Getting Started!

Getting started at any task often presents problems, for example how do I fit my new enthusiasm for learning, into my daily routine? Well, millions of students have now returned to their studies after a long summer break and naturally enough, students everywhere had to contemplate the return to their studies.

There are many students who need no motivational prompt to learn and for those, their desire to succeed is so overwhelming that the energy required in the first phase of interest, seems to propel them forward. These student are mostly proactive and most likely, before term started, to have looked at the syllabus and then begun to organise themselves by buying the core reading material needed for the academic year ahead and making a timetable for key assignments and tests. However, for some the start of a new academic year can be a less than positive experience, with some students begin to feel anxious about returning to study because of outside pressure, to do well by achieving higher grades and exam success.

One way of solving this problem is to get a feel for what is going on around you! Look at how your friends go about getting ahead of the rest. In particular look at how they organise themselves. This may help you to start the new academic year, in a better frame of mind than before. However, one of the major issues that lies beyond this is what can I do when the first burst of energetic enthusiasm runs out?

The reason why I am sharing this with interested parties, is to offer some advice on how to maintain your new found enthusiasm for learning and not let it melt away, like a cool drink on a hot day.

Ensure that you keep ahead of tasks by keeping an academic diary.
Make it a daily routine to check what needs to be done.
Maintain a note of how long you read every day.
Organise your work in folders by putting handouts, notes and assignments in wallets.
Never leave assignments or revision to the last minute.
Talk to your teacher or your friends about assignments tasks.
Always make a plan before writing up your assignments.
Write a rough or first draft and ask for feedback from your teacher.
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback after receiving your assignments back. This will help you with the next one.

I realise that most of these suggestions are common sense ones but in my experience it is surprising how many students fail to follow these simple but effective steps to aid learning. Some students often state that I just don’t have the time to organise myself in such a fashion. However, I have found that by spending a little time on these simple routine tasks, students agree that these tips aid their organisation and this leads to higher levels of motivation needed for successful outcomes when learning.

I hope that readers of my blog find it useful. I would be glad of some feedback!