Becoming a top-performing student is something most students wish for. Achieving that, however, is what many don't know how to go about. But it's not a mystery. You can do it! In this post, I want to share with you a few open secrets that will help you become one of the best students academically among your peers. What are the secrets?...
Go the extra mile
I'm trying to remember some words from a Glo ad that featured Anthony Joshua. It says something like: "Champions go the distance and they go further." In other words, to become a champion, you need to push further than the average person does. I loved that ad because those words are quite motivating and, above all, make perfect sense. This also applies to you as a student. If you do just what an average student does, don't expect to be that A-class, best-in-the-class student. Things don't work that way. The amount of effort you put into your studies and overall academic life greatly determines the results you can get. If you aim to be at the top of the class, put extra effort into what you're doing now. Study a little bit more. Read a little bit more. Of course, putting in extra effort doesn't mean you should stress yourself out with reading or avoid rest. It's important to take your health and well-being seriously and know when to rest. The idea is to work harder than the average student.
Be consistently committed
To some students, being committed is seasonal. They are serious with their studies only when exams are around the corner. This is the quality of an average student. But for you, who is working hard to be among the very best, you have to understand that consistency and commitment are key. You perform better in exams when you're well-prepared. This is common sense, but unfortunately, many students don't take consistency seriously. Trying to learn everything a few days before exams is not a smart move at all!
Reduce your distractions
TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, etc. What about hanging out, parties, and events? Distractions will always be there. What matters is how you manage them. While it's important to give yourself time to relax and have fun, you should also know when the fun time, social media time, and similar distractions are affecting your studies. Set your priorities right. Many students are so addicted to social media that they can't read one page of a book without opening a social media app. To be the A-grade student of your dreams, avoid things that stop you from focusing when studying. Social media is a common one. There is time for everything. Have fun when it's time for fun. Be fully focused on your studies when it's time to study. A few distractions here and there and you might end up below average. You definitely don't want that!
Avoid procrastination
Procrastination is tricky. Instead of doing that assignment now, you tell yourself, "I'll do it in the evening." Then evening comes, and you say, "I'll do it tomorrow." Eventually, you keep procrastinating until you have just a little time to do the assignment and end up not doing it the best way you could have. The same is true for other academic tasks. Don't make procrastination a habit. It's counterproductive.
Work smart
You have to understand that one of the goals of being in school is to pass exams. As much as learning should be the most important thing, learning without passing your exams in flying colors can make things more difficult for you, even after school. Therefore, as a student, working smart includes:
- Make friends with students who are better than you academically. This way, you have brilliant students you can study with and learn a lot from. This doesn't mean you shouldn't be friends with those who may not be academically strong. The idea is to learn from those who know more so you too can join them as top performers.
- Study the materials the teachers share because exam questions will likely come from there. Reading other textbooks is fine, but smart students take the handouts and course materials from the teachers seriously. There's a reason for that.
- Attending lectures is not for "weak" students! Attending lectures has other benefits besides making understanding easier. When you attend lectures, you get to know where the teacher lays emphasis. Most times, this helps you know what to focus more on and what is likely to appear in exam questions.
- Take good care of yourself. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Overworking yourself can be counterproductive. Stress and other health issues might start coming up. So, make sure to take care of your health and general well-being.
Believe you can
Finally, believe you can do it. The most effective motivation you need is the one that comes from within. When you say to yourself, "I can become one of the very best students," and go for it, the sky will be your starting point. All the best!
