secrets straight-A students would never reveal 🤫

secrets straight A students would never reveal🤫

As a student, I always found it interesting to observe how my classmates around me were studying. Amidst the commonly known habits like conscientiousness and ⏳time management, I've unearthed the 3 game-changing habits that set the crème de la crème apart! 💪

1️⃣minimalism when it comes to study materials

✏️ there's a saying in chinese '差生文具多', which translates to 'it is always the weaker students who have the most stationery.' Though of course this shouldn't be taken too literally, I find that the studygram community really encourages too much consumerism ☹️ I myself was guilty of collecting all the colours of the Mildliner highlighters and buying more pens than I'll ever need ESP IN SECONDARY SCHOOL bruh i actually had all the colours

📄 I noticed that the best performing students around me are rarely influenced by such trends, and often put more thought into functionality than aesthetics when it comes to their stationery and notes. IDK if it's js me but it's a pattern that all the top students in my class just use the neon stabilo highlighters i swear

2️⃣taking quality breaks

✏️It is common to feel guilty for taking breaks from studying. When I was preparing for my O Levels in Secondary 4, I felt so bad every time I took a break from studying that I shortened my meal times just so I could clock-in more study time. It felt like every moment I spent away from my desk revealed my laziness and inability to delay gratification. As a result, even when I was taking a break, I never really felt well-rested as my mind was still occupied thinking about how much revision I could be completing and what I need to get done once I get back to studying.

📄 However, when top students take breaks, they indulge in their breaks and truly take their minds off studying. It is important to recognise the value of self-care and rejuvenation, because breaks are not a sign of weakness, they are essential in maintaining our productivity and keeping us motivated. The translation student in me wants to speak so once more, there's another Chinese saying that goes '休息是为了走更远的路' — taking a break is important in sustaining you for a longer journey ahead. Embrace the power of rest and allow yourself time to recharge, relax, and return to your studies with renewed focus and energy. Remember, balance is key on the path to success! ⚖️✨

3️⃣taking it easy!

✏️We often think that top students must be perfectionists, that they probably wouldn't expect any less of themselves than perfection. However, this sort of mindset often brings one further away from success, because we start to fear failure😣 . When I was desperately trying to improve my grades before the A Levels, I took every school exam extremely seriously and told myself I had to get the 🅰️💯best possible grades!However, I didn't get what I wanted. Instead, I put myself in such a nervous state that I would be at the brink of having an anxiety attack during every paper I sat for 😖 (particularly chemistry :p) I ended up not performing nearly as well as I hoped to.

📄 I realised that my classmates who were doing a lot better than me were not afraid of exams. Not because they always do well, but because they simply didn't see them as so big of a deal. I had a conversation with a friend right before my last mid-years paper, and I was actually feeling extremely anxious because I really wanted to do well. To my surprise, my friend suddenly said 'To be honest I don't really care anymore, not like this is A Levels right... I just want this to be over' Though it might seem like an arrogant attitude to have considering she topped the class for that exam 🫢, what she said and the way she said it actually really helped me put things into perspective 🔎. I realised that it was my fear holding me back from doing well and I was simply self-sabotaging most of the time. When I too, started adopting the same attitude my friend had towards my exams, I realised that my test-anxiety stopped showing, and I was able to perform up to my true abilities.

'it takes 21 days to make or break a habit'. Replacing my unhealthy study habits with these habits of my peers have helped me improve in my studies, and I hope my insights have been helpful for you too!

What are some habits of yours you would like to change as a student?

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