School is the base of all the education for your life, so if you can’t study smartly in school, you will suffer whole life!

Now don’t get me wrong!

When I say ‘study smartly’, I am talking about all the tricks to study better. You need to learn the right techniques to score more in your exams.

Do you think that the smartest students in your class are getting marks just because they are bit more intelligent?

May be they are!

But I say most of them have learned the right techniques to study effectively. If you learn these tricks in school, you won’t have any problem when you are in your college!

Understanding how to study properly is the key to you success.

Here I will tell you about the study techniques you may follow to study better.

But again, it is up to you whether you wish to study or not.

Now that you have went through this list, let me explain you everything. So, sit tight.

1. Attend the classes and learn to take running notes

If you wish to know how to study effectively, the first thing you need to do is attend all your classes. I understand that a few of the classes will be boring.

Bunking may seem a better option.

But let me clear it to you, even if you listen to the explanations it will get stored in your brain.

Now it would be better if you listen attentively. In this way, you can get 30% of your studying done right in the class.

And yes, you need to learn to take running notes!

Do you think you will remember everything that your teacher will say in the class?

No, right?

So, the best way is to take down running notes.

If your school allows sound recorders it’s good. But according to my knowledge, no school will allow that in India. So, yes, learn how to take running notes.

Use short forms of words.

I still do that.

Don’t think about space on the page and keep writing. Choose white page notebook for your notes taking.

Remember this is the additional notes you are taking other than the one provided by the teacher.

I know most of your teachers will provide you with study material but it’s better to have your own notes prepared as well.

Moreover, when you are taking running notes you will learn better. What you write, will get stored in your brain. Not fully, but yes, most of it will!

You might remember important names and dates if you write them down.

I say, take the running notes especially in subjects such as English Literature, History, Political Science and more.

Read More: Guide: How To Be Productive During Online Classes

2. Be the first bencher

I know it’s cool to be the backbencher but you won’t be able to listen to the teacher well if you sit in the chaos. So, even if you are known as a backbencher, move to the front bench when the teacher is taking classes.

I used to do that and I was a backbencher in my 11th and 12th.

Also, make friends with the people in the front bench.

They are going to be real help especially when you are taking down running notes. It is not that easy to take running notes if the teacher doesn’t care about the students. You might miss important points, so take help from the first bencher beside you.

Spend time with them as well. Greet them properly and talk to them regarding studies or anything they like. This will be helpful to you.

Moreover, they will reply to your messages in case you need any help if you are friends with them. So, yeah, be the first bencher for your sake.

Learn what is best for you and your future.

3. Make friends with studious people in the class

When you are studying in higher standards say 9-12th, you will need the help of other people. So, try to befriend studious people in your batch or in your class.

Don’t be afraid to talk to them.

And, no, it won’t hamper your cool image if you mingle with the nerds.

Even if it does, what’s the issue?

You do need to score more and study better, right?

You are the one who needs to get a good career in future. And if the nerds of the class can help you with that, you should be with them.

When you mix with these people you will learn amazing study and revision tricks they use. Moreover, they will be of real help when you don’t understand any important concept.

You learn better when your friend explains to you. So, always try to be-friend the studious people of the class.

4. Be curious. Disturb your teacher with questions

Have a question in mind during the class?

Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher.

They are getting paid to help you study better. So, make sure you are asking them questions.

Most of us remain quiet thinking that our questions may sound stupid to others. We even remain quiet when we understand nothing of an important concept. But that’s where we are going wrong!

We must ask question even if we sound stupid.

Let the class laugh, but you should understand the concept.

If you don’t understand one time, keep on asking the teacher! Go to the staff room and ask. Go to his or her house if required.

But don’t give up unless you understand the concept.

5. Complete your homework on time

Most of us don’t do this right?

Like, who cares about homework? Especially when we are studying in higher standards Homeworks are the last thing we think about.

We do the Internals, right? It is important for the examination.

But try to do the homeworks as well. It is for you own good. A practice at home is not going to hurt you anyway.

Moreover, if you are completing your homework on time, it will impress your teacher. If you can impress you, teacher, he or she will help you study better in the class. You can then take help from him or her at any time.

So, yes, if you want to study effectively in class, you do need to finish all your home tasks on time, every time!

Related: Guide: How To Study Effectively At Home?

6. Try to make time to study your textbooks before class

Many of our teachers suggest us to do this but we generally do not do this.

But if you make a habit of it, it would be great!

This practice will not only help you in your school to study better but will also help you with the rest of your life.

You will always be curious about the things beforehand. And you will do a quick search and read every time you read a document.

Even if you go for a Masters degree, your professors will request you to give a read about the topics beforehand.

Why do they tell like this?

See, when there is a new topic you may not know anything about it. Not even the jargons! So, when you give the topic or the chapter a read beforehand, you will be able to understand better in your class. This will help you retain the information better.

Whatever you have read, the teacher will be repeating the same information in a better way. So, for you, you are getting a revision.

So, isn’t it great?

Get into this practice then. I promise it will help you study effectively in your classes.

7. Make your own notes from the textbook

Double up your retaining powers by making notes from the textbooks.

Okay, so after class you already have your running notes and now you also have your textbook.

Now what else do you need?

Well, now you require to compress all the information into a much smaller yet understandable form for yourself.

Just read through the running notes and find out all the important points. Do the same for your textbook and write them down in your notebook.

No need to always write it up! You can make diagrams to remember better.

Make useful flowcharts to remember the connections between two points. The key here is to make it easy for your brain to capture the information. So, try to create maps and diagrams that will help you retain more.

Do this the same day your teacher has taught you. This will help you understand the concepts clearly as they will be fresh in your mind.

If you are a creative person, you can do some extra creative works with your notes to make it look better.

Don’t know how to do that?

Just go to Instagram and in the search bar type in ‘Study notes’. You will get thousands of inspirations and ideas to decorate your notes.

But yes, it must be boring and time waste for most of you.

But if you like doing these things go for it!

You will get the same notes designs and organization methods in your pinterest as well. So, yes, do some research and get started!

The more you make notes the more you study smartly.

8. Avoid Procrastination

“Will do it tomorrow!” Most of us say this.

But yeah, this is the thing that stops us from getting started.

Procrastination is the biggest hurdle you have to overcome if you want to study smartly. You will find this almost in all ‘How to study smart’ blogs and articles. This is because almost all the students face this problem.

Yes, even the nerds!

Everyone wants more of the leisure time and we are ready to sacrifice our studies for that! But it is not fruitful at the end.

What outcome do we get from leisure?

Rather, if we study even for 10 minutes, we are retaining something important that will be useful during our examination.

So, think about it!

What do you want? Which one seems like a better choice?

See chap, you need to sacrifice something to get something. And if you really wish to study smarter, then you do need to avoid procrastination.

9. Try to be organized

How can organization help you in studying?

Well, it certainly does.

You try it out once if you think it doesn’t help.

Having all your books, notes and study materials organized will help you very much especially when you are revising before your exams.

Moreover, if you can organize your time, it’s the best.

Check out some Time management articles online and see how you can organize your schedule. Yes, time management and organizing your schedule is not only for the adults but it will work wonders for the young students as well.

If you are a parent reading this blog, I will suggest you to teach your children all about organization from the young age.

Also, make sure your study area is organized perfectly. When you have a cleaner desk, you will want to study!

Do you have a bookshelf?

Organize the books there as well, it will help you a lot. You can check out pinterest and youtube for organization tips.

10. Find the best environment to study

I understand that most of you don’t get the best environment to study. Either it is too noisy or someone is always there to pester you!

So, what should you do?

Well, you should try to find the best environment to study.

It can be your balcony or your rooftop! Go to an empty ground if it requires. But find a suitable where you can concentrate better.

But please! I tell you again and again.

Don’t study on your bed. That’s the biggest mistake you are making.

If you have been studying in your bed all these years? I say quit it.

Get a desk and a chair. If not, use the dining table.

Not possible?

Sit on the floor and study! But don’t study on the bed.

When you are studying on your bed, chances are you are going to fall asleep. So, avoid that at all cost.

This is another trick to study smartly.

11. Sleep well and have a healthy breakfast right in the morning

Give your brain the rest it deserves. Don’t cramp it up with too much information in a single day.

So, sleep well.

When you sleep properly, you will retain more information. Especially sleep well before the examination day.

I know you will be a bit worried about the examination, but it is essential that you sleep better to study effectively!

Don’t read throughout the night. If required complete your sleep and wake up early in the morning to study.

Do you know that you remember more of the information you study early in the morning?

By early here I mean 3-5 am in the morning!

Our mind is most awake at that time.

So, yes, if you wish to remember any important point try to study it in this timespan.

At the same time, it is essential you are eating healthy food. Especially the morning breakfast must be healthy. After breakfast, you are going to go to school, so include those food items that will help you remain active.

Do consume fruits that you like. And try to eat more of the veggies and fruits that will make your mind sharper!

Related: Exam Tips: How To Score More Marks In Exam?

12. Learn your limits if you want to study smartly

I know many people who overstudy but still get less scores. And I have met people who study less but still obtain good marks.

I know you have also met many people like that in your life.

The trick to do get good scores and to study smartly is to learn your limits.

Your brain is capable of retaining up to a certain level. If you are crossing that level, whatever you are studying beyond that is not going into your mind. You will not even remember 5 % of it if you over study.

So, the thing you need to do is Segment your study! And for segmenting you need to learn a few organizational skills.

So, yes, organize and segment to study smartly!

You can use the Pomodoro technique to study well. But for this technique to actually workout you need to improve your concentration power.

13. Don’t cheat

Don’t cheat when you are giving your examination and also when you are giving mock tests.

Yes, if you want to know how to study smartly, then you should also know how to prepare your own mock tests!

But the key is to not cheat even when you are giving a mock test.

This will help you know where you are lacking. When you revise that stuff, you will definitely remember better!

Creating your own mock tests is a bit tricky!

You may want to give yourself the easier questions to solve. But try to stick to the questions and portions which you find difficult. When you try to solve those questions, you will learn better.

If you don’t wish to waste time in preparing mock tests, you can buy mock or sample paper books.

These books consist of the common questions that are in your syllabus. Solve those if necessary! Or else you can take help of the Internet.

There are several free printable sample papers for school students. You can find them out by typing in your examination board. But most of them are paid.

Related: Best Study Tips For Board Exams

14. Take help of additional resources

My school used to provide us with reference books back in the days. They used to give us the names and we would purchase them.

Most of the time we would study them instead of the NCERT books. But it was really helpful as we could learn more from them.

But now that you have the Internet, you have access to thousands of online resources to study effectively! Moreover there are several apps as well which you can use to study better.

If you don’t wish to waste your money on paid apps, there are several free online resources and books as well. Just give them a read.

You can also take the help of free ebooks or buy old books if you want to save some money.

You will also find readymade notes.

I say if you are studying from the 9-12th standard. Go check for the UPSC notes! They also follow the NCERT books, so you will get several notes from the best coaching centres. These notes will have contents from your syllabus. So, make use of them.

Also, you can follow the UPSC website and youtube channels as most of them will deal with topics that are in your syllabus. So, yes, use them to study smartly!

Read More: 5 Study Tips To Revise Smartly Before An Exam

That’s all for my gyan on how to study smartly while you are in school. I know these tips may not work for you all. But if it works do let me know in the comment section. Share it with your friends so you all can do better in your next exam!