“A while ago, I wouldn’t study. I would just give God the wheel and hope that I pass,” senior Eman Abdalla said.  

She said spent much of her life pulling all-nighters the day before a test, looking at the material without studying it. She said it worked sometimes, but now she tries to understand and retain the information. 

Freshmen Mason Gadoy and Soyame Alemayehu said they have found the need to study now more than they did in middle school. 

 “Before, I wasn’t good at studying; I would wait until the last minute to study. But once I got into high school, I started studying most of the week and maybe taking some time out of my day to go over a couple questions,” Gadoy said. 

Alemayehu said she was able to quickly adjust to the high school workload. 

“I studied a lot less in middle school but locked in and studied a lot more as soon as I got through the first quarter of high school,” Alemayehu stated. 

Sophomore Mason Forbes said his approach to preparing for tests has changed since freshman year, when he said he did not prepare well. 

“All I would do is the review packet and then look over the study guide, whereas now I actually read and do the questions on the review packet the night before to help me get it refreshed in my mind,” Forbes said. 

Junior Julie Conrad said now that she’s in her third year of high school and is taking more challenging classes, she has tried different study methods such as studying with friends, using practice quizzes and making flashcards. 

“This year is my first year I’ve actually been doing studying techniques and things, and I definitely think it would have helped if I started freshman year,” Conrad said. 

Many students said they find ways to reduce the amount of schoolwork they do at home.

“I make sure I really get it while I’m learning it, so I ask questions during class and sometimes after school,” Alemayehu said. “That’s when I make sure I know it and treat it like a test,” Alemayehu said.

Alemayehu said this method has been efficient in maintaining her grades, so she recommends it.

As an athlete, Gadoy said it’s hard to spend time studying for tests after school, along with practice. When time is limited, he said he finds time during the school day, especially during AST. 

Gadoy also said he prioritizes time in class to have his questions answered and get extra help. 

Abdalla said that she also tries to finish most of her work in class to avoid completing it later and to have more free time to do other things she enjoys. 

“I get my homework done pretty fast. I try to do it at school because I want to be free at home, but if I have homework, I’ll just do it,” Abdalla said.

English and junior AVID teacher Kyle Farrington said there are a variety of study habits that students may adopt based on their strengths and weaknesses. Two of the methods seen during his AVID class include Cornell notes and the 10-24-7 method.

 “The reason we do Cornell notes, or focus notes, primarily is because science says that students remember 20% more of what they write,” Farrington said. 

Farrington said students interact with their notes at least three times when using the 10-24-7 method.

“Interacting with your notes three times is honestly a pretty time-efficient way to make sure that they have the important pieces and that they’re actually studying instead of just rereading stuff,” Farrington said. 

After developing her study method over the past three years, Abdalla said she performs best academically when she pays attention during class to avoid relearning material later.

“I take really good notes, to look over and actually try and study those notes,” Abdalla said. 

Forbes said he does not review notes the day they are taken, but thinks it would help him retain more information, resulting in less study time. Rather than reviewing notes, he uses Gauth, an artificial intelligence app that provides step-by-step explanations for a range of subjects.

“If I don’t understand something, I’ll use AI to help me understand it. I use Gauth to take a picture of it, and then it’ll show me how to do it,” Forbes said. 

Gadoy and Alemayehu also use AI to study and prepare for tests.

“Sometimes I’ll show [AI] questions and be like, ‘Quiz me,’ and then I’ll answer it to the best of my ability,” Gadoy said. 

Alemayehu said she mostly uses ChatGPT for study guides and generating math questions. 

When Abdalla does not comprehend what she is learning in class or wants an alternative learning method, she also said she will use AI. She said that AI should only be used when getting a different perspective or to learn something in a different way, such as flashcards. 

“I feel like it should be used as an alternative method to learning because teachers tend to teach things one way, and it doesn’t work for everyone,” Abdalla said. 

While Conrad said she does not use AI to study, she tries to limit her phone usage by taking electronic-free breaks.  

“I put it on silent because the buzzing makes me always check my phone, and it gives me distractions,” Conrad said. “I like to take a break to go to the bathroom, get some water [and] walk around my house for a few minutes, but I try not to go on electronics during my breaks.”

Another distraction Conrad found was studying with friends. She said she prefers studying independently, but sees the benefits when others understand the material well.

“I think it’s more beneficial for me to not study with my friends, but I have, and it helps if they know a lot more than you do, because you learn from them,” Conrad said. 

There are various viewpoints on whether students consider studying to be enjoyable.

Similar to Forbes, who said he does not like to study, Alemayehu has a lack of enthusiasm when it comes to studying. 

“It makes me feel better for the test I’m about to take, but I definitely don’t enjoy it,” Alemayehu said. 

Other students are able to find various forms of enjoyment through their studies.

“The motivation to get a good grade is really what keeps me going, or just learning new information sometimes is very refreshing. I feel like I’m gaining a lot of knowledge, so I try to look at it that way, versus something that I’m having to do,” Conrad said. 

Abdalla said she finds enjoyment in the fact that she will pass her test and even receive recognition. 

“Whenever my parents walk in on me studying, and they’re like ‘Wow, I’m so proud of you,’ I feel like the best person in the world,” Abdalla said.