Most people believe that college success comes down to a single thing–completing the stated requirements of each course that you take and earning your degree. But many students quickly find that strict adherence to such an attitude can actually impede their learning. And those who do find pleasing their teachers to be easy may graduate [...]
Optimal Learning Newsletter Archive
Here you will find an archive of my past newsletters. These newsletters teach you steps you can take to optimize your ability to learn and achieve academic success.
Much of the information I share comes from recent findings in the field of neuroscience.
Face it. Your brain needs to be well-functioning if you want to learn. Studies show that too much stress impedes this ability.
Frustration, boredom, anger, and pervasive negative thinking are a product of too much stress in your life. These emotions are interfering with your ability to learn.
My newsletter teaches you how to put a stop to the stress in your life so that you can succeed in your academic goals.
Want Optimal Learning Delivered to Your In-Box?
Enter your email address in the form at the top of this page and you will receive regular lessons that will help you to transform your relationship to learning and personal growth.
I hope you find the information here helpful. Please leave comments. Your feedback will help me to know which entries are most helpful and what else you would like to know about the brain, stress, and academic success.
In many places around the world, students are heading back to school for the start of another semester. A new semester can induce stress in even the calmest of minds. New classes come with new responsibilities, new people, and a new set of criteria you’re going to have to meet if you want to succeed. [...]
For many people, a new year isn’t complete without at least one resolution. But we all know what happens with New Year’s resolutions that get announced in the excitement of the moment…they are dropped by the wayside as soon as the party is over. So here are four simple steps you can take to make [...]
Most of us don’t like to admit to having stereotypes or stereotypical views of others. But have you ever wondered if you’ve been the victim of someone else’s stereotypical thinking? In the 1990s, two psychology professors, Claude Steele of Stanford University and Joshua Aronson of the University of Texas, Austin, conducted a series of studies [...]
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the quantity of homework you need to complete every single day? Do you find it hard to remember what you read? Are you wondering how you’ll manage getting your assignments completed by the end of the term? No doubt about it, the reading load that accompanies college coursework can be [...]
School has finally gotten underway in the quiet New England town where I live. No matter where you live, the back to school season probably seems a bit hectic. Suddenly everyone has so much extra work to do as they transition themselves and their families into a new academic year. For many people, this increased [...]
In colleges and universities across the United States, the end of the academic year is marked with parties and celebrations. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling on the outside of all the revelry. For many people, the end of the academic year brings far more anxiety than cause for celebration. Much of [...]
So you want to get As in all of your classes. You dream about making the Dean’s list. You wish to graduate with honors. Of course you can achieve this. But to do so, there’s a special something that you’re going to need. That special something is an A-student mindset! Certainly, an A-student mindset won’t [...]
High school students are notorious for staying up late and burning the midnight oil, especially when they’ve got an exam to study for or a project deadline looming. But findings in neuroscience suggest that missing sleep comes with a cost, and that cost increases as you age. Sleep deprivation has been shown to play havoc [...]
It’s happened again. You waited until the night before your assignment was due to get started. You were up all night working furiously to produce something you could hand in. You left class feeling certain you’d pulled it off. And then you got your grade. And you’re not happy. Homework assignments are an integral part [...]
