#StudyHacks101: Annika Asuncion

Sophie's Mind
Nov 29, 2022
4 min read

Exam season is fast approaching! Maximize your straight-A potential through these #StudyHacks101 from a straight-A student herself!

Disclaimer: This article is fully opinionated and solely based on personal experiences of the author. We hope that the expressed ideas may as much as possible help and guide our readers. Happy reading!

Handy Ways to Get Good Grades

Hello, everyone! I am Annika Asuncion and I study at St. Paul College Pasig. In this article, I will offer some tips on achieving good grades. You may have heard some of these before, but I hope they can be handy to you in your journey as students.

DURING CLASS HOURS

Take down notes as much as possible In writing important notes and categorizing them by subject, we familiarize ourselves with words and concepts that lead to a deeper understanding of a particular topic. Generally, note-taking makes studying easier because notes could be reviewed whenever we need to. In addition, underlining or highlighting techniques emphasize important details or those that we are more likely to forget.
Pay attention in class We should always listen to our supportive teachers whenever they discuss a lesson. Paying attention in class helps us catch important details about the topic. To do this, we should avoid any distractions so as not to miss something important. For me, when I get distracted sometimes, I miss out on some details of the lesson, thus making it harder for me to understand it. Listening to our teachers is also a sign of respect towards them.
Participate when there is opportunity. When teachers ask a question and we know the correct answer, it is best for us to express it. Do not be afraid of the possibility of getting a wrong answer because our understanding teachers will not get angry; instead, they will be willing to help us come up with the correct ones. Despite being correct, I sometimes miss an opportunity to answer a question because of my fear of getting it wrong; however, whenever I do answer, it feels good that I participated. Whether the answer is wrong or correct, participating will always help us do better in class.
Take your time when answering quizzes When there is a test coming up, we students usually feel pressured to pass and to finish our tests on time. However, rushing a test creates a bigger chance of failing because we may have answered something wrong as we hurry. Always remember that we should take our time when answering tests, whether easy or difficult, so that we can understand the questions clearly and answer them more correctly.

AFTER CLASS HOURS

Know the use of your learning materials As students, we often have readily available learning supplies to use for our school tasks. These materials are useful, so we should avoid unnecessary usage and instead save our supply for when we really need them. Admittedly, I sometimes waste valuable school items, but my parents often remind me to save them for more important situations.
Balance your time well between rest and study Normally, we have the tendency to want to do other things not related to school. However, we should keep in mind that procrastinating schoolwork only makes our workload pile up and our tasks more difficult. At the same time, we should also find time to rest. For example, I get headaches from working too much, but my caring parents remind me to rest for a healthier body and a refreshed mind. Hence, it is vital to balance studying and resting.
Study in advance Find time to do advanced reading to prepare for upcoming lessons. If one topic is difficult, allotting more time to review it and do practice exercises related to it can help us improve. During my Sophie’s Mind tutorials, when I didn’t have any difficult task, my teachers would usually teach me advanced lessons to help me be more familiar with certain topics. More especially, now that online resources are readily available, we have more access to plenty of useful sources in studying.
Ask for help whenever you need it Whenever I struggle with a topic, I ask my family, friends, and Sophie’s Mind Tutorial Center for guidance. I recommend asking for help so that we can listen to someone else’s ideas. Everybody needs help sometimes, so don’t be afraid to ask for it.
Listen to music This suggestion may not be beneficial to everybody but listening to music while doing schoolwork can soothe us and relieve our stress, thus making it easier for us to work on tasks. However, when people become distracted and too focused on the music instead of the lesson, listening to music should be avoided instead.
Pray I look to God to help me whenever I feel stressed in school. Asking for His guidance makes me feel enlightened and guided by Him. God is always available to listen to our difficulties and struggles in our life.