For years, a myth had grown over the breaking of the sound barrier. Attempts had been made, but all fell short. Eventually the sound barrier was broken, and since then breaking of the sound barrier is no longer considered as anything special.

What does the sound barrier have to do with your performance as a student? Many students have in effect a sound barrier of their own that keeps them from doing well. You start off each semester with the best of intentions, but something always seems to happen and you just can’t seem to break through the barrier that it takes to get good grades.

You can learn a lot from attempts at breaking the sound barrier. Ultimately it took a change in aircraft design to make it possible to break through the sound barrier. In the same way, it’s going to take a change in design for you to break through your own sound barrier. The design changes in this case include

• How you study
• Where you study
• How much time you study
• Who you study with
• Who you are friends with
• Who you turn to for help

Once you have broken through your own sound barrier, it just won’t seem that hard to sustain progress. You’ll look back on this year’s later and say to yourself: “Why was that so hard?”

Here are some general guidelines that may help you on each of the design changes:

• How you study
  • Get away from electronic distractions. Turn off instant messaging if you are on a computer
  • Study when your mind is the freshest (early in the morning or after a 15 minute nap)
  • Find the right environment for you. The key is to find a place where you won’t be interrupted
• Where you study
  • Find a place where you can use small blocks of time effectively
  • Don’t return to your room during the day. Stay on campus and study
• How much time you study
  • The general rule of thumb for tests in hard classes is 7 days in advance 1 hour/day for the first 5 days and 2 hours/day for the last 2 days
  • Study in small chunks of time over an extended time versus studying for a long period right before a test
  • Make school an 8-5 job. When you are not in class, study
• Who you study with
  • Find someone who shares many of the same classes
  • Find someone who is a serious student but also fun to be around
  • Find someone who can push you and not be upset if you return the favor
• Who you are friends with
  • Break away from high school classmates, especially if they are not serious about college
  • Whenever possible, make your study partners your social friends as well
  • Transition your friends to those who are in your major
• Who you turn to for help
  • Every student needs a mentor who can help in a variety of academic, career, and personal areas. Try to find this person early in your college career. It can be a professor, counselor, advisor or other person
  • Keep in touch with your mentor continuously. A true mentor will enjoy working with you

Don’t be the student who just can never seem to make a breakthrough. If you do the things suggested above over a few weeks, they will be a part of your personal repertoire. Once they become a part of your routine, you will never go back to your old ways..