The Most Important Practices for Highly Effective Study Habits

By Ian Donnelly

Studying: it’s a concept we all know and understand, but one that’s hard to perfect. Every college student sets out to maximize their studies at the beginning of each semester, but it’s all too easy to fall behind and end up spending long nights in the library. It takes diligence and self-management to get the most out of your study time—it’s all about practice, practice, and more practice. If you’re looking for the most effective study tips to add to your routine, here’s the essential habits that will help you make the grade.

Take All the Notes

The most powerful tool for effective studying is note-taking. No matter what, always take notes. Whether you’re sitting through a lecture, looking over a Power Point lesson, or doing an assigned reading, you should always take notes. You’ll absorb key terms and ideas more quickly by writing them down in the moment.

Why make such a big deal about notes? Because good notes in class become a good outline for your study sessions. Before any test prep or writing assignments, you’ll get a thorough review of the material by looking over well-kept notes, which makes it easier to go in-depth on any one topic that needs your focus. Reviewing your notes before each study session will help you remember important subject matter learned during the day and ensure that your studying session is targeted and effective.

It may seem odd to learn this tactic through a blog, but writing by hand is the most effective way to take notes. Multiple scientific studies show that taking notes with pen and paper is better than taking notes on a laptop for retaining conceptual information over the long term. Don’t neglect those ball point pens and spiral notebooks—they may seem a bit archaic, but they’re the key to valuable note-taking.

Set Aside Time to Study

The best way to view studying is by treating it like any other class commitment. You have to dedicate time to attending a class, completing group projects, and sitting down for the required reading, and studying is no different. It’s a must for college coursework and deserves a time-slot in your busy schedule.

Students who don’t develop a solid study routine tend to be more stressed about homework and test prep because they are never sure how or where they are going to study. When you don’t have a consistent, dependable study plan to rely on, time can easily feel short when it comes to completing assignments and reviewing material before a big test.

Having a set place and time to study can make all the difference. Pick a quiet, peaceful spot that will give you plenty of room to work and set a specific appointment with yourself each week. Make this your set-in-stone study session, and stick to it.

Prioritize the Time You Have

No one can study 24/7. There are only so many hours in a day, and it’s important that you prioritize your study sessions so that you can make the most of your time. It’s best to begin with the most difficult tasks, starting with those assignments that require the most focus and energy. Determining the hierarchy of your to-do list is different for everyone— a monster of a term paper may be your biggest challenge, or some dense reading material in a rigorous course might take precedence. It’s best to trust your gut on what works best for prioritizing your studies, and in the long run, you’ll be glad you tackled your toughest assignments early on.

Most people are more effective in dealing with difficult material in the beginning of a study session, when their eyes are fresh and fatigue hasn’t set in. As the session wears on and you start to get tired, you can switch gears to other assignments that aren’t so demanding. By prioritizing your studies, you can chip away at the biggest and most stressful projects while keeping up with the rest of your coursework as well.

Don’t Get Caught Cramming

Cramming is the arch-villain of effective study habits. At its best, it may get you a passing grade, but cramming sets you up for more work in the long run. An all-night study bender or a bout of frenzied paper-writing doesn’t give you enough time to process any of the material you’re working on. By cramming all your studying into a small window of time and placing all your bets on short-term memory, all that information inevitably goes in one ear and out the other.

Studies have shown that cramming for a test has negative effects on mental functioning. You can’t retain information for long with a brain that is overloaded, stressed, and disorganized. Spacing out your work and routinely reviewing material is the healthiest and most productive way to study. You’ll be using the full power of your long-term memory, which blows any short-term cramming out of the water.

Now, it may seem like all these effective study habits are a little simple and straightforward, but that’s because they are! There’s nothing stopping you from becoming a more productive and organized student. By taking good notes, setting a consistent study schedule, prioritizing your study sessions, and avoiding the temptation of cramming, your coursework can become simple, manageable, and entirely doable. If you put these ideas into practice, good grades will come naturally.

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