Studying: Slow But Impactful

By Kavin Chandra
Published March 23, 2026

Being able to balance studying, activities, and personal time can be very hard for many students at Northwest CTA. Learning how to study efficiently can help students stay organized and improve grades.

Some teachers say that one of the most important parts of studying is choosing the right time to begin their work. Beginning right after school can help students stay focused and prevent missing assignments.

“Do all work within two hours of getting out of school (before 4 p.m.) so that you will be able to have your evenings for other free activities,” teacher Mrs. Sparks said. 

Many students follow a similar schedule by taking a small break after school before beginning work.

“3:50 p.m. works the best for me because I have time to relax and to get ready,” freshman Ares Resto-Perez said. 

Other factors can play into staying focused for a lot of students. Mrs. Sparks said distractions could be one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to studying efficiently.

“Answering your phone, watching a video, or using Instagram, those are all unnecessary distractions,” teacher Mrs. Sparks said.

Likewise, students also agree that their phones are one of the biggest distractions when trying to concentrate on work.

“The biggest challenges are distractions like my phone,” freshman Elliot Gardner said.

Even with distractions set aside and a good study schedule, it may be hard for students to stay focused if they don't give themselves a break.

“Find a quiet place to study with few distractions, take a break every hour,” teacher Mrs. Sparks said.