As humans we are creatures of habit. As students we are creatures of certain habits that either make or break us academically and emotionally. If you are struggling with your academics or find your stress level is through the roof and want to change that I would love to help. Below I have outlines daily habits of successful students.
Throughout this post I discuss daily habits of “successful students.” My definition of a successful student is:
A student who puts in the necessary effort meet their personal standards while evolving and adapting to all college based situations.
1. Wake Up Early
Waking up at a decent time is one thing all successful students do. Now with that being said you do not have to wake up at 5am every single morning but you sure as heck can’t be sleeping in and missing your first class.
So pick a time that is realistic for you and wake up at that time every single day.
2. Organization is Key
We have all seen those students with three different planners, colour coded notes, pencils lined up perfectly before an exam, be that student. Well, maybe not to that extent.. but you get the point–successful students are organized students. Everyone has an organization system that works best for them and once you find it your college life will be so much easier!
Successful students plan their day, they schedule when they are studying, when they are working on an assignment, and when they are taking a break. In addition to having a plan for the day these students have a complete organization system for their school work. It takes trial and error to figure out a system that works best for you but after two years at university I’ve found one that works for me.
Click the link to download my free College Organization Process.
3. They have a designated time and place for studying
It is rare to see a straight-A student who does not have a plan or place for their studying.
Having a designated time and place to study provides the average student with the structure they need to develop good study habits. This is how average students become successful students.
When you have a specific place you go when studying your brain will see this place as a location you ONLY study in. Ultimately, this eliminates the headache of checking Instagram every 5 minutes, or socializing with friends while in this spot.
My preferred study location is in the library at the same table I have been going to since my Freshman year–yeah, weird I know. Before you judge, I credit my good grades and study motivation to this specific study spot.
Luckily, the majority of my classes are spread out each with an hour apart this year so my plan is to utilize this hour to do the homework and studying for the lecture I just finished.
4. They study even when they don’t have a test
“Study one week before for your test.” Start reviewing at least two months before your final exam.” “There is too much content, there is no point studying.” Ever heard someone say these things to you?
I was so confused my first year at University about when I should start studying for a test or exam. Therefore, I came up with a super simple solution. A solution that most successful college students also use.
Keep up with my work, and I won’t have to really “study.”
Let me explain how this method works.
- Basically, I schedule in blocks of time for studying at the beginning of the semester.
- I stick to this routine for the entire semester even if I don’t necessarily have a test coming up any time soon.
- I ALWAYS use this time to learn the course material.
- The key secret is to stick with the schedule even if I have pressing homework in other classes. However, with this method I have found I’m usually ahead in my course work.
- If I have followed my schedule, one week before the test I review my material without stressing out because I already know everything.
This method eliminates so much stress, it is definitely worth trying. In general, I want to feel prepared to write the test at any point in the semester. I never have pop quizzes in my classes but I pretend I do, this way I always stay on top of studying and feel prepared to write a test at any point in the semester.
5. They ask for Help
There is never a time in your life when asking for help is deemed a bad thing, so why should it be at college?
Successful college students recognize asking for help does not mean they are stupid, rather, it mean they are smart enough to realize by asking for help they will learn the material faster and the learning process will be less exhausting and stressful.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Despite what most think, successful college students don’t stay up every night studying. In part, this is obviously because they have a great study routine that helps them stay on top of their assignments and quizzes. (In my experience those who stay up late are those cramming for tests, something successful students do not do). The other part to this is successful students recognize they need adequate sleep to perform well on tests.
7. They just get things done
Procrastination always seems to win, except in the lives of successful college students.
Your mind is a powerful thing, so tell it you absolutely have to get something done and it will get that thing done.
Successful college students just get things done, even when they do not want to.
8. They know what kind of student they are and use it to their Advantage
There are so many students I meet who do certain things and use certain study methods just because they think it is the “right” thing to do. They have been told by Alumni or an older sibling that this is the best way to study.
But, guess what–we are all different.
Which means, we all learn differently. For example, I know some people who need to use flashcard to study, they think there is no other way. Flashcards do not work for me, I’ve tried using them but it’s a technique that does not work well with my brain. Rather than using them anyway because people tell me the flashcard technique works, I’ve found other techniques that help me learn better. Such as writing my study material out and pretending to teach it to someone.
If I still used the flashcard technique my GPA would not be as high as it is and I would be frustrated because I would not be able to grasp the material as quickly as I would like.
Of course this requires trial and error, but learning what kind of student you are is the most important step when it comes to achieving a high academic standing at college.
9. Check over their work
Successful college students never hand something in without it being checked over twice. Whether it is a test or an assignment these students will always check it over not only to maintain an awesome grade point average, but also because they have high standards for themselves. They want all of their work done to the best of their ability because they know their capabilities.
10. They Broaden their Understanding
Is there something you don’t understand? Write it down. That is what a successful student would do!
They write down everything that they don’t fully understand and they find the answer to their question.
Even if they do understand the material they broaden their understanding by looking up background info on the topic or additional practice questions.
11. Learn from their Mistakes
Learning from your mistakes is a life skill we all need and some students develop this skill while at college.
Successful students not only learn from test mistakes but from mistakes they have made studying or researching. They learn to look for where they went wrong so they can change that in the future and prevent it from happening again.
Being mindful of what mistakes you have made and the root cause of these mistakes is one skill to practice if you want to find success at college.
12. Test Situation
Reading over your lecture notes will only get you so far in college.
You can know every thing on your study guide but the minute you are put in a test situation you can forget it all!
That is why it is important to put yourself in an actual test situation. That means a quite space, with a practice test, and a pen or pencil.
There are two parts to the examination equation:
1)Knowing or not knowing the material covered on the exam
2)The actual exam situation
If you follow all the above steps the first part of the equation will be easy. In order to master the second part it is essential that you put yourself in the actual exam situation before it happens. Students who combine the two parts are students who succeed during exam period.
13. They Follow their passion
It is so much easier to do something when you are passionate about it!
Successful students are students who want to be pursuing an education, they want to be at college or university because they are passionate about their studies.
Some of the most successful students I have met are students who have changed their major or area of study all together because they realized their first choice was not made out of passion.
Students who are driven by money or ideals they are not passionate about will struggle to find success. Success is more than a grade point average, it is more than the clubs you are a part of, it is more than the job you will have. Success is a measure of the person you become as a result of the obstacles you overcome.
14. Self Aware
Self awareness can be the defining line between an average student and a successful student. Successful students are aware of when they need to take study breaks, they know when they are putting too much pressure on themselves, they know when their studies are starting to consume them, and they know when they need time for themselves.
Being aware of what they need, when they need it a key component of successful students.
15. They Believe in Themselves
The #1 habit all successful students have is they believe in themselves.
They believe they will get the results they want if they put in the effort required.
Do you have any habits that have helped you become the student you are? I would love to hear them! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you find success this academic year!
