For many students, university is much more difficult than high school, which makes getting good grades a challenge. Whether you’re used to being a high-flier, you always struggled with academics, or you fall somewhere in between, here are some practical methods you can use to bring your grades up.

1. Focus on a Goal

There was a reason why you decided to go to university and study your chosen subject. Remind yourself of your goals to stay motivated. If your long-term goals are too far off to provide you with motivation, set some short-term goals, such as completing all of your remaining assignments for the semester on time.

2. Remove Distractions

While studying, turn off the notifications on your phone. Try not to allow yourself to do anything unrelated to schoolwork. Set a timer to work in uninterrupted blocks of time, taking small breaks in between.

3. Join a Study Group

Another way to stay motivated and avoid distractions is to study in a group of students. Find study groups that already exist, or if you can’t find any, create your own.

4. Seek Support

In addition to using fellow students for support, ask for help from your teachers whenever you’re struggling with a topic. If you’re falling behind or can’t seem to grasp the material, consider seeking out a private tutor.

5. Take Breaks

Never try to study for long periods of time without a break — you’ll only end up feeling drained and will stop taking in the information after a while. After every 45 minutes of studying, give yourself a 15-minute break. Use the time to take a stroll, eat a healthy snack, or do something enjoyable.

6. Create a Schedule

Block out time each day to study. In your schedule, be specific about what you intend to cover. It’s also a good idea to include when papers are due and when you have exams. This way, you’ll make sure that you’re always prepared for anything urgent.

7. Take Better Notes

When it comes time to study, do you find you’ve forgotten everything you covered in class? If so, you could benefit from better note-taking. It’s important to write down only the key information, rather than everything the teacher says. It’s also critical to write down your notes in a way that you’ll understand what they mean later.

8. Become More Organized

Writing notes on loose pieces of paper or mixing notes from different classes in the same notebook can become confusing. Buy a notebook for each of your classes — or, if you’re taking notes on a laptop, stay organized by splitting classes into different folders. Also, keep your desk as sparse as possible to reduce distractions.

9. Participate in Class

Challenge yourself to participate in every class. Ask and answer questions and join in discussions. Depending on the course’s grading structure, just seeing your willingness to participate may spur your professor to increase your grade.

10. Stay Healthy

Your health has a major impact on your grades. Always make sure you get enough sleep — cramming for an exam will only make you tired, and you’ll find it hard to concentrate. In addition, eat well: favour proper meals over snacks. Finally, exercise regularly. There are many opportunities to join sports teams and other physical activities at university.

It’s difficult to do your best at university if there’s nowhere you can study in peace. Living in a traditional dorm room creates constant interruptions from your roommate and noise from other students. You could go to the library, but it’s only open for limited hours a day. A better option is Brock University off-campus housing. For instance, at Regent Student Living, you not only have a private bedroom, you can also head to one of the lounges or study rooms at any time. Explore rental options for the fall semester now.