Starting your study year on the right foot

Some pointers

Establish a place for study that is clean and bright

You'll need shelves, an upright chair, a clock with an alarm, a notice board for your weekly/daily study plans, colour-coded folders or boxes where subject notes can be neatly stored and easily retrieved. Don't put a computer, TV or stereo in your study area.

Prepare a weekly study timetable

Map out your study sessions in 25-minute blocks and be very specific about each block. "Study Home Ec" is not enough. "Learn the function of carbohydrates and answer past exam question on carbohydrates" is a measurable and achievable goal.

Test yourself before you start a topic

This is to see what you know - write down key words. Don't be disheartened if you know very little - you are now mentally prepared to fill in the gaps. Read the material quickly and close the book before doing the keyword test again. Now you know what you've learned and what you need to learn.

Don't spend ages writing summaries

Notes are just the key points. Make a list of the main points only. Use abbreviations and even start to develop your own shorthand - it will save you hours and hours! Always number the points in the list you construct. The brain can recall a numbered list better than a list with no numbers. Also, have plenty of white space on the page. It should almost look like a shopping list when you have finished.

Make use of every moment

So says psychologist Marie Murray. "Students often think that they can only study if they have set aside a long stretch of time. There are important small clusters of time that can be put to excellent use. Identify any such time that could be used but that is currently being wasted." Simple learning tasks such as learning new French vocabulary (three words per day, for example) can be done in a matter of minutes.

Learn properly in class

"Many students learn very little in class, leaving all the work to be done at home," says Rory Mulvey of Student Enrichment Services. "You have to be in the class anyway, so why not learn there?" There is no such thing as passive learning. You must be active to learn. Get involved in class. Take notes, ask questions."

Is something draining your study time?

Look at activities that are more about avoiding study than relaxing - soap operas or computer games, for example. By giving up on a less enjoyable activity you could gain a valuable two to three study hours a week. Then use your spare time for more satisfying pursuits like spending time with friends, playing sport or practising music.

Always study against the clock

Most people work better when they have a deadline. Know what you want to achieve in your 25-minute session and push yourself to get it done in that time. This will train you to complete assignments quickly, as you will have to do in the exam.

Set goals

It's much easier to get started if you know what you want to achieve in each session, each week and each term. Keep a notebook and jot down things that you need to achieve as they come to you during the school day. This will help you when you come to prepare your weekly timetable.