7 Mistakes to Avoid This School Year 🎒

I'm here to break some important news: the amount of time you spend studying doesn't matter.

Back in high school, I quickly realized some students could study for an hour or two each day and crush every single exam. Meanwhile, other students would study for three, four, or five hours a day and still struggle.

As you begin the new school year, watch out for these seven study mistakes that could hold you back from an A.

Mistake #1: You're Hearing, But You're Not Listening

The first mistake happens inside the classroom. You hear the individual words, but you don't pick up on the deeper message.

Let's say you're in history class learning about the Boston Tea Party. If you’re simply hearing the lecture, at face value it can come across as just a rowdy protest.

But if you're actually listening, you'll realize that the Boston Tea Party was a catalyst for revolutionary change—a symbolic act of defiance. This is the type of idea that'll help you ace an essay or an exam.

How to fix it: Take fewer notes. When your teacher says something, pause, digest the idea, and jot down a note in your own words.

Mistake #2: Forgetting to Connect the Dots

If you treat school like one giant memory exercise, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Everything you learn exists in some context. Every idea is somehow related to a broader lesson or theme.

Imagine you’re sitting in biology class and your teacher is talking about photosynthesis. A B+ or A- student might just focus on memorizing these facts.

An A+ student might realize that photosynthesis relates to:

• Cellular respiration

• The cycle of energy transfer within ecosystems

• The carbon cycle

The A+ student connects these dots and gains a richer understanding compared to someone who just sees these concepts in isolation.

Mistake #3: Staying in Your Comfort Zone

Studying effectively is a rewarding process, but it's not necessarily a comfortable process.

As you're studying, you will come across concepts that make no sense to you. You will come across ideas that confuse you and formulas that look like hieroglyphics, but that’s exactly what shows you’re learning something new.

Don't spend too much time reviewing familiar concepts. Identify your biggest weaknesses are and tackle them head-on—despite how uncomfortable they make you.

One of the best ways to do this is through active recall. Instead of rereading your notes, close the book and try to explain the concept out loud, or quiz yourself without looking at the answer. If you can’t do it, that’s your signal to review—if you can, you’ve actually learned it.

Mistake #4: Overoptimizing Your Study System

I often see students who think they can only take notes in a certain structure, who need a specific soundtrack to study, or who rely on a particular pen or highlighter. While there’s nothing wrong with having a routine that works, it’s important to stay adaptable.

The issue comes when those routines turn into rigid rules that limit you.

Take the Pomodoro technique, for example—25 minutes of studying followed by a 5-minute break. If it works for you, great. But if one day you have more energy and want to work for 30 or 40 minutes instead, go for it.

Don’t let arbitrary rules or rigid frameworks get in the way of doing what’s actually best for you.

Mistake #5: Fearing Judgment

I want you to think about the last time you raised your hand to ask a question during class.

You probably felt nervous—maybe worried that your teacher or classmates would judge you.

You cannot let this slight nervousness prevent you from asking questions. Real learning happens when you’re willing to admit what you don’t fully understand and seek clarity.

This also applies to:

• Asking friends for homework help

• Asking family to explain topics

• Emailing your teacher clarifying questions

And here’s the truth: no one will remember your question a few hours after class ends.

Mistake #6: Clinging Onto Preconceived Notions

After getting a bad grade or struggling in a class, many students assume they’re just not built for that subject. Someone who struggled with algebra freshman year might think, “I’m not cut out for math” or “I’m terrible with numbers.”

That kind of negative self-talk often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Maybe the student wasn’t bad at math at all—maybe they just had a bad teacher. But once they believe they’re bad at it, they stop trying and the belief becomes true.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. But don’t let preconceived notions about your ability stop you from putting in the effort. Take time to reflect and stay open to the idea that what feels like a weakness might not be one at all.

With a new study approach or a different mindset, you might find you can excel in any subject.

Mistake #7: Disregarding Your Sleep

Back in freshman year, I went to bed around 10 PM and woke up at 6—eight solid hours of sleep. But once I started taking AP classes sophomore year, that shifted. I was often up until 1 or 2 AM, and I even remember staying up until 4 once.

Research shows why this matters. One study found that students who slept 9+ hours a night had an average GPA of 3.24, compared to 2.74 for those sleeping 6 or fewer.

To improve your sleep:

• Set screen time limits on every social media app

• Stop using your phone at least an hour before bed

A Harvard study also found that phone use before bedtime delays your circadian rhythm, makes it harder to fall asleep, and reduces alertness the next morning.

This is about to be your best year yet. You got this!

See you next week!

Best,
Gohar