The start of a new school year can be overwhelming and a stressful time. Adjusting to new classes and higher expectations may result in the contemplation of one’s abilities to perform well academically. That feeling is experienced by many more people than who care to admit it. In order to break free from that stress chokehold, effective studying is imperative. Here are some tips to aid in study sessions. 

1. Start Early! Cramming for a test the night before is not going to be as beneficial compared to starting a few days prior. The bigger the test, the earlier preparations should begin. 
2. Make sure to memorize the information on flashcards, not just the order of which the cards appear. To avoid this, shuffle the flashcards. 
3. Use past assignments! Reprinting and redoing old assignments or homework sheets creates opportunities to practice specific questions that may be on the test or quiz. 

Different subjects also require different ways of studying. Here are some recommendations from teachers about the best way to approach studying for their subject.

1. English teacher Ms. Malavazos recommends rereading passages that a teacher has provided to remember key details about the text. This method may be particularly helpful if asked to answer free-response questions based on a text. 
2.  Science teacher Mr. Bednarz urges students to reread note slides, review lab question responses, and complete any practice problems available.  
3. Math teacher Mrs. Bednarz suggests asking the teacher for help on confusing concepts as soon as possible, not last minute. Redoing homework questions, reviewing troubling problems, and studying with a friend in the class who can explain concepts differently are other amazing ways to study for math classes. 
4. Social Studies teacher Ms. O’Brien recommends staying engaged throughout class, highlighting notes, creating flashcards, and using online materials. She says, “If you can teach the material to someone else you have mastered it.” 
5. Foreign Language teacher Ms. Carlosviza tells her students to use online platforms or watch movies and shows with subtitles in the foreign language of choice to gain exposure to it. 

Now let’s hear from some seniors. They have had four years to figure out their study routine and what works best for them. Their tips may be worth trying out: 

1. Senior Faith Dalton likes to use AI tools to create review material so she can practice questions in the same format as the test or quiz. 
2. Senior Niko Vajdos tries to alternate between studying for math-related classes and English classes, where he can be creative, to avoid getting bored, leading to less retention. 
3. Senior Natalie Burdick uses flash cards for vocab terms and makes sure to chew the same flavor of gum while studying and while taking the test. 

These secret study tips are great things to add to a study plan before the next big exam. Studying is imperative and creating good habits will improve test performance.

Skylar Cimino, Staff Writer

Junior Skylar Cimino is a staff writer for the 2025-2026 Colonel News Magazine. She enjoys playing softball, listening to music, and going to the beach.