Let’s face it. Studying isn’t exactly what we do for fun. It takes mental effort to keep your mind’s eye on the proverbial ball. Focus is of the utmost importance, and it’s one of the hardest things to come by, at least if you’re tackling a subject that doesn’t fuel your passion. (If you’re like […]
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Studying and motivation are often found on two different planes of reality. You would much rather watch another episode of The Flash or American Horror Story than crack open the books (or laptop) and learn, right? I know there are times I feel that way. In order to be successful, though, you have to teach […]
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A recent article from Huffington Post entitled, “‘Most Likely to Succeed’: Schools Should Teach Kids to Think, Not Memorize,” has been kicking up some conversation, not because it has any particularly bad intent — the article is celebrating a new form of teaching that emphasizes critical thinking over knowledge dumps — but because of what […]
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As a student with an academic or professional exam coming up on the horizon, you know a thing or two about testing deadlines. They come fast, furious, and frequently, and no matter how hard you feel you’re trying, it’s unclear whether you’re ever prepared until the moment of truth. There is a tremendous amount of […]
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In Adam Robinson’s excellent resource What Smart Students Know, he devotes one huge section to the one skill that most successful students will need no matter what subject they are studying. It doesn’t matter if you’re math-, English-, or science-oriented, you’ll need to be a good reader in order to understand the challenges that lay […]
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While the need to cram for a test isn’t ideal, we all go through times in our lives when there is simply too much going on at once and things get pushed to the last minute. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad student, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you could have avoided it. Definitely try […]
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Self-study was always my preferred way to go when I was trudging through academia, first in high school and then in college. While later in life I could see the value of study groups — more in the professional arena, though — entrusting my understanding of something to a group of five wherein two or […]
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I’m often asked by students who aren’t keen on the idea of going to college what skills I’d recommend they have if they wanted to forgo the common rite of passage and go immediately to work. On the one hand, many of these students are looking for an easy way out. On the other, many […]
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Life isn’t all about book-smarts. You also need street-smarts. And with some important skills, the two can coincide. As you look at the next 10 years of your life and answer the question, “What do I want to do?,” keep the following skills in mind. Special thanks to the community at reddit for some truly […]
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It really does take all kinds to make the world go ‘round, and with so many different personality types, including those with more challenges than others, studying isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. I was reminded of this recently when browsing reddit and coming across a thread that was started by a person with severe ADHD who […]
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