Studying

Studying can be difficult at the best of times. It's always hard to find the time, and sometimes life just gets in the way. However, studying is a vital skill that everyone should at least know how to do. Studying can lead to better grades, higher self-esteem, parental pride, and, most importantly, the knowledge that you, as a learner, have bettered yourself through the pursuit of knowledge.

Here are some study tips:

• Set aside at least 30 minutes a day to study. Spend 10 minutes on your weakest subject or subjects, and divide the remaining time amongst the rest of your subjects. 
• When people are in the process of losing weight, they sometimes post pictures of what they want to look like on their refrigerators. You can do something similar by going to this site: http://www.reportcard.ncca.ie/ and creating the report card you want to have and posting it somewhere prominent near your study space. It'll give you something to work to, and when you finally achieve your goal - and I'm confident that you will - you can replace the model report card with the actual one. 
• Write down important information on index cards or on an online document or graphic organizer tool. Organize information into groups or in order of most to least important. Sometimes seeing the material in a different format can help cement it in your mind.
• Read your notes aloud. If you are an auditory learner, hearing something twice can help keep it in your long-term memory. 
• Re-write the most important bits of information somewhere safe. Writing has been proven to help cement knowledge in your memory. 
• With your parent's permission, create a study wall. Dedicate a space in your room to your study wall, and look at it every night before you go to sleep and every morning when you wake up. Post index cards or post-its containing vital information you need to know on the study wall. 
• Keep your notes organized. If your notes are always in disarray, how can you study? 
• Take good notes in class. If your notes are bad, it'll be hard to study from them. Make sure your notes are legible. If you can't read them, you can't study from them. 
• Make studying into a game. Take the index card idea to the next level by quizzing yourself on the knowledge you've written down. Play with a study buddy or by yourself. Either way, you'll be learning and having fun at the same time. 
• Use online resources. There are a ton of online resources on every subject imaginable. A small fraction of them can be found of this blog, millions more can be found with a search engine like Google or Bing. 
• Use your teacher. Ask them your questions after class or during their office hours. Most teachers are happy to help students who are respectful and willing to learn. Write down a list of questions before you go to them, and ask them for assistance at the first convenient moment. 
• Motivate yourself! If you're struggling to sit down and start, promise yourself that you'll do something fun, rewarding, and healthy after you finish studying. Say to yourself that you will play outside after you are done, or enjoy your favorite salad. (We all know you'll be eating ice cream, though.) Get your parents on board with the reward system too. If they are willing, exchange a few extra minutes of TV time for your promise to study 30 minutes every night. 
• Study with your friends or siblings. 
• Set up a space dedicated only to studying and homework. Don't use your bed or the kitchen table. You'll get hungry, sleepy, bored, or all three at once, and none of those moods are conducive to studying. 
• Use a variety of studying skills. Mix it up, or you risk getting bored and studying less. 

If you follow these tips, you'll be sure to see your grades steadily rise. If you're still struggling, consider hiring a tutor or asking a teacher for help. 

Leave your studying tips in the comments!