- TheRadar explained 10 effective study tips for Nigerian students preparing for exams
- The study tips include: living healthy, proper time management, active reading, use of flashcards, use of mnemonics, etc.
- Students are to pay attention to all the tips in order to study effectively
How a student studies may determine the overall performance of the student. TheRadar came up with ten effective tips that can help students in Nigeria navigate their examinations excellently.
The tips are carefully explained with examples in order to prepare students for effective studying.
1. Live healthy
You might have thought that this will be last on the list since it involves studying, but you will be surprised how living healthy goes a long way in improving studying effectively.
Students must understand that the human body is not a machine, therefore; it needs adequate rest and a balanced diet everyday. A balanced diet must include a diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre. You must also drink adequate water.
Students tend to feed more on junk food while studying because of time and money. You can still eat healthy on budget despite the economic situation of Nigeria.
Also, medical experts recommend that young adults and adults sleep between an average of 7-9 hours everyday. This will help to relax and refresh your brain while studying.
In addition, regular exercise helps to calm the nerves and reduce stress. You can also inculcate physical activities such as: deep breathing, yoga, meditation in order to improve mental health.
2. Proper time management
The phrase: “Procrastination is a thief of time” is old but gold and true. Many students tend to procrastinate by piling the bulk of work till examination time and end up crash reading.
Students must effectively manage their time to study effectively. Proper time management helps to promote productivity and saves time.
Here are some action plans to make in order to manage time effectively: create a study schedule with realistic goals, you can include time blocks which are dedicating a particular time to focus on a particular task.
3. Read actively
You should inculcate intentionally having what you are studying in your memory rather than reading it passively.
You can do this by having a glance and a run through of the entire study in your first reading and then putting them in your memory in your subsequent readings.
Also, include taking notes and highlighting if it works for you.
You can as well ask questions from yourself of what you just read and connect your reading with something very familiar to you already. For instance, if you have Smith as your friend and a particular Literature text you are reading has Smith as one of the characters, you can just link the character to your friend. This way, you find it easy to remember.
4. Use of flashcards
Flashcards contain key information of what you studied. It ensures you remember the important facts quickly.
Flashcards can be sticky notes or the use of digital apps that have flashcards.
The front of the flashcard may contain a question, a topic or a keyword while the back may include the answer, explanation or definition of that particular concept.
5. Use of Mnemonics
Mnemonics help to remember what you are studying effectively. It can include the use of acronyms and visual mnemonics.
This is often useful when you need to memorise a long list of items and you need to recall all. You can create an acronym with the first letter that starts with the words. For instance, imagine you want to read something like “Ten States you can visit in Nigeria ” and you have things like: “Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Anambra, Oyo, Osun, Adamawa, Kano, Plateau, Niger”. Then, you can create an acronym for effective study to remember all: “LAAAOOOKPN”. With this, you can see that the States with similar alphabet were grouped together to remember easily.
You can also create an image of what you are reading in your mind, especially something you are very familiar with. It will be easy to recall the image you have attached to that particular thing you read.
6. Brainstorming groups
Create a brainstorming group with your colleagues writing the same exam and with the same mindset of study.
Discussing what you have read with like minds helps to recollect what you have read and gives you a hint on a particular aspect you might have missed while studying, when you hear other people discussing it.
Brainstorming helps you pay attention to details and makes you know how prepared you are.
7. Practice questions
You can never be too sure of what you have read until you practice questions on that particular topic you are reading.
Get past questions on the topic or research questions on the topic online (Technology has made work easier).
Questions make you detailed and pay more attention to the most important part. It also gives you a hint on what the lecturer wants or how he/she sets his questions.
You can also practice the questions with some of your colleagues or seniors and hear their own perspective to the answer. Ensure your answer correlates and be so sure before writing your assessment.
8. Teach others
You might think this is just for the benefit of the person you are teaching but this tip goes a long way in helping you recall what you read and get better at it.
This way, you are helping yourself and the people you taught what you read particularly.
9. Use positive affirmations
Using positive affirmations helps to clear doubts and keeps you confident in yourself.
Also, it helps your mental health, keeps you focused and reduces anxiety. You can curate some positive words and meditate on them before studying. It gives you a sense of focus and keeps you assured that you can make the best out of studying.
10. Know your lecturer’s style
Knowing your lecturer's style helps you to structure your reading pattern well. You will be able to pay rapt attention to the aspects he likes and he/she is likely to set his assessment.
You can do this by paying attention to his teachings in class or meeting him/her personally for what they expect.
NELFUND: Federal Government approves disbursement of student loan to successful applicants
Meanwhile, TheRadar previously reported that FG had approved the disbursement of student loans to successful applicants.
This was disclosed on the official platform of NELFUND on ‘X’. This new development raised numerous reactions from the public.
