How to become a SuperStar student, part 5

As Michael Geisen knows, many students cringe at the thought of homework. However, if you create a good study location and use those strategies that help you learn, you end up ahead of the game. Brain research shows that studying the same concept in different locations actually does help the brain make connections better. So wherever you study, just make sure it is distraction-free.

Take periodic breaks and get that blood pumping to provide fuel to the brain. When you take a break, do not get side-tracked by various electronic devices that will end up pulling you away from your study time. Same goes for good friends. True friends will support your goals to achieve, and you need to do likewise for them as well.

By now you probably know what study strategies work best for you. But for those still trying to figure it out, maybe some of Geisen’s ideas will assist, depending on the type of learner you are. Here are his suggestions.

If you are a visual learner, use mind mapping, put up post-it notes in your study area, make drawings of key ideas, and keep your study area free of distractions. Be a minimalist when it comes to having only what you need to study and nothing more.

For kinesthetic learners who need movement, type your notes as you read, walk while reading (provided you watch out for obstacles), keep your hands occupied with a stress ball or a yo-yo or other small object as you read.

Musical learners find that reading notes into a digital recorder and playing them back really helps them learn better. The same goes for explaining new concepts to a friend or study buddy. Some even find that creating a song or rhyme aids in learning.

Those who like to learn with others can set up a study group to go over important projects, take social breaks between group study sessions (provided you get back to studying), or take on group projects and interview projects when available.

Some like it quiet, so they need to have a cozy study space. Some even find that keeping separate journals for each subject is a handy way to study, each subject having its own notebook or diary or journal.

For the logical learners, mixing up study locations and style (alone vs. groups), making charts and graphs, or even making an outline based on the reading materials helps them study and learn better.

For the linguistic learners, reading alone works well when tied to reviewing with a partner or group. Flash cards help. Memory devices, like DRAPES or SOAPSTone, do too.

The upshot of this is to use the strategies that work best for you. Happy studying!