Back-to-school hacks - from students

With only a few weeks to go before students head back to the classroom for another school year, it's only natural that parents would give in to the temptation to smother their kids with wisdom and advice, especially those watching their children transition from elementary school to high school, or from high school to college. And although parents can certainly provide some valuable little nuggets of information from their own past experiences, the best advice their children can get in this day and age comes from other fellow students online.

And for those that think it's a little strange taking back to school advice from peers your own age, you should know that students giving each other advice is a lot more common than you think. In fact, Tumblr features an entire community called Studyblr, filled with students who share their own strategies for what it takes to succeed in the classroom physically, mentally, emotionally and academically.

Here are some of the top back-to-school tips students have been posting online as September nears.

Backpack Essentials

Besides the traditional textbooks, paper, pens and highlighters, one forward thinking student recommends five essentials to carry in your backpack, including hand sanitizer, because you never know when you'll have to go to the bathroom and not have the chance to wash your hands. Another must-have is a nice pair of headphones, so that you can listen to all of your favourite tunes while walking across campus from class to class. Chewing gum for fresh breath, an umbrella for when the weather turns ugly and a mini stapler for all those loads of paper you'll collect that just won't stay together will give you everything you need for any situation you may encounter throughout the school day.

Effective Note Taking

Taking good notes in class can help take your grades to the next level. Make sure you go to class prepared. That means having the right tools, making sure you got a good sleep the night before, and maintaining a healthy diet. Once the lesson has started, stay actively aware of your concentration and develop a note taking system that works for you, whether that means using bolded headlines and bullet points on your laptop, drawing visuals or recording audio. When a student asks a question, move your eyes and your head to the person speaking rather than tuning them out. After class, review your notes and edit them to ensure you understand that day's lesson.

Honing Your Studying Habits

One great way to commit your notes to memory just in time for that big test is to repeat them out loud. Studies show that hearing something over and over again dramatically improves one's ability to remember. Don't be afraid to get creative. Put together your notes in the form of a speech or short story. It's less repetitive than merely dictating your notes aloud word for word and gives you a better shot at remembering key points when it matters.

Another good study tip is to implement the use of mnemonic devices. A mnemonic device is a sequence or technique that helps your brain recall information. For example, if you wanted to remember the order of planets within our solar system, the phrase "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos" would do the trick. See the trick? The first letter of each word in the sentence corresponds to the next planet in the solar system. Easy peezy.

Writing a Good Essay

Love them or hate them,

essays are an essential part of any high school or post-secondary curriculum, so being able to write them well is an absolute must. Organize your thoughts into an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction presents the topic being discussed in a concise manner that grabs the reader's attention. The body of the essay contains the meat of your arguments. Your strongest point should go first. Lead the reader through your arguments and ensure that each of the points you make directly support your thesis. Your conclusion should paraphrase what you talked about in the introduction in a different manner and confirm that you've proven your point with valid arguments.

Mastering the above four tips will go a long way in taking you to the top of your class this fall, but beyond just focusing on methods and tactics, remember to maintain a positive state of mind and do whatever it takes to keep yourself motivated. That's the number one key to success in any endeavor you may encounter both in academics and in life.

Check out Studyblr for yourself. It will definitely improve your ability to realize your full potential at school this year. For those that need a Cole’s Notes version of Studyblr for a quick dose of inspiration, read this awesome summary of tips put together by a Studyblr blogger.

Good luck to students heading back to class this fall, hopefully now you feel a little more prepared to succeed thanks to other students just like you.