In the era of cutthroat competition, it not just to study, even mediocrity is a curse. Excellence is the demand of present time. So under this situation being a student is both rewarding and challenging. The rewarding part of being a student is in the achieving of academic excellence. While the challenging part has to do with the choices you make to develop the capabilities to achieving academic excellence. And these choices can make or break the rewards (of academic success that endures) you seek to achieve as a student.

Here are ten ways to become a highly capable student and achieve academic success

• Start studying early: As a student, you need to start early on and keep at it on a daily basis. This will enable you to be ready as well as make it in your studies.

• Participate in school activities: Every school has their own extra curricula activities. You need to participate in any of the activities your school engage in. This will help build certain knowledge and skill needed to succeed, not only in school but outside school as well.

• Be and build smart friends: There is nothing better than having a friend. Not just any friend, but a smart friend. A friend who will add value to you and support you in achieving academic excellence. Make sure you are making the RIGHT friends along your academic journey.

• Put efforts in getting good grades: It is a fact that you can get good grades if you believe in yourself.

• Reduce your personal time waster: You have got to reduce your time on things that do no enable you to become productive as a student. Most time, we spend too much time watching TV, playing games, involving in social media and so on. It is ok that you need some time to relax, but you also need to cut back on these activities so that you are able to focus and succeed in your studies.

• Do you homework and get over it: Once you are given homework, do it and get over with it. As simple as that! And remember that most questions for your examinations are likely to be picked from all the homework you are asked to do. Therefore, do not ever neglect doing your homework.

• Play games to learn: Games are great teaching and learning tools. Love to play games. The games better to play are board games. These include, scrabble, chess, monopoly, word puzzle and so on. Lay your hands on these games and do not play for only fun, play to learn!

• Review your test papers: It is advisable to always review your test papers after every test. This will help you to find out the questions you got wrong and make corrections. You know, this is another area your exam questions might come from. So always review your test papers, always!

• Work hard to gain better knowledge: This is very important to understand that you are not only in school or college to get good grade alone. You are also there to acquire knowledge. Knowledge as you know is powerful! So make sure you are working hard to acquire knowledge that will enable you succeed not only in school or college but after that in your working life as well.

• Renew yourself regularly: Do you always feel stressed-out, imbalanced or empty inside? If you do, you need to take time to replenish yourself. It means you need to regularly renew and strengthen the four key areas of your life – your body by exercising and eating healthy food; your mind by reading and writing; your heart by building relationships and laughing; and your soul by praying, mediating and keeping a journal. By renewing yourself regularly, you will be better to deal with your studies.

It is all in your hand to make choices to become a highly capable student and achieve excellence in your studies.