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Life is a constant learning curve, which has no definite equation. The
equation keeps varying as our priorities change. The constant however
here is that all of us study for a purpose, be it for a good career, for
personal self-development or because of a genuine interest in academics.
Whatever be our goal, the process of studying equips us with the
necessary tools to combat life and its ups and downs. These skills that
we acquire come into play so often in our lives and in fact remain with
us for a major part of our lives. The term "study skills encompasses a
wide variety of traits associated with personal growth and development
ranging from attitudes to behaviors. We are what we are because of this
and we do things in a way that best suits us.
On the personal growth
front, we learn to set goals, demarcate our priorities, make decisions
and take responsibility for our actions. We build up our self-esteem,
learn to manage time and become aware of ourselves as individuals. This
perhaps is the most important skill that we attain, because real life is
beset with problems, which demand a high degree of resilience. We
inculcate a set of personal, educational and intellectual values,
establish an identity of our own and learn to confront life’s
transitions with ease.
On the academic front, new learning styles are incorporated. They could
either be self directed or collaborative. The difference between active
and passive learning is perceived, and our senses, visual, auditory, are
responsive to the external environment. Networking with other students,
acquiring communication and academic freedom are study skills, which we
tend to inculcate. Learning is necessarily associated with
concentration, the ability to recognize and recall, the discipline that
we impose on ourselves and how mnemonic devices are used to aid our
memories.
Active listening and class
participation, textbook study and note taking are factors that determine
our ultimate responses. Remember, all of us want to be at the top and in
the eternal struggle to reach there, we assimilate and acquire the
skills essential to do so.
After trial and error, we recognize the fact that a healthy balanced
lifestyle is the key to a fulfilled life. Managing stress by relaxation
techniques, eating and sleeping right, and exercising right determine
the type of individuals that we become and the kind of attitude that we
will have. The study skills that we acquire form the denominator, which
governs all our actions. Acquiring the right skills then becomes all the
more important.
~ Author M. Hemdev
data(c)Indian child. all rights
reserved.
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