6 Sure-Win Habits To Help You Succeed in Junior College

Many people will say that JC, or Junior College, ranks up there as one of the most stressful times in their student life. Combine an intensive curriculum across less than 2 years, with other CCA commitments, and a competitive schooling system, and it is no wonder that many teens struggle to do well or just cope in JC.

At the same time, excelling in JC (A Levels or IB) is important to many students as it is their gateway to further education. Everyone wants to do well to get into the university course they want.

So, how do those top students do it? Are they really just smarter than all of us? Probably not ALL of them are born geniuses; it also boils down to smart habits and lots of hard work! You can succeed like them too by incorporating these smart habits into your JC life.

1. Do your pre-class preparation

You can make the most of your time in tutorials by coming prepared. That may mean reading through the notes beforehand, or completing your tutorial worksheet. This way, you don’t have to waste class time feeling totally lost and trying to figure out what your teacher is talking about.

Alternatively, you can take advantage of an external tuition class like the ones here at Future Academy that teaches ahead of your school curriculum. In school, you can then use class time to take part in class discussions (yay, participation marks!) and to ask questions. This way, you can engage in deeper learning and increase your retention of the material learnt.

2. Organise your time

In JC, there are many tasks and projects to keep track of, not to mention tests, consultations, and CCA commitments. Unless you have super-power memory, we highly recommend getting into the habit of using a planner to organise your tasks and time.

Rather than just writing down the deadlines and important dates, also plan out which days you will prepare and work on these tasks. This way, you can minimise the scenario of forgetting to complete your homework or only discovering you have a test on the day before.

3. Revise regularly

Revision is not something to do only the week before a test. Revising regularly promotes longer-term memory as you are learning through repeated exposure of the lesson material. You can do a weekly review of what you have learnt in the week, annotating your notes and highlighting any lingering questions you have.

If you find this too difficult to do, consider attending a tuition class for the subjects you need more help in. At Future Academy, we provide topic reviews as well as in-class quizzes to help you revise past topics regularly.

4. Have a healthy mindset

Studying in the top-performing JCs in Singapore can be a highly stressful affair. If you want to thrive, it’s important to have a strong mindset. Be prepared to face setbacks, failures, and criticisms, and refrain yourself from letting others’ success discourage you.

It’s helpful to have an end-goal in mind, and then set up mini checkpoints for yourself to work towards each term or semester. Having a goal that you want to reach will motivate you to work hard and not give up throughout the tough times.

5. Be responsible for your learning

Let’s be fair: not every JC teacher you meet will be a good teacher for you. But instead of blaming it on bad luck and giving up on the subject, why not look for other options? Online learning resources are abundant, and most schools also have good resources in their library.

Ultimately, any progress or failures are yours to bear, so don’t let external circumstances be your excuse for not studying or not doing well!

6. Take care of your health

JC is a two-year marathon. Pulling all-nighters and skipping meals to have more time to study is not a sustainable lifestyle for a teen. It’s far better to make a conscious effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Eating well, staying active, and taking care of your mental health also has positive effects on your attention and ability to study. So, don’t just study. Remember to take breaks, meet up with friends, do your hobbies, and get a life!

Conclusion 

As a teen facing the challenges of JC, it’s normal to not have it ‘all figured out’. But we hope these tips will help you work towards having a more balanced, organised, and fruitful study journey in JC.

If you wish to make your studies more organised with regular revisions and gain access to great tutors for consultations, consider joining us for tuition classes like our H2 Math Tuition or A Level Physics Tuition. Our small group tuition classes are designed to help students like you foster an appreciation for the subject and improve your grades through developing strong conceptual understanding and exam skills.