Q&A for How to Become an Excellent Student

Take a deep breath; it can sounds simple, but try it because you've probably been holding your breath in anticipation and this can cause you to feel even more anxious. Then if you know the answers or you think you know, be confident and just answer. You've nothing to lose and everything to learn, for every wrong answer is a learned answer you'll never forget.

Just ignore what they say about you being "over-smart". They say this to keep you off track, out of jealousy and a desire to be smart too but since they clearly cannot be bothered applying themselves, they're not bothering to improve their brainpower, so that's their choice. Don't get distracted by such sayings, but continue to work hard. You can also suggest they might like to party less and study more.

It's not about how many hours you sit and study, but about how productively you do it. Study until you are comfortable with the material. This can take as little as 30 minutes to as long as 2 hours or more. When studying, be sure to take regular breaks. This will help refresh your mind, and make it easier for you to absorb new information.

When you come back home after school, go over the things taught in school. I.e. write the notes in a separate notebook. Note down anything you are unsure of to ask your teacher. Allow some time to study and some time to play.

It certainly can. It is important to have a positive attitude toward studies, so that you can feel capable. This also helps you to realize that studies can be a way out of negativity because learning opens up your understanding and frees you to think for yourself and understand the world better.

Turn beating that other person into your goal, while remembering that they probably have the goal of staying on top. At the end of the day though, the fact you are second is brilliant and there is a point at which you have to remind yourself that you're learning for the sake of learning, not to become some competitive cog in a big wheel.

You have to learn to prioritize your tasks to be able to find time to study. You may have to reduce the time you spend on your hobbies and social life. If you have extracurricular activities that can't be cut out (such as a part-time job to pay tuition fees), then you can always study during your breaks

Seek help from your lecturers/tutors/educators. For questions that you are stuck at, it is helpful to consult them to get a good explanation. This will be helpful as it will help you to understand the problem better. Know where is your weakness. For instance, you may be bad at algebra. After assessing your area of weakness, do past-year papers and topical assessment books. Those will allow you to practice applying the formulas or concepts. See further How to Improve Math Skills and How to Improve Your Math Grade for more help.

Make a routine of your own. In this routine keep at least 30 minutes to one hour aside for TV, electronics, etc. usage. Studying for the whole day might result in severe distractions, so keep gaps according to the mentioned times. See further: How to Avoid Distractions While Studying .

Apply the same methods to become better at both. Work hard, find mentors and mimic them, devote time to both pursuits and set goals that will challenge you and motivate you to work harder.

Yes it can help you learn other things, but don't get so involved that you pay less attention to your studies.

Yes, of course. This is actually the best way to improve if you are behind. The teachers are here to help so don't mind asking them.

Ask your classmates or teacher about what you have missed. If you know that you will be missing class in advance, you can ask a classmate you trust to take notes for you.

Study until 9 PM with full concentration. In between, take a break of two to three minutes to calm your brain.

Set aside an hour or two a night to study your subjects and the rest can be for co-corricular activities. (Unless you have a test the next day, then study a little longer.) On the weekends, study more.

Ask your teacher why it's not okay to take notes, especially since this is a standard learning technique. It's important to understand the teacher's reasoning first. If there is a good reason, then just check the chapter/lesson the teacher taught in class. Go home, and read the lesson from your textbook and also read what will be taught the next day. It is also helpful to write down what you do remember from class as your own notes, that very same day.

Stop, pause and look at the teacher in the eyes. Say very clearly, "Why is it a dumb question? I really don't know and I am confused." It is hard to refuse to answer a sincere plea.

Wear earphones that are noise canceling. If you can't afford those, learn to zone into your studies and zone out of what is going on around you. If there are also visual distractions, block those so that your senses are not overwhelmed. Better options include asking others to be quieter while you study, finding a quieter place to study in the house or even the library and getting a dedicated study space that everyone understands must not be disturbed. If the noises cannot be fixed, such as outside roadworks, try using white noise or instrumental music to compete with the irritating noises.

Organize all your materials. Write down a motivational "speech," then read it with conviction while nodding your head and smiling. Allow time for breaks in between studying. Give yourself something to look forward to when you're done.

It may be because you're not confident and need conformation of your answer and the fear of saying the wrong thing. The best way to get of this is to be confident in your answer, and don't stress if you say a wrong answer because there is nothing wrong in saying a wrong answer. In fact you learn from your mistakes.

You might find it helpful to read: How to Improve Your GPA .

Don't daydream in class. If you can't resist, then ask your teach if you can go to the bathroom, and splash a little water on your face, get a drink of water and go back to class.

Talk to whomever is distracting you, and let them know that you’re trying to study and focus, and politely ask if they could stop or lessen whatever is distracting you. If it continues to be a problem, then let your teacher know privately.