KEYS

TO BECOMING
A
SUCCESSFUL STUDENT

IKPEREME OGHENERUESE JOHN GERMAN

 First Edition October 11, 2022

© Ikpereme Ogheneruese John German

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by means without any permission of the author, the copyright owner
or the publishers, except for purposes of research, criticism or
review.

D-VOICE PUBLISHERS
[email protected]
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to thank God Almighty who has made it possible for the
production of this piece, all glory and praise is to HIM.

I appreciate, with a high sense of gratitude, a mentor and a student

lover, DANIEL WONG, for his mentorship and guidance. He is
indeed a blessing to me.

I appreciate also, all Students’ lovers, who are willing to sacrifice all
just to bring out the best in them.

Appreciation also goes to my students; they have actually been a

source of inspiration through their behavior which has birthed this
production.

Finally, special acknowledgement goes to all my supporters, God

bless you all.
 DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to all students who are willing and are eager
to be successful.
 ABOUT THE BOOK
This book, KEYS TO BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT,
was made for all students, especially, those who are willing to be
successful in their academics and in life.
If properly read, these students will be transformed in short time.

Carefully study this book. I await your questions and responses.

Good luck as you study!
 INTRODUCTION

Success is the state or condition of meeting a defined range of

expectations. However, I often ask myself some pertinent questions
about success. For starters, what is so special about success?

Why is success so elusive?

Is it necessary to succeed at all races or endeavors of life?

In the midst of all my self-search and enquiry, I have come to a

conclusion that yes, success is good.
Success gives the best form of gratification after pulling a hard shift
on a task.
Evidently, success is a good thing and everyone deserves to have a
taste of success in their lives.
Achieving success isn’t an easy thing, below are the keys to success
 THE KEYS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. Rely on systems, not motivation

How can students do better in school? By being methodical and systematic,

instead of waiting to feel motivated.

Students who do well in school don’t wait until they’re in the mood to do a focused
study session before they get down to work.

Neither do they wait until they feel motivated before they start preparing for an
exam.

Instead, successful students rely on systems to ensure that they get the work done,
even when they don’t feel like it.

(Keep on reading to find out what some of these systems are.)

2. Review any new information you’ve learned on the same day

This daily review won’t take long to complete, but it’s a vital step that ensures you
stay on top of the material.

Applying this tip will also help you to move the information to your long-term
memory more quickly.
3. Write everything down

To be an effective student, write everything down.

This includes homework to be completed, test and exam dates, project deadlines,
competition dates, school and family events, etc.

Don’t assume that you’ll be able to remember anything; write it all down to stay
organized.

4. Create a rough weekly schedule

It’s impossible to follow a schedule down to the minute, but it’s still helpful to
create a schedule.

Write down your rough weekly schedule based on your recurring commitments,
e.g. school, extracurricular activities, family and social events, religious activities.

Then block out regular time each week for homework and studying.

For example, your rough weekly schedule might state that you’ll do work on:

 Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 7pm to 9:30pm

 Tuesday and Thursday: 4pm to 7pm
 Saturday and Sunday: 2pm to 5pm
5. Get rid of distractions before they become distractions

The biggest obstacle to doing well in school is distractions.

To overcome distractions, you can’t only depend on willpower. Few of us have the
willpower necessary to fight off all the distractions that surround us in this digital
era.

6. Develop good posture

Good posture improves your mood, and also enhances your memory and learning.

So sit up straight, pull your shoulders back, and lift up your chin – and you’ll
perform better in school.

7. Don’t multitask

It’s a fact: There’s no such thing as multitasking.

Whenever you’re multitasking, you’re actually just switching between tasks. This
reduces your studying efficiency.

So don’t multitask when you’re studying or doing your homework. Instead, focus
on one task at a time, and you’ll find that you’ll get more done in less time.
8. Cultivate the belief that intelligence isn’t a fixed trait

Research has proven that students who believe that they can become smarter
actually do become smarter.

Belief is that powerful.

In other words, intelligence is a trait that you can develop over time.

Don’t ever label yourself as “dumb” or “not academically inclined”, because with
the right mindset you can become more intelligent.

How can you do better in school? It starts with believing that you can. By telling
yourself that you’re incompetent before you even try, you’ve already lost the
battle.

Develop a can-do attitude and your grades will naturally improve.

9. Work in short blocks of time

I’ve found that most students can’t maintain a high level of focus for more than 45
minutes at a go.

As such, I generally recommend working in 30- to 45-minute blocks, followed by a

5- to 10-minute break.

Working in shorter blocks of time is more effective for the majority of students,
rather than struggling to focus for a couple of hours straight.
10. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise helps you to remember information better, enhances your

concentration, and makes you more creative.

This is in addition to the other health benefits of exercise.

11. Be organized

Students who aren’t organized end up wasting precious time looking for items or
notes, or doing last-minute work they forgot about.

Here are some ways to become more organized:

 Set a daily reminder to check if there’s any homework due the following day
 Set reminders to start preparing for tests and exams

12. Break big tasks into smaller ones

Big tasks seem complicated and overwhelming, which is why many students
procrastinate. Break every big task down into smaller tasks.

13. Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night

Students who perform well are effective learners. As the research shows, sleep is a
vital part of becoming an effective learner.

Sleep boosts memory and enhances learning. So go to bed at roughly the same time
every day, and make it a priority to get 8 hours of sleep a night.

If you do this, I’m sure you’ll see an improvement in your academic performance.
Pulling all-nighters definitely isn’t how to do better in school. It might enable you
to get some last-minute work done.

But over time, your performance in school will decline.

14. Create a conducive studying environment

Here are some tips to do this:

 Tidy your desk daily

 Ensure that you have all the stationery, notebooks, etc. that you need
 Ensure that the lighting in the room is suitable
 Use earplugs to block out noise if necessary
 Put up one or two motivational quotes at your study area
 Get a comfortable chair
 Remove all distractions from the room

15. Keep track of important dates, deadlines, etc.

The best way to do this is by writing them down.

I’ve worked with many students who try to keep track of important dates by
storing them in their brains.

Needless to say, these students occasionally forget about upcoming tests or

deadlines. This results in panic – and low-quality work too.
16. Take notes during class

I’m always surprised by how many students tell me that they don’t take notes in
class. This is despite the fact that taking notes is vital to your success at school.

It’s important to take notes in class because it helps you to pay attention and to
learn the concepts better.

I prefer taking notes in a linear, sequential manner. But there are several other
note-taking systems that you can learn about.

17. Ask lots of questions

Asking your friends and teachers questions about what you’re learning is a great
way to stay engaged. It also ensures that you understand the new material.

Don’t be afraid of asking silly questions. Besides, if you pay attention in class,
your questions will likely be logical and insightful.

18. Eat healthily

Research shows that the better your nutrition, the better your brain function. And
the better your brain function, the better your performance in school.

Here are some basic tips to eat more healthily:

 Eat vegetables and fruit

 Eat meat and fish
 Eat eggs
 Eat nuts
  Avoid processed foods
 Avoid sugar
 Avoid trans fats
 Avoid artificial sweeteners
 Drink plenty of water
 Avoid sugary beverages

So, if you’re wondering how to do well in school, one thing you can do right away
is to change your diet.

19. Do consistent work

Don’t do last-minute work, and don’t cram for exams.

Easier said than done, I know.

But if you do consistent work, you won’t even need to study that hard for your
final exams. You’ll naturally do better in school because you’ll retain the
information more effectively.

20. Manage your thoughts and emotions

Students who lose focus or motivation are typically discouraged. They’re often
discouraged because they feel as if they won’t do well academically, so they lose
hope. The question you probably still have on your mind is…

How to be a good student?

By managing your thoughts and emotions effectively – especially when faced
with disappointment.

To do so, take a step back and ask yourself the following questions:

 Are these thoughts true?

 Are these thoughts helpful?
 Am I taking things too personally?
 How can I view the situation more positively?
 Do I need to forgive the other person?
 Do I need to forgive myself?
 How can I be more compassionate toward myself?
 What productive actions can I take to improve the situation?

Through answering these questions, you’ll adopt a more positive and resilient
mindset.

21. Take a few minutes to prepare for each class

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to
fail.”

Preparing for class is something every student should do.

Every night, think about the classes that you’ll be having the following day in
school.

Take a few minutes to skim the textbook or notes, so that you’ll be familiar with
what your teacher will cover the next day.
In addition, do a quick recap of the previous topic, because the new topic will
likely build on what you’ve already learned.

This process won’t take long, but it will pay off in the long run.

22. Give yourself rewards

To keep you motivated, give yourself small rewards whenever possible.

For example, you might decide that after 45 minutes of work, you’ll reward
yourself with a 5-minute YouTube video.

Or if you enjoy exercising, you might decide that after you finish your math and
science homework, you’ll get to do a 30-minute workout.

Rewards are a simple way to encourage you to get to work, even when you don’t
feel like it. That’s a useful strategy for how to do better in school.

23. Manage your stress

Students who don’t manage their stress well are more likely to experience
performance anxiety and get worse grades.

To manage your stress levels:

 Perform deep breathing exercises

 Listen to music
 Spend time with friends on a regular basis
 Exercise
  Read a book
 Keep a gratitude journal
 Take a few minutes to reflect at the end of each day

24. Do and submit your homework on time

This tip might sound like common sense, but large proportions of the students I
work with don’t do this.

Make it a non-negotiable to submit your homework on time, and give a good effort
for each assignment.

This is the foundation of how to be a good student.

25. Challenge yourself

Taking it one step further, don’t just do the assigned homework.

Challenge yourself and do extra questions that require deep thinking. Look for
online resources. Learn information that’s outside the syllabus.

This will help you to see the wonder and beauty in all that you’re learning. You’ll
also be reminded that getting better is its own reward.

26. Make time to relax

Doing well in school isn’t about getting good grades and outperforming your
classmates. It’s about leading a balanced life that’s focused on contributing to
others.
To lead a balanced life, it’s important to set aside time for relaxation.

Block out time for relaxation in your weekly schedule to ensure that you don’t
burn out.

27. Be consistent about your study time

In addition to having a regular weekly schedule that you stick to, it’s important to
be consistent about your study time.

The more consistent you are, the less likely it is that you’ll need to feel “inspired”
to get down to work.

On the contrary, you’ll get down to work out of habit and routine. This is crucial if
you want to manage your time as a student effectively.

28. Have a specific plan or objective for each study session

Many students share with me that their mindset toward studying is that they’ll
“study hard”. This might sound good, but it actually means that they don’t have a
specific objective or plan.

They’re interested in attaining success at school and getting good grades, but
they’re not clear about what positive actions they’re going to take in particular.

This vague approach isn’t the one that effective students take toward their
academics.
For each study session, set a clear objective as to what you intend to achieve. This
might be to read through a set of notes thoroughly or complete 30 multiple-choice
questions.

29. Use memory techniques

Memory techniques are powerful ways to learn information more quickly.

Here are some of the most useful ones I’ve come across:

 Acronyms
 Visualization
 Chunking
 Association

30. Test yourself periodically

Don’t assume that just because you’ve read the notes and looked through some
examples that you understand the material well.

For all you know, you might have been daydreaming during those study sessions.

What else should you do to be a good student, if reading your notes doesn’t
guarantee that you’ll get better grades?

Test yourself periodically. Do plenty of practice questions and keep a list of the
mistakes you’ve made, so that you won’t repeat those mistakes in the exam.
31. Take practice exams under exam conditions

It isn’t practical to do too many practice exams under exam conditions, because it’s
time-consuming.

But before every exam, I recommend that you do at least two to three practice
exams under exam conditions.

This will help you to prepare adequately, and will train you to deal with the time
pressure of the exam too.

32. Start studying for tests at least one to two weeks in advance

Cramming for tests is always a bad idea. It won’t enable you to achieve long-term
success at school.

I recommend that you set a reminder on your phone (or make a note in your
planner) one to two weeks before every scheduled test, so that you’ll start
preparing for the test.

For big exams, I recommend that you start studying four weeks in advance or
more.

This study tip is a vital one for students to implement.

33. Find ways to help others and contribute

Students often lose motivation when they focus too much on achievement and too
little on contribution.

After all, the aim of education is to become equipped with skills and knowledge so
that you can help others.

When students lose sight of this, they sometimes feel as if school is meaningless.

To keep things in perspective, find simple ways to contribute in your capacity as a

student, e.g. volunteering, fundraising, solving problems in your school, serving
the underprivileged.

These types of activities will teach you to have a heart of service and humility.
They’ll empower you as you discover how to do better in school and life.

34. Develop a sense of purpose

Few students can maintain a consistent level of concentration and drive if they lack
a sense of purpose.

If students feel as if their school life is just about striving to get straight A’s, they
will likely run out of steam.

How can you develop a sense of purpose?

Think about…
  What values you want to live by
 What long-term goals would be meaningful to you
 How you’d like to contribute to the good of others
 What your duties and responsibilities are
 What relationships you’d like to nurture
 What kind of person you’d like to become

As you reflect on these aspects of your life, you’ll have a clearer idea about how to
do well in school in light of the purpose you’re living out.

This clarity will help you to be more successful in school.

35. Don’t blame others

The key to developing resilience is to take full responsibility for your life.

This means that you refuse to blame others for anything that’s going on in your
life.

No blaming your teachers, parents or friends.

No blaming the school principal or the government.

No playing the victim.

When you take this approach toward your student life, you’ll see that there’s
always something you can do to improve the situation.
36. Hang out with people who are motivated and focused

No matter how much we’d like to think that we’re immune to peer pressure, we’re
most definitely not.

Peer pressure affects people of all ages. This means that we must be intentional
about the people we surround ourselves with.

Do you hang out with people who are pessimistic?

Are they always complaining?

Do they pursue excellence, or do they try to find shortcuts?

Spend time with people who are positive, motivated, focused, kind, generous and
hardworking. You’ll find yourself developing those traits as the days and weeks go
by.

As a result, you’ll become more successful in school.

37. Analyze the mistakes you make in tests and exams

It might not be a pleasant experience, but I encourage you to go through every

mistake you make in tests and exams.

Analyze why you made each mistake. Ask yourself questions such as:

 Was the mistake due to carelessness?

 Did I forget a key fact?
  Did I have a poor understanding of a certain concept?
 How can I make certain that I won’t repeat the mistake?
 What do I need to do to be better prepared for future tests?

This analysis will help you to make continual progress in your academics.

38. Pre-commit to specific behaviours and habits

Pre-commitment is a strategy in which you commit in advance to certain desirable

behaviours. This way, you won’t be tempted to do otherwise in the future.

39. Keep a “done” list

Just as important as keeping a to-do list is keeping a “done” list.

Write down all the things you’ve accomplished at the end of each day. This will
help to remind you that you’ve indeed been productive, even if you don’t feel so.

In the long run, keeping a “done” list will help you to stay positive and motivated.

40. Don’t try to remember to do things; make it impossible to forget

Some examples of these “things” might be:

 Homework
 Projects
 Studying for tests
 Bringing your textbook to school
 Bringing your water bottle to school
 Bringing your calculator into the exam hall for a math exam
The list goes on.

To be successful in school, don’t just try to remember to do these things. Rather,

make it impossible to forget to do these things.

There’s a huge difference between these two approaches.

To make it impossible to forget to do something, you might need to stick a Post-it

note on the front door. Or set an alarm (or two alarms). Or create a daily reminder
to check your calendar or planner.

As you adopt this approach, you’ll become a more reliable and effective student!

41. Use technology to your advantage

In today's day and age, students have access to the internet, an incredible resource
that puts a vast amount of information at our fingertips. Long gone are the days of
trudging to the library and thumbing through card catalogs to source a research
paper! Students have access to a wealth of information online, including practice
problems, instructional videos, and years of published texts. Furthermore, most
schools now offer online portals where students can access class schedules,
resources, and often their grades as well. Teachers themselves frequently have their
own websites with class resources and helpful links. Successful student habits
include taking advantage of these resources!

42. Get involved with extra-curricula’s

Successful students have a positive outlook on the academic process and value
education highly. These values begin when students form closer connections to the
realm of learning. Whether it's joining band to learn saxophone or volunteering
after-school at chess club, students that participate in extracurricular activities are
happier and more motivated throughout their academic careers. Forming these
closely held values towards the benefits of academic programs (and the
opportunities they provide) instills a lasting respect for education, and ultimately
paves the road to success

43. Don't be a perfectionist

Speaking of the “learning process” – highly driven students sometimes forget the
second word in this phrase – process. Nobody is expected to be perfect at
something their first try! Furthermore, habits of successful students include
knowing when it's time for them to reach out for help, rather than frustrating
themselves further. As we've said before, teachers do not expect perfection in most
areas of a class. Homework is meant to improve a student's skills, and making
mistakes is perfectly okay.

44. Actively participate in class

Raise your hand, volunteer, and ask questions! Not only do teachers love students
who participate, but these students also retain more information and will eventually
better understand the material. Ultimately, these same students will develop a more
positive outlook towards education by actively taking part in the learning process.
OTHER KEYS ARE:

 Learn to say no to the things that aren't your priorities

 Lead a balanced life to ensure that you don't burn out
 Don’t complain about anything, so you'll develop a positive attitude
 Participate in class to stay engaged
 Ask for help when necessary
 Set goals that focus on the process, not the outcome
 Be punctual for class every single time
 Stay on top of the new material you learn
 Have a MENTOR
 Develop your brain by solving complex questions
 Make attempt before complaining
 Make friends with your teachers
 Have a positive mindset
 Know when your brain is active
 Do not PROCRASTINATE
 READ like you don’t know how to pray & PRAY like you don’t know how
to read.

(all questions and complaints can be directed to the author via email
[email protected] or whatsapp 09097826037)
You can also connect with him via Social media,
Facebook: Ikpereme John German
Twitter: @IkperemeG
ABOUT DETERMINE VOICE INT’L
Determine Voice Int’l is a Non-Governmental Organization that was set
up solely for the purpose of students’ welfare.

Here, we organize seminars, tutorials and orientation programs for

concerned students. It is our aim to ensure that students are transformed
to the best version of themselves.

We also mentor students on a daily basis. We are looking forward to

working with government agencies to ensure that students are well
trained and to ensure that they have all it takes for their studies.

We are students’ friendly, students can find solace in our company.

You can reach us through the following:

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