3 things Top Students Do In January That Help Them Excel

January is more than just the start of a new year – it is the start of the new academic year in Singapore for primary and secondary school students. While some students leave it to chance and find their footing as they go along, top-performing students start the school year with intentionality. They get into healthy study habits right from the start, setting them up for success for the rest of the year.

If you often find that your child takes a while to get over the holiday blues and get their rusty brains working again, then it’s time to try these tips that will help them start the year strong and motivated.

Plan a daily and weekly review

Was last-minute revision the cause of your poor results last year? Avoiding last-minute stress is entirely possible if you keep up with regular revision. Top-performing students spread out their revision time across the term, instead of revising only days before the test or exam.

These regular revision sessions don’t need to be very extensive. Set aside some time each evening to look through what you have learn that day – summarise the most important points and write down any questions you have. During the weekend when you have a bit more time, review the past week’s work to reinforce the content (a spaced repetition technique).

Tip: If you find it tough to stick to your own schedule, attending a weekly tuition class in Singapore is another way to incorporate revision into your routine!

Look ahead in the term

At the start of the school year, students usually receive information like the topics sequence and assessment structure for each subject. This is not just the ‘boring stuff’ – hardworking students use this information to plan and prepare ahead of time.

Most top students don’t go into class without preparation. They have already read ahead, coming prepared with a rough idea of the topic and questions to ask. Preparing ahead doesn’t mean you have to learn every detail before you go to class. It could also be something simple like reading through the subtopics and learning outcomes, or reading about the real-life application of the topic to pique your interest in it.

Get study materials in order

Once the year enters full swing, students will be busy with not just studies, but also CCA and other commitments. Anything you can do to be more efficient and productive is always a good idea.

One way to begin is by getting all your study materials in order. Ensure that all past year’s work is filed away, and allocate new, empty folders for this year’s subjects. Get all your stationery and assessment books ready, and prepare a conducive study area where you can get started straightaway.

Conclusion

Getting into good study habits in January sets the tone for the rest of the year. While it will take some effort, it will also go a long way in helping your child manage their time better, perform more consistently, and reduce stress nearing test periods.

If you are looking for a way to build consistency in their studies, classes such as our Combined Science Tuition and IP Math Tuition are great ways to start this January! As they say, ‘prevention is better than cure’ – and so is having a strong academic support system before any problems arise. Come join us and set yourself up for success in the year ahead!

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