3 Ultimate Study Hacks Every High School Student Should Know

It’s a known fact that studying is not easy, even for high school students.

It may even be harder for you because everyone assumes you do not have pressing matters in your life apart from your studies; hence they expect you to perform well. 

Your parents may not be aware of how stressful studying can be as a teenager. That’s why you are here today, looking for study hacks for high school students that can help ease your anxiety and frustration. 

You seem not to hack studying and keep getting the same weak grades even after putting in more effort.

Today, ParenTeen Kenya will give you proven study hacks to help you study successfully and increase your chances of meeting your learning goals.  

1 – Study Smart, Not Hard

Have you ever wondered why some students study for hours and still do not pass their exams? Or others who borrow many books on the same subject and still fail to ace it? 

Studying smart does not entail spending countless hours reading many books. It requires planning so that you read the most relevant chapters in your study material. 

This strategy will help you cover more ground, and you’ll only need to review what you’ve already mastered during exams. Generally, studying smart involves:

• Creating a study schedule covering all the subjects.
• Enquiring from your teacher about the most relevant books and chapters to study. 
• Planning how many pages, chapters, or questions you’ll handle each day. 
• Summarizing the most important points in a separate book.
• Sticking to the plan and adjusting where necessary. 

To study smart, you must have the right mindset and be in a conducive environment. For instance, you can set aside two hours for studying and end up studying for only 45 minutes because you are on your phone, talking to friends, or daydreaming the rest of the time. 

Hence, when you sit to study, eliminate all distractions and focus on reading. Take five mins break every 30–40 mins to reduce mental exhaustion and enhance concentration. 

In addition, studying smart involves reading to understand and not cramming. Anything you memorize is usually stored in the short-term area of your brain, but when you read to understand, the information is stored in the long-term area.

This concept means that if you use the cramming approach, you’ll need to cram every exam time. On the flip side, reading to understand ensures the information is stored in the permanent brain area—you won’t have to spend the whole night rereading the day before exams. 

The table below summarizes the differences between studying smart versus studying hard.

Did you see how the table summarizes the points discussed above? That is how you should summarize the study material as you read.

2 – Teach Someone Else

Teaching someone, also known as the protege effect, is an excellent study hack for high school students. It helps you internalize what you’ve learned and is better than reading for yourself only. 

In addition, teaching someone helps you identify areas you haven’t understood well, and you can work on them later. 

During exams, you’ll be able to answer questions better because teaching someone strengthens subject understanding and gives you various ways of tackling complex questions. 

For example, if you are helping a friend solve a math problem, you may notice that they did not understand how you arrived at the answer. This response will spontaneously cause you to think of another way to explain the steps. 

You’ll improve your thinking and problem-solving ability as you restructure how to bring out the point. Other benefits of teaching a friend are:

• Adopt better ways of learning, knowing that you’ll teach someone
• Feel motivated to learn so that you can help your friend
• Improve your confidence in learning more challenging material
• Feel competent in handling the exams

If you do not have a friend to teach, pretend you are teaching an imaginary person and do it as you would a friend. It may sound silly, but it works. Try it today and prove me right 😉. 

3 – Adopt a Study Technique

A studying technique uses multiple strategies to help you take in and retain new information, manage your time, motivate you to continue learning, and help you handle exams well. 

The technique you choose should suit your learning needs and one that you do not struggle to apply consistently. The following are three techniques you can adopt to help you study.

The SQ3R Study Technique

STQ3R stands for Study, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. This method requires you to first skim through the chapter you want to read and take note of the main headings, images, and features. 

Next, set general questions about what you already know about the topic and what you hope to learn. 

Read the chapter as you mentally note the answers to the questions you set—you can also use the questions at the end of the chapter. 

After reading, try and remember the key points as you answer the questions. Review if you’ve understood everything and responded to the questions correctly. 

Retrieval Practice

This technique involves reading a chapter or topic and returning later to see how much you remember. You can try and recall what you read after taking a break or the next time the subject is scheduled on your timetable. 

The retrieval practice technique requires you to utilize the test questions already in the book or setting questions as you read; then use them afterward to test yourself. 

A second option is to write key points on a flashcard and, after taking a break, try to remember what you wrote before flipping to check if you got it right. 

Spaced Practice

Spaced practice involves studying over a long period instead of cramming over a short period, such as the night before exams. 

When you go back to reread or revise, your brain practices recalling the information, hence making what you’ve learned more permanent.

The ideal method is to space the learning throughout the week or month. For instance, if you have more than a month to study for exams, plan as follows:

• Day 1: Study the chapter.
• Day 2: Revisit the chapter as you recall the main points.
• One week: Review the chapter as you try and remember what you understood and reread the section you struggle to remember.
• Two weeks: Study and review the chapter. By this time, the information will be easier to remember.

Trying to remember what you learned last time and rereading a section you didn’t understand shouldn’t take you long. You can do it in 10 to 20 mins, then proceed to the next chapter and repeat the same process. 

Start Excelling Using These Study Hacks

If someone tells you studying is easy, they are probably lying to you or simplifying the demand it puts on you. It takes effort and sacrifice to adopt any study method. 

Since you do not have an option in high school but to study, it is better to have a plan and use strategies that work to give you long-lasting results. 

ParenTeen Kenya has given you three proven study hacks that ensure you understand what you study and help you pass your exams. 

Get in touch with us for more guidance on how to succeed in your studies. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make the most out of my study time?

• Have a study timetable
• Avoid distractions like your phone or friends
• Take a 5 min break every 30 to 40 mins and a prolonged one after 2 hours
• Make short notes as you read 

What is the best way to study for exams?

• Start studying at the beginning of the term
• Read to understand and not to memorize
• Form a study group to discuss challenging topics
• Use questions to test what you’ve learned

How can I be academically successful in high school?

• Create a balanced schedule for everything
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle
• Be easy on yourself when you do not perform well 
• Study smart

Images courtesy of Pexel and Unsplash.

Jane Kariuki

Jane Kariuki is a devout Christian, Clinician, Psychologist, and founder of ParenTeen Kenya. She authored an exceptional training manual used in her teens’ workshop and an instructional guidebook for her parenting classes. If she is not training, blogging, or counseling, Jane loves to spend time with her sweet husband and three children.