I’m sure you must be wondering what Independence Day could possibly have to do with study skills. What the Founding Fathers desired when they fought for independence from Great Britain was the freedom to choose how to live their lives and determine their futures, and all these years later, that is what each of us still has the opportunity to do. Sometimes, it isn’t easy. Sometimes, every challenge overcome only leads to two new ones in our way. Sometimes, as this past year has taught us, there is simply no predicting the new challenge that will be put before us, let alone the seemingly endless challenges it might bring along with it. Now, as the arrival of Independence Day brings with it more and more of a return to the freedoms and opportunities we might once have taken for granted, remembering that the challenge of this past year affected so many aspects of our lives should lead us all to feel excited for the freedoms that are now returning and grateful for the opportunities these freedoms provide. When it comes to study skills, freedom of choice matters, as does the goal to strive to become more and more independent with your work. At the same time, just as Independence Day is a holiday marked by our freedom to celebrate together, choosing to improve your independent, individual study habits has the added benefit of allowing you to become a better team player as you participate in the group work that has become such an important part of your preparation for the future.
Though independent work is not emphasized in school or in the working world as much as it once was, the ability to work independently is still a crucial skill. No matter how much group work you do in school now or how important being a good team member has become in a large variety of careers and work situations, there will always be a need for each team member to complete certain tasks independently of the rest of the team before everyone meets again to put the final project or product together. Having the confidence to take on the parts of an assignment or project that best suit you, expressing your opinions regarding what should be included in the final product and why, and editing the work of others constructively while being able to accept constructive criticism of your own contributions depends on the individual skills you bring to the table, which is where the continuous development of your study skills comes into play. The more effort you put into striving to be an independent learner, the more prepared you will be to succeed in group situations as well.
Striving to become a more independent learner also involves making the conscious choice to learn. Whether it’s putting your best effort into whatever you are learning in class, continuously striving to improve your study skills both in and out of school, or continuing to learn as much as you possibly can over holidays and other breaks, you do have a choice, even when you don’t believe you do. Yes, parents, teachers, and other adults in your lives require certain things of you, have certain expectations, and make you face various consequences when you don’t meet their expectations, but that does not mean that they don’t realize that it is still up to you to make the most of the opportunities they give you. The older you get, the more opportunities you will be given, and the more opportunities you are given, the more choices you will have. Choosing wisely and making the most of your choices will help you succeed, both in school and in life.
As I have mentioned in previous posts about learning over breaks and through the summer, times when you are not in class are great times to learn independently, as well as to choose what you wish to learn and how you wish to learn it. This freedom to learn as you wish to extends way beyond what you read and what subjects you study to every nonacademic activity you can think of, and one of the great freedoms we have in this country is the freedom to follow our passions and interests wherever they may take us. Whether you’re into sports or arts, sciences or humanities, new technologies or old traditions, there is something you can choose to do this summer that will expand your horizons and keep you learning. Even if you stick close to home and the opportunities you are given are not as obvious or as expansive, make the most of every moment. Whether out of school now or back in school in the fall, consider making one of your goals be that you will take every opportunity to learn as much as you can wherever you are.
Enjoy your freedom this Independence Day! Be grateful to celebrate this year in ways we couldn’t last year, and once the celebration has ended, appreciate the opportunity freedom gives you to spend not just the rest of the summer, but the school year ahead as well, making the most of every opportunity you are given.