you may not have understood in class as well as catch up on information you may have overlooked. You can also motivate each other to study and keep up each other’s spirits through the most difficult parts.

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The Downfall of Procrastination

One of easiest ways to ensure college success is to avoid procrastination.

People don’t realize that if you put off big projects, papers, and studying, you’re affecting yourself in more than one way.

First, you add to your own stress by forcing yourself to rush right before deadlines, which affects your social life, your mental and physical health, and your grades in other classes.Second, you limit your ability to reach your potential. You might be able to procrastinate and slide by with ‘B’or ‘C’, but when you get your diploma and it comes time for more advanced programs or a professional pursuit, you’ll realize it would have been worth it to get the ‘A’.

And worse, procrastination ends in utter failure more often than not.

If you are severely unprepared for an exam, you might not even realize how unprepared you are until you start studying.

Relax and Take Time Out

Students who are the most academically driven are destined to succeed, but they can sometimes place themselves under too much stress.

Unfortunately, stress works counter-productively against their goals.

Without a focused, calm, and collected perspective, it’s easy to expend more energy overcoming your stresses and anxieties than on the work itself.

Stick to your schedule, follow the simple study strategies above, and don’t forget to let yourself relax.

Rejuvenation time is almost as important as focused study time. Make a list of things you absolutely enjoy doing, that leave you refreshed, happy, and full of energy. The following are some typical examples, but you can also be creative. The most important part is that it is truly enjoyable, and that it adds to your overall energy levels.

ExerciseMeditationSocializing with (good, supportive) friendsCasual reading

College isn’t only about good grades. Develop balanced habits from the beginning and you can ensure that you earn the grades you want and that you squeeze the most out of your college experience.