Tips and Advice: Good Study Habits

Here’s a short list of some tips and advice how to develop Good Study Habits and how to enhance learning capacity.

1. Prayers – Prayers is the first thing and the most important thing to do when studying. Some people take this for granted. But eventually, you’ll realize that God always you to understand topics. Pray and have faith. In my time when I was reviewing, I will start my day usually by praying the Holy Rosary.

2. Read and Understand – Never underestimate the power of reading. Some suggests that for a person to better comprehend the words that he or she is reading, it is better to read aloud the words but not to a point that you do not understand what you are saying. It is an established fact that reading and listening are effective method of learning.

3. Develop Good vocabulary in Medical Terms and English Terms – This is the most disregarded thing being done by students. Actually, it is better to acquire a medical dictionary as early as during your first year or second year because it will always be used specially during the time when NCM is on the way. It is not advised to buy the most expensive dictionary there is, sometimes, you can find a cheap dictionary like Churchill which costs less than 100. Also aside from medical terms, if you feel like English is your weakness, then do something on it. Nobody learn how to speak and understand English overnight. It takes a lot of patience and experience and since majority of nursing students plans to go abroad, it is an essential and valuable instrument to be used when interacting with foreign clients. Even in the board exam, the unfamiliarity of the word always leads to failure to answer correctly. I repeat, word, meaning either English or Medical term. So it’s a win-win situation if you start opening the dictionary to expand your vocabulary. Personally, for me, encountering the word twice in reading always prove to be effective to me.

4. Sleep within 6 to 8 hours as much as possible and take a break – Our minds are incapable of functioning well 24/7. If you deprive yourself sleep and rest, words that you are reading will only stay for a short-term memory. Meaning, you might remember it overnight, but not for the rest of your life. Some people have good memory, but people don’t. Adequate sleep and rest is one factor in contributing to develop good memory.

5. Attach papers with hard to remember stuffs in nursing – For some people, they find it effective posting values and terminologies on a piece of paper in walls, near switch, in the comfort room. They say that it is effective way to retain the words written all over around the person.

6. Time management – Time management is always important in almost every aspect in our life. In studying, it is advised to formulate a time-table, or just a schedule of studying. Assess how many minutes or hours does it take you to finish a chapter or a 10 page. Then try to count chapters or pages of the next topic you will study. Through this way, you will be able to anticipate the ample time in your review, therefore you will be able to create an effective time-schedule.

7. If reading, sleeping, time management does not work – If everything fails for you, it’s either you are a very gifted child with a wonderful memory that once you hear, it stays, or nursing is not for you. As early as possible, assess yourself if nursing is the right thing for you. There is no wonder book that will provide you a quick understanding of nursing. Do not get discouraged; rather try to find alternatives that will suit you. Try to invite your friends for group review. For some, it is more effective if they are with someone. Every individual has each own pattern of studying. One thing is for sure, nerdy type of studying is not recommended. Covering your face with textbooks everyday all the time will only result to burning yourself out. It is not bad to take a break, if you drink, then drink, if you smoke then smoke, do not change the pattern of your lifestyle, just modify it for the time being so that in the end, you will be able to achieve a good learning habit but not putting an imbalance in your lifestyle.

8. Develop motivating thoughts – Saying to yourself that you will top the board exam is one effective way. Achieving to top the board may seem impossible, but with dedication and patience, you’ll never know. By having motivating thoughts, you will have a sufficient drive to study; this will decrease your lack of interest. Other example thoughts, taking the board exam is like one final and big exam, do not waste your 4 year hardship. Think of it as studying for the last time. Like I’ve said, after reviewing thoroughly, the time that you will study for NCLEX, it will be easier for you to understand and remember the topics.

9. Sample questions – After learning to develop a good study habit, one important thing that you must be reminded is that it is very important to answer sample questions. Make it a point that after studying a certain topic or subject, find sample questions with rationale, because in the board exam, it is valuable to be familiar with questions and the ways choices seem like the same. By reading many questions as much as possible, you are not only developing your academic intelligence, but also your intensive critical thinking skills and analysis.