10 Great Homework Studying Tips For Beginners

When you’re young, homework can be daunting. If you’re in classes or courses with more assignments than you’re used to, it can easily get stressful. It can be difficult to motivate yourself and organize yourself so that you can get anything done on time. Whether you just started the sixth grade, or you’re a new college freshman, homework is incredibly important for your academic success. Homework is painful, but necessary. It gives you the opportunity to confront the subject matter and solve problems by yourself, on your own time, without any assistance from teachers or professors. This is how you figure out if you really understand your material. If you don’t do your homework, or if your answers are incorrect because you do not understand the subject matter, you will not do well on the exams.

Studying doesn’t have to be incredibly difficult and stressful. The key is to organize and structure your study habits, managing your time and energy to make sure that everything gets done. Here are ten great homework studying tips for beginners:

1. Set aside a designated study space. In the psychology of learning, memory, and cognition, it has long been known that set and setting play a major role in what information you are going to retain. It can be extremely helpful to set aside a special area, such as a computer desk, where you always study and complete assignments. If you’re a college student, you may want to consider using a communal space, like the library or a campus coffee shop. Avoid studying in areas you associate with other activities, like sleeping or watching TV.
2. Make note of what kinds of questions or problems you’re struggling with, and ask about them in class. You may find that a certain type of question, or a certain kind of math or science problem, is giving you the most trouble. Make a note of this, and make an extra effort to understand it using your notes, textbook, and online resources. If you’re still struggling, ask about it in class. Your professor or teacher may be able to help clarify it for you.
3. Take good notes in class. There are some teachers who rely primarily on the textbook, but the further along you get in your education, the less true this becomes. By the time you get to college, if not before, you’ll find that many teachers include material in their lectures that isn’t in the textbook. Make sure to take thorough notes in class. If you don’t like writing or typing them, ask your teacher or professor if you can record their lectures instead.
4. Organize your papers and computer files, so that you can always find what you’re looking for. The last thing you want to do is misplace your homework assignment before it’s do. Make sure to keep things in locations that are consistent and easy to find.
5. Don’t study the night before the test. This is a matter of “short-term” versus “long-term” memory. Space out your studying over time, and review the material a couple of nights before the exam. Don’t cram, or you won’t remember the information very well.
6. If you’re having trouble, take a short break to rest your mind. The neuronal synapses in your mind can literally become “tired” during mentally demanding tasks. If you’re having trouble focusing or understanding the material, take a break. Walk around a little, get some coffee, chat with a roommate. Do whatever you need to do for five to ten minutes to clear your head.
7. Establish a regular homework and studying schedule. Study at the same time every day. Over time, it will become a regular habit.
8. Write down all of your assignments. Don’t forget that you had an assignment in the first place. Make sure you know when everything’s due.
9. Know your own dominant learning style. Some people learn visually, others learn better from listening, others learn better from doing an activity. Find out how you learn the best.
10. Don’t put things off until the last minute. If you pace yourself, you’ll learn better, and be much less stressed.