Study skills

Organise all of your subject study information in a way that suits you.

Collect all books, textbooks, internet downloads, notes, bits of paper, class handouts and material to study for each subject and put them into subject piles. You could put everything into a concertina file with alphabetical sections. This will help you have everything you need in one pile in front of you and it helps save time when you want to study.

Create your own study timetable using the example below as a guide.

There are many different types of study timetables and you should make your own personal one according to your subjects, assessments, essays, workload, family, friends and employment commitments. You should think about these considerations when preparing your study timetable:

• What are my regular and unavoidable commitments each week (such as McDonalds two shifts of four hours, dinner with family and two hours of soccer training each week)?
• Add up the number of available hours you have to study. This will vary depending upon your bedtime and family responsibilities.
• When are the exams? Early planning is important. Prepare your study timetable as soon as possible. Always put some free leisure time into your plan.
• Stay committed to your plan after you feel that it is working well.
• Change your study timetable if it is not working and set realistic goals.
• Don't take your stress out on parents or family members. They have a life at home too.
• Eat well, get plenty of exercise, take some breaks and enjoy life... but not to the detriment of your future educational and life goals.

Each subject's information using one or several of the following note taking methods depending on which ones suit you.

Highlight important and substantial points

For example:

1902 around 50.4% of Australia's exports went to the United Kingdom. By 1998 this was about 6.3%. Since the 1950s the Asia Pacific region has become very important to Australia as a trading region. Japan, China, Thailand and the U.S.A. are important trading partners to Australia.

Reread all important information

For example:

• Read through notes from Coastal Field Study on Narabeen
  
• Summarise Chapter 10 of Maths Textbook
• Read through summarised Science notes
• Reread English Texts in Exam

Underlining

For example new terms or unfamiliar acronyms:

• The United Nations (UN)
• The Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OECD)
• World Trade Organisations (WTO)
• Non Government Organisations (NGO)
• Transnational  Corporations (TNC's)

Mind mapping

Creating a mindmap is a quick way to study but is often one of the most effective tools for study

Dot point summarising

Australia has many links with the Asia Pacific Region including:

• political
• sporting
• trade
• cultural
• economic

Devise your own shorthand

Shorthand can save space and time and energy!

Example of common words and a shorthand way of writing them:

• at = @
• because = b/c   
• and = &   
• plus = + 
• can  = cn
• without = w/out
• equals = =
• for example = e.g.
• about or regarding = re
• less than = <
• more than = >
• money = $
• room = rm
• water = h20 
• before = b/f

Speak your main points onto a voice recorder and play it at night before your go to sleep or have it on in your room. Information will unconsciously go into your head.

Use sticky notes in places where you go by and read them as you leave the room. Put them on the back of your room door, back of the desk, on your dressing tables, cupboard, lamp, desk light, near the light switch, back of the toilet door etc.

You will be surprised at how many times you will read them during the day.

Organise yourself early so that when you have a problem or question you have time to sort it out with your teacher's help before the exam.

Finally you should consider your physical and mental wellbeing to perform at your best in the test. Good preparation would include getting several good nights' sleep, eating a balanced diet, and maintaining exercise and leisure activities. You should attempt to feel as relaxed as possible, yet mentally alert. If you have studied adequately, then you are less likely to feel unduly anxious about any test.

Here are some things you can do to boost the energy in your body.

Get better sleep

Feeling good all starts with getting the right amount and type of sleep. Start with a good night-time routine. Stop anything that stimulates you such as caffeine or TV or computer, iPad or phone screens etc. Try a warm drink such as chamomile tea and use essential oils such as lavender oil. Having a soothing bath or shower can also help along with gentle stretching of tight or tense muscles. If you still feel you are not getting a “good” sleep be sure to see your doctor.

Eat in moderation

Never skip a meal, especially breakfast. Breakfast replenishes your body and helps you start your day full of energy. Eat three main meals, and two to three snack meals a day. Eating five to six times in a day keeps your blood sugar levels balanced, giving you an overall sense of well-being needed for focusing on your tasks and responsibilities.

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise, at least three times per week for a minimum of 30-minute sessions, can virtually “soak up” stress chemicals in your body and help you to relax and even sleep better. Brisk walking, aerobic classes, swimming, bike riding, or jogging are great exercises to release stress buildup and relax your body and mind to either start or end your day right.

Here are some things you can do to think more positive.

Change your thinking and perceptions

Write down your top 5 fears and worries. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Then ask yourself, “is that true”? Usually, fears and worries are not based on reality but on imagined scenarios that have little to no evidence. If it’s something that can’t be changed bring acceptance to it. It is what it is for now!

Change your focus

Have you noticed that what we worry about we make bigger and keep closer to us by the way we think and focus? Try this… make your fears and worries small in size (5cm in height) dark in brightness and as far away as possible in distance. When we change the size, brightness and distance of the things that upset us in our minds it reduces the intensity of the emotion.

Here are some things you can do to feel more positive.

Acts of kindness

Make a list of 5 acts of kindness you can do every day. Make them simple acts of kindness that are easy to do such as saying thank you etc. Do these 5 acts of kindness every day for 6 weeks. The research shows that people that do this and think of 3 good things in their life (as above) have a dramatic positive boost in their mood.

3 good things exercise

Every day at the start and end of your day think of 3 good things that happened. Write them down. Then think about either why those good things happened or how it made you feel when those good things happened.

Start ticking things off your list

Pick something small and achievable to start with that you need to do for school and get it done. You will feel much more positive when you start doing things. Do a few more easy things to get your confidence up then tackle a more challenging task.