4 Habits to Follow to Be a Successful Student

18 Jun 2020

5 Min Read

Shahmalarani Chandran (Guest Contributor)

IN THIS ARTICLE

Whether you’re a freshman or a final-year student trying to keep up with pending deadlines, everyone wants to excel in their studies and graduate with flying colours. With the new norm, many students around the world are struggling to keep up with the pace. Hence, it’s no surprise that we’re all looking for motivation and tips to excel and adapt to this new way of studying during the pandemic.

But have no fear! I’m here to share some tips that kept me sane and helped me succeed in my studies. Hopefully you’ll find them useful too!

Discover your Passion

They say that opportunity only knocks once. However, I believe life is full of opportunities! It all boils down to your willingness to grab it. I first found out about The Risers’ ambassadors through an article on Facebook. I could have just ignored it but I had second thoughts. “If not now, then when?” Now, I’m so grateful to have been selected and here I am sharing these tips to be a successful student.

I picked up karate as a hobby when I was 12 and it became a part of who I am till today. Though you may not be able to see where you will be in the next 10 years, you should discover your passion and live your best starting now. Finding something that you are passionate about isn’t easy. Many would wonder how because it’s not something easily discovered. You can start by getting involved in a variety of activities, from volunteering to organising events. Join the clubs you’ve always wanted to. Learn the art you’ve always desired. Sign up for that competition you were excited about.

You might not be enthralled by all the events that you participate in, but you won’t regret it, as you’ll discover your strengths and weaknesses at the end of it. That is the most important part of finding your passion. And if you find yourself being fully absorbed in doing something, then that’s possibly where your passion lies. Most importantly, know that everyone’s passion is different, just as every star is unique, but each will shine.

Make Sacrifices

Many successful people would say that they’ve always dreamed of becoming the person they are today way before achieving it. They knew what they wanted to be and that defined how they set their goals as their priorities in life.

To be a successful student, your studies must be your topmost priority. You’ll need to sacrifice many things to achieve your goal. Though you may be a good multi-tasker, there will be situations where you’ll have to choose what’s most important at that moment.

While having fun with your family, hanging out with your friends, and being involved in extracurricular activities are equally important for a healthy social life, keep in mind that if you really want that first-class honours, make your priorities clear and be ready to skip those new episodes on Netflix. Personally, I’m an extrovert who loves being around with my friends and teammates. However, when it comes to studies or training, I’ll make sure to complete my planned tasks before hanging out. I believe that the amount of sacrifice you make is what defines the height of your success.

Accept Failures

Businessman with arms crossed staring out of office window

Accepting your failures can be difficult. I once lost one of the most important karate competitions of the year. It was not an easy loss for me and was even harder to break through that point of failure. I was shattered, and even had thoughts of giving up my karate career. It took time to heal. I still continued my training and worked on it even though I had lost all hope.

That was the most significant part of my life where I learned many valuable lessons. I learned that it’s the process that matters and to have faith. I learned to admit my mistakes, accept my flaws, listen to my coach and change my training attitude!

You may fail a module at first but keep trying! Learn from your mistakes, look for resources, Google, and watch relevant educational YouTube videos. Read. Learn. Work hard. Find ways to master the module. Look to your lecturer for assistance whenever needed. Don’t just rely on your notes and tips. A successful student knows that each step in life is equally important. So, don’t ever give up! Being a top scorer is something achievable if you put in your 200% effort.

Manage your Time

TIME. It’s one of the most precious things you can spend and it certainly waits for no one. Speaking about creating a timetable, and following it may sound cliche, managing your time and getting organised is crucial so that you’re always ahead of the curve.

A technique I use to manage my time is preparing a to-do list for the next day before I sleep. This way, I know what needs to be done for the next day.

I also find studying not fun when everything is stacked up at the last minute. So, I have a journal where I divide my tasks accordingly for the semester. It isn’t easy to juggle between my life as a student-athlete, The Risers’ ambassador, and also a tutor. Nevertheless, managing all this simultaneously doesn’t seem impossible when I have a proper plan and time allocated for each task.

And you can do this too! Start by creating a schedule that you’re most comfortable with and remember to stick to it. Make sure to block your calendar with your top priorities and avoid planning any social events when you have quizzes or important study weeks. As said by American author, Zig Ziglar, ‘Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days’ .

Conclusion

So, these are some tips to prepare you to be a successful student. I strongly believe what Benjamin Franklin said, ‘By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.’ There are many more ways you can follow to set yourself for a greater path but, to me, these are the most important ones that have guided me all the way through my student-athlete life. Of course, adapting and implementing all the steps at once is neither possible nor practical. Take one step at a time and you’ll definitely see the difference as you lead a more balanced and organised student life — as long as you’re consistent!

Wishing you all the best, Taylorians!

BACK TO NEWS & ARTICLES

{{ firstlevel.title }}

{{ firstlevel.title ? firstlevel.title : vm.computedTitle(firstlevel.path) }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ secondlevel.title }}

{{ thirdLevel.title }}