Study Tips - Blog Posts

25.06.2024

Today was alright, I guess. My project finally got accepted by our computer teacher, like after suffering for a week or two we finally completed.

Nothing much to update here so....

Did some accounts sums

Completed 40% of English assignment

Completed 20% of Arabic assignment

I've been meaning to wake up at 5:30 from tomorrow to start studying. Let's see... O-O

24.06.2024

Well, I'm freaking exhausted! Like, i literally woke up at 6:30 in the morning and it's now 11:30 at night, I didn't even rest even for 10 mins. Gosh, it's starting frustrate me so damn much...

Anyway, the seminar went better than expected, some how i managed the computer test and the business studies teacher believes so much in me that she never picks me to answer a question xD and the economics test is postponed to tomorrow, I'm gonna study that in the morning. And we submitted our computer project today and the teacher liked it and she said that she was impressed with our team's report and even used it as a reference to show the others, I was jumping inside xD

And today i:

Practiced 10 Accountancy sums

Did some computer writing assignment

Reviewed some concepts in business studies

Not alot but still something...

23.06.2024

So i kinda missed a day yesterday, I was busy with my project and i got a cold... i literally didn't study anything, i have no idea what I'll write in tomorrow's 3 tests. Praying they'll get cancelled T-T

Anyways, today I:

Finished off the computer project

Completed 20% of the English assignment

Practiced for tomorrow's English seminar

Okay, i hope I'll do good tomorrow but I have faith. So yeah.

If I had to give one advice, and only one advice, to everyone going through highschool (although it also works for uni), it would be this:

Do as much past papers as you can. Lessons are not enough, practice is the key. There is generally a pattern in the exercises. That's what you should learn to identify. Learn to see, from the first glance, what they ask you in a question, even if you don't know the answer to it yet. That is more than helpful. That makes you learn your lessons better and you'll be confident in front of any exercise even if you don't really know the answers, you know the steps. You know what is asked from you. You know what to do. So practice, practice, practice.

Based on experience.

Hey dear Anon! :)

I know what you're saying because I literally passed sophomore and junior year with this method. I agree it's very beneficial and it definitely gives you more confidence in the actual exam!

Thanks for sharing :)

21.06.2024

Well, today was uneventful and boring as always. The English period ended before i could present my seminar so now I have to wait till Monday (kinda bad if you ask me). Completely did something else on the economics test today, boring old accounts got me crying like always and don't get me started on computers... T-T

Completed 65% of the computer project (Took me 3 hours)

I did absolutely nothing else... gosh...

20.06.2024

Today was tiring. And I'm pretty sure tomorrow is gonna be exhausting as well. Wrote 2 class tests today, no idea what I wrote xD I have a seminar, a test and an assignment submission tomorrow... A project submission on Monday and another test on Saturday, in simple words, I'm gonna have a busy weekend T-T

Learnt a new accounts concept and wrote some notes

Learnt lesson 1 in business studies

Prepared for English seminar

Worked on the computer project (10% done)

Did I study for tomorrow's test? Nope, just have to wing it I guess T-T

19.06.2024

First day of school after Eid holidays and gosh, I'm tired but it was an overall alright day. Postponed the tests they were supposed to keep today (about 3 tests) and kept 2 other suprise tests... I don't think teachers know the meaning of "informing in advance" and "actually following their schedule" T-T

No one even asked for the assignments, I was annoyed because i literally wasted my time doing them and they didn't even ask ://

Anyways, I got done atleast somethings...

Did half of the new economics assignment

Completed Arabic homework

Completed English homework

Economics lecture (YouTube) 50 mins

Discussed computer assignment (we've barely started and we have so much to do)

Tomorrow, we have tests in economics, business studies, a seminar in English and probably my computer teacher's wrath... For some reason, despite starting so early this year, i feel way less confident than last year when i only touched my books during exams... life is so weird... And mid terms start in July (don't ask me how it's mid term already when it's only like the 2nd week of school and they haven't even completed half the portions for it T-T)

16.06.2024

Did absolutely nothing today because one, I was fasting and two, I'm a lazy ass potato. So, nothing to update though I did do some Computer project with my classmates. So... Kinda did something? And tomorrow is Eid so I guess i wouldn't do anything tomorrow either so... :")

When things go wrong. Don't go with them.

15.06.24

I slept till 9 today and wow that helped but I'm still sleepy xD Nevertheless, I did alot...

Assignments:

Economics (another one, yes T-T)

Computer (40% done)

Arabic (90% done)

English seminar

Tests:

Economics 2 lessons

English 1 lesson

Homework:

Accounts

Islamic studies (memorizing 1 Ayn of Dhukhan- 5% done)

Still have a lot to do. It doesn't help that my computer group isn't really helping that much, like a few girls are participating but the other two, like she's missing :")

Besides that, tomorrow i'm gonna start studying so... T-T

14.06.2024

Today was exhausting but atleast we get a 4 day break till Tuesday because of Eid-ul-adha and gosh am i dreading the coming Wednesday, we have so much due then.

I didn't do much today, just completed my business studies assignment. Now, I'm gonna make a list of my assignments and tests due on Wednesday...

Assignments:

Economics (another one, yes T-T)

Computer (the hardest one)

Arabic (kinda easy)

English seminar

Tests:

Economics 2 lessons

English 1 lesson

Homework:

Accounts

Islamic studies (memorizing 1 Ayn of Dhukhan)

Right and I have to do my own studying... looks like it's gonna be toooo productive and my plans of reading a novel just went out the window T-T

13.06.2024

4th day of school and I'm more exhausted, for some reason I feel like senior year is going more slowly than junior year. Like, last year, I blinked and bamn, end of the week and right now I feel like I'm processing every minute T-T

Write some Accounts notes

Read an English lesson

Completed eco assignment

12.06.2024

Today was... Alright , I guess? I'm not sure how to feel, it's literally the 3rd day of school and we have a test tomorrow :/ not like I'm gonna study for that test, I'm gonna wing it and follow my own schedule this year because last time our teachers just messed everything up by giving unimportant topics as tests :///

Anyways...

Completed writing notes for lesson 1 in Economics

Read all the poetry in our English syllabus

Wrote short notes for Computer lesson 1

Revised some Arabic

11.06.2024

Second day of school and gosh was it exhausting, i somehow seemed to have forgotten how tiring school really is :")

Today was a full on Computers and Accounts day T-T

Completed Accounts homework and reviewed some concepts we learnt today

Prepared computer notes for lesson 1 (only half)

Economics assignment 90% done

10.06.2024

It was the first day of school, just got my textbooks and the whole class spent the day talking and doing nothing. Classes start tomorrow but I'm starting sooner this year. I'm keeping this as a tracker for progress so... Yeah

Read 1 chapter of Business studies and English

Completed 50% of the assignment in Economics

Revised last year's accountancy notes

Goals for the next (last) year of highschool!

As much as I love that this is the last year I'm gonna stay in school, I may need to work extra harder to manage everything.

So, I'm gonna keep this goal list as a reminder and motivation!

Personal:

Have a better sleeping schedule (impossible but let's try)

Exercise everyday (Also impossible but let's ignore this)

Maintain good mental health (laughs in hysteria)

Pray Tahajjud everyday (atleast try)

Recite Quran everyday

Search for some jobs and college research (mostly after October/December)

Academic:

Get a 97+ % in my finals (aiming 99 or 100)

Study the lessons in the same week they're completed

Study everyday for 2 hours

Finish assignments soon as possible

Study on weekends

Extra curricular

Keep revising my Arabic

Finish a book a month

Go on my first and last field trip some how!!

Maintain this blog (duh)

Escape P.E practice (spare me)

Improvements to be made in:

English (both academic and non academic)

Confidence

Public speaking (I'm so bad at this)

Lessening screen time

"Push harder than yesterday if you want a different tomorrow."

Study Tip 5

When you're studying, most of you will probably focus more on the input. You'll take in loads of information. And i mean loads and loads of information. But do you still wonder, why am I not getting the grades for the amount of input I put in? Like, you study alot only to get mediocre grades?

Well, let me break it down...

Input is important but... output is more important.

Input is absorbing information. Committing it to memory. Remembering facts. It's a mental activity.

Output is how you communicate or display information.

Let's be honest, the teacher correcting your paper doesn't care if you studied the whole year or the whole night. They just care about finishing their task and whether you've answered the questions correctly. So, the way you communicate it is important.

When you study, give more focus on the output. If you're input is "x" amount of effort then your concentration and effort on output should be "2x".

How do you do that?

Well, after studying, spend a good amount of time recalling the information by giving the processed information back. Whether you do it by saying it aloud or writing it down or both. I prefer to say it aloud, write it down and then say it again and again. The main thing is...

What you learnt must be communicated.

It doesn't have to be through teaching. There are multiple ways. Notes. Drawing. Visuals. Mind maps. Audio recordings. Anything that works for you!

Written notes is probably the best because at the end of the day you are going to write the exam, even if you know the whole damn textbook, what you write in your exam is the only thing that counts.

So, here's the secret (which isn't a secret anymore) i use:- When you finish a topic:

Write the key words.

Say it out loud multiple times until you remember them.

Close the notes and recall. Aloud.

Repeat step 2 & 3 about 4-5 times.

Bonus: you can write the points without looking this time.

Basically... Write it. Say it. Recall it. Repeat it.

The first 2 steps are the means of inputs. You're getting information in.

The next three are outputs. You're getting the information out. See the emphasis on how you recall it aloud? It needs your 100% attention for you to remember the points. And when you repeat it, it's literally for you to process it. To let it sink in. You're less likely to forget it sooner too.

Remember. X input needs 2x output.

Whatever the output is. It needs to be multiplied.

Hope this helps! :D

Hey any last minute revision tips for tests/exams? I always struggle with it

Hey there Anon!

First of all, during revision, I try my level best to recall everything without actually going through the topic but it's kinda difficult so glance through the topic before you close the book and recall every single point.

Revise the chapters that you know well and are confident in first because it's better to thoroughly know some specific topics than being doubtful in every single topic.

Do not, under any circumstances, start to learn a new topic during revision (unless the topic is like really really important). It will only cause you panic.

If you find yourself distracted, move around alittle.

More distractions? Act like you're a tutor or teacher.

Don't study the whole topic line by line, recall important key words and examples.

Don't set a time limit for each topic. Set time limits for the whole syllabus. (Like, if you have 12 lessons. Think you'll complete 6 of them by the afternoon, allow 2 hours grace time and viola, you now know half the syllabus completely)

Take breaks. Both the 20 mins and 20 second breaks (-> 20 sec post)

Eat some snacks in between. I personally don't prefer meals because I get really lazy and sleepy after that.

Do not call your friends to ask how much they've revised because you'll definitely panick.

Go through your material. If you don't remember a topic which you actually have studied, write short notes just beside it.

Use past question papers and practice problems.

Quiz yourself. Say your answers out loud.

If you have no idea where to start, just go from the shortest chapters because then you'll feel like you have completed some syllabus.

Lastly, whatever you do, sleep early. Atleast before 11 pm because you need to be fresh for the exam.

Basically. Recall. Summarise. Quiz. Repeat.

Hope this helped! <3

I'm alittle out of ideas for posts so if anyone has any issue/problem (by problem I mean tips or self improvement etc) on something related to studying, self care, mental health etc etc. Feel free to dm/ask me!

You don't have to be great at something to start, but you have to start to be great at something.

Mistakes I made in my junior year that i don't want anyone else to repeat.

Signed up for more extra curriculars than I could handle

Not giving myself enough breaks

Sleeping late

Had increased screentime

Didn't give midterms it's dues importance

Lost my notes a couple of times so I had to rewrite them and thus, wasted time.

Thought too much about what people think

Had increased anxiety levels because i wasn't doing anything productive

Didn't study from the start

Got overconfident in the subject which was easy and ended up getting the lowest in it.

Gave too many f**ks about unimportant matters

Didn't give too many f**ks about important matters

Didn't manage my time

Got alittle too ambitious and ended up backfiring

Implemented every single piece of advice i got from teachers (didn't turn out well)

Unhealthy diet and reduced my meals

Didn't exercise.

(For both my reference and yours. I have definitely thought about how I can improve in my last and final year of highschool based on this and thought that this might help someone else too.)

I will succeed. Not immediately. But definitely.

Study until you think you are perfect and then study some more because you are never perfect.

You're not always going to be motivated. So you must learn to be disciplined.

Success is 1% plan. 99% action. Don't. Forget. That.

Study Tip - 4

When you're studying, it is advisable to take a break. I don't mean breaks which last around 5-15 mins. I mean breaks that last for 20 seconds.

Why 20 seconds?

Recently, i have discovered that when you're studying for long hours or even short, our brains are exhausted by the time we complete even a single chapter. It has too much of information to actually process it so i always use this method.

When you complete a topic, small or big. Just close your eyes for 20-30 seconds and lean back on your chair and calm your breathing. Process the information. Let everything sink in. Take out the tension. DO NOT TAKE YOUR PHONE. And then after those 20-30 seconds, just glance through the topic before moving to the next one.

How does this help?

Boosts attention.

Allows you to calm down from overwhelming emotions

Helps you process better.

You're likely to remember it more.

Helps you to study for longer hours.

Hope it helps! :)

Dreams don't work until you do.

How to do group projects? (If you're selected as the leader of the group)

I hate group projects, it's not necessarily the project rather, the people are not cooperative enough so here's some tips I use when I was chosen to do a PPT and a damn play with 13 members.

(Pictures aren't mine!)

Take phone numbers

Even though my teacher discouraged the idea of it, I still took the numbers of all the members and saved it on the same day the project was given even though the deadline was a month later. You should make sure that you have the necessary means of communication to every member.

Plan and outline within 3 days!

Make an outline of what needs to be done, plan out who's going to do what, how they'll do it, when will they complete it etc etc. The reason i do it within 3 days is because you'll get the base of how you'll do it because generally in group projects, by the time everyone completes the work and gives it to you, it would take atleast a week or two, if you start early, you'll complete earlier than everyone else

No group chats!

I personally don't prefer this because one i realised everyone just didn't reply expecting others to reply, especially when your group is big! So... Dms!! Just send the instructions personally, yes, it takes alot of time but it makes up for the energy wasted in group chats that involve unnecessary talks and questions.

Both face to face and text reminders!

When you've assigned work to every member, make sure they actually do it because you'll be the one responsible. Not gonna lie but reminders help especially when the deadlines are closer. Just a message like "Hey, friendly reminder about the XYZ project."

Save your own name!

This is something I'm really careful about. The accusation that you're being biased and assigning easier work to friends and people I'm close with. So, i figured that the best way to avoid it is to write all the work and the names of members in alphabetical order and assign accordingly. If the member can't do it, then I'll discuss and swap. It saves a hell lot of drama and actually results to better outcomes.

Back up

Make sure that there's always a second in command. This was a mistake I did, on the day of the 2nd project (the play), I was in one of the competitions and our teacher had started with our group first... I didn't exactly tell anyone that everything about the characters assigned to members and the narrations were in my bag so they had to scramble alittle but in the end, our group did the best play despite the situation so that's what you're aiming at. Your group needs to manage without you.

Flexibility

Do not, under any circumstances, expect everything to go well! You need to expect hindrances, like gurl, come on. A mistake I made in the PPT project, i made the PPT and told 4-5 people to explain it because that's how it was supposed to be done but in the end, ALL THE 4-5 PEOPLE HAD TO BE IN SPORTS PRACTICE so we ended up changing plans last minute. But nevertheless, we got an A-. Tell everyone to prepare accordingly.

Be a little lenient

Personally, when the teacher asked me to give the list of work everyone had done, i did'nt just write nothing for the members who didn't, i have even the smallest contribution because in the end, even one person's scores matters. It affects the whole damn group so be careful when you take out anger and frustration on the members when giving the list of contributions or even while doing the project. The last thing you need is drama.

Contact!

Make sure your members are comfortable enough to clear any questions or misunderstandings with you. If you don't know what's going in the group, you can't maintain the group. Be very clear that they can reach you any time.

Demo!!!

This is really important! Decide on a day and keep a demonstration of how your project is going to be presented. Do exactly as how you're going to do it infront of the teacher. Exchange some points on how to do better during the demo and discuss! It helps you to correct your mistakes.

Hope this helps! :)

If nobody hates you, you're doing something wrong

You're getting distracted again. You've got dreams to chase. Not people to impress. Wake up.