This is a number that’s always driven me nuts.
Students do not need 2 hours of studying per hour of class in college. If they do need 2 hours per hour of class in college then they’re not being efficient.
I worked 25 hours a week, taking 8 college course, while biking over two miles each day and each way for each of them. That wasn’t even an extreme schedule for me. I had plenty of time and the only time I would have considered myself busy would have been during finals. I am not extraordinarily smart. There were times when I barely studied at all. (I did develop my 15 minutes a night strategy around this time too.) I scored near the top of my class.
I did this, not because I’m super intelligent, but because I was more consistent and effective than 95% of my classmates.
When you tell someone they should be studying 6 hours a week for a three hour class, you are not going to get them to study 6 hours a week! At best, you’re going to convince them to study a couple hours out of guilt while all they can think about is how much they failed to study enough (but they’ll say to themselves, “at least I tried.”)
No teacher or educator is stupid enough to think students actually follow that recommendation. It’s insanely high in hopes that it would guilt you into a reasonable number. (While at the same time encouraging terrible study habits.)
The reality is that an average student in an average school rarely needs to study to pass 85%+ of courses. A student only has to study a few minutes a night for 10-13% of courses. That last percentage of courses does require a long investment in studying but I guarantee that telling someone they have to study 6 hours a night is one of the worst ways to try and convince someone to follow through with studying.
Leave Procrastination In The Dust! Never EVER let it stop you again.
Doing stuff is easy – sometimes, right?
You only procrastinate the stuff that sucks. You don’t say, “Ahhh… I’ll read that text from my crush later.” Nope. Now… Any pause is intentional and coordinated to respond better.
Here is the problem with academics:
You probably think most academic stuff sucks – at least a little. (Especially compared to other things you could be doing.)
And the thing is:
FORCING YOURSELF TO STUDY JUST MAKES IT WORSE!
You’re slowly hardening your association of school and being miserable.
You need to create positive associations with academics. You want your brain to be getting hyped up and positive when you’re thinking about studying and giving into this internal oligarchical instinct to force yourself to studying – ain’t helpin’.
Chill the internal dictator for a moment…
A big secret: You need to STOP forcing yourself to study so much.
But, if you’re not forcing yourself then how are you going to see those killer straight-a’s that you’re always pining over?
It’s not difficult but it can sound weird to unfamiliar eyes.
Get your copy of my book about How To Get Happier Straight A’s.
It only costs $4.99 (and if these strategies don’t work like magic like it has for thousands of other students then you can get a full refund.)
Thanks for writing this awesome article. It’s really helped me.
You made some very nice stuff here. I am going to make an effort to follow your blog post as you’ve definately shown me a few important things man. Peace and blessing!!
This is great. There’s a lot of people who think it’s the amount of hours you put in. It’s most definitely not, it’s down to the quality of the time spent not quantity.
Who actually studies 6 hours per night and can honestly say that you’re doing the best you can do for them 6 hours? Nobody.