Between studying, organizing and staying on top of school work, students –throughout all levels of education – learn to utilize different skills and memorization methods in order to bring them the most success. While some habits, like note-taking or completing assigned homework, stay consistent no matter what level someone may be at, students naturally find new skills that work better as they advance through their education and into their professional careers.
According to a study done by the National Institutes of Health in 2021, most high school students tend to use active strategies, like active recall and informational videos, to effectively learn and study for tests. Student Emilia Koper ’26 has adapted many new organizational habits that are the core of both her studying and her life.
“My planners are completely essential to keep track of everything I’m doing,” Koper said. “I have two; I use the one the school gave us for my school work, where I track all my deadlines and test days, and the other is for my personal schedule so I can map out all my extracurriculars and work.”
After finding a few habits that have worked for her, like the Pomodoro “interval studying” method, Koper has found organization to be of the utmost importance when it comes to any part of her life. English teacher Erica Henk has also learned the value and the importance of organization, like lists, in her career and home life, but not until after her time in college.
“I studied at my kitchen table, that was my thing,” Henk said. “I would get distracted in my room, or I wouldn’t feel accountable because my parents couldn’t see what I was doing, so working in an open area, like my kitchen, worked really well for me. I had to make sure I was productive because I’m an English major, and I had so much reading to do.”
Habits change from person to person, but even more so between different careers. The owner of Apple Blossom Baby, Anne Murphey, found that the people who surround her business have made even more of a difference in her success than any habit she’s implemented.
“I was young when I bought the business with my mom, so it was hard to get people to take me seriously,” Murphey said. “But the best part of this business has always been the people. I honestly think who I’m surrounded by and that support has made all the difference, but that’s something I had to learn, and not something I started off knowing.”
