People usually like to think of traditional education as a well-paved road where if you are stubborn and willing to push forward you’ll eventually get to the finish line with the degree waiting for you as a reward. Unfortunately, things are rarely as clear-cut as we’ve just described above.

Sure, you will get the basic milestones you will need to pass and the resources that should help you to do that. But, on this journey, nobody will hold your hand, and the responsibility for wrapping up your higher education will be entirely on your shoulders. Like always, this task will be much easier if you know what you are doing and have a clear plan ahead of you.

Well, let’s see if we can help you with these things and make your journey a bit simpler. Here’s your higher school certificate crash course.

Set clear and realistic goals

This is one of the best ways to keep your momentum going and prevent yourself from straying off course. So, try to properly assess your free time, previous knowledge, and available offline and online resources, and see how far you can go in, let’s say one semester. Once you have found these long-term goals, start breaking them down into smaller chunks and more focused objectives. When you go to the most minute details and the subjects you need to handle on a daily basis, you will have plenty of material to create a realistic and very detailed learning plan. When you are finished, however, stick to this plan like your life depends on it.

Make practice and revision more proactive

Going through learning materials doesn’t guarantee optimal memorization. If you really want to stick the landing you need to revisit the ground you have already covered. Of course, we are not talking about simply re-reading subjects. Ideally, you should take a more proactive approach and try to recall the things from your memory, ask yourself a lot of questions, create study materials like flashcards, and connect new information to the facts you have already memorized. This way you will make your sessions much more active, immersive, and engaging, and bear much stronger results.

Think about practice and revision frequency

Working hard won’t cut it. You need to work smart. In this case, we are talking about the frequency of your efforts. So, studying 24/7 a couple of days before an exam is off the table. You will be much more efficient and spend far less time if you give yourself a wider window and pace out your studies. Ideally, you should follow this schedule:

• First repetition – one day after the initial learning session (AILS)
• Second repetition – 3 to 5 days AILS
• Third repetition – 7 to 10 days AILS
• Fourth repetition – 2 to 4 weeks AILS

If you are working in a longer time frame, you can revisit the materials on a monthly basis. This system will make learning a breeze.

Use versatile and effective learning materials

The more versatile they are the better. Fortunately, we are living in the digital age so you won’t have to work too hard to find them. For instance, the University of Technology Sydney attendees are publishing their learning materials. So, using the UTS notes for students and made by students will drastically trim down your research. Of course, there are plenty of video materials, infographics, and online publications you can find as well. Try to mix these different resources as much as possible. Versatile information sources keep your brain fired up and keep your learning sessions immersive and fun.

Move your resources to the cloud

As we said, we are living in the digital age, so leverage this fact to your advantage as much as you can. Using cloud computing for educational purposes is probably one of the best ways to do it. So, be sure to convert all of your materials to the digital format and pack your devices with tools that will allow you to use them anyplace anytime. Aside from the fact you will have reminders always at the palm of your hand, you will be making collaboration with other fellow students countless times simpler and more effective. And, all your data will be safely stored away, always ready to deploy and restore.

Master the time management techniques

This small effort is absolutely critical for achieving a good work-life balance and preventing yourself from burning out. You will also have more time for learning, so you will be able to pass through the study subjects more effectively. Fortunately, the options you have on the table in this regard are almost endless so you can easily find something tailored to your tastes and preferences. Some of the most popular picks come in the form of:

• Pareto Analysis
• Pomodoro Technique
• Eisenhower Matrix
• Parkinson’s Law

Be sure to give all these techniques due attention and try to fit them into your daily routine. You will see major improvements. Not only in your studies but in life in general.

Turn learning into a lifelong habit

Last but not least, we would like to remind you that, as long as learning remains something you see as a chore, your results will remain very limited. So, if you want to make the acquisition of knowledge sustainable, be sure to link it to some other activity you enjoy. Try listening to audiobooks while you are running, or don’t go to your social network until you pop your educational ebook. Tidying up your room? Sure, you can play some educational podcasts or YouTube videos in the background. This way, learning will become a part of your daily routine and you won’t have to put active effort into it. This effortlessness is the key to long-term success.

Wrapping-up

So, there you have it – the top seven strategies that will turn your studies from an exhausting struggle to… Well, less exhausting struggle. We don’t want to sugarcoat anything here. Making it to the high school certificate or college degree is a monumentally complex process that requires a tremendous amount of commitment, hard work, and patience. But, there is no reason to make this already hard process even harder by being sloppy and lacking aim. The suggestions we gave you should definitely give your efforts a stronger focus. From that point on, it’s really up to you.

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