Like it or not, everyone has at least one bad habit.

Whether it be academic, or simply just not cleaning your room.

Sam Lockhart, a junior and also one of the captains of the cross country team, shared some of his bad habits and his advice to younger runners.

Lockhart said, “I often become overconfident before I study, and I usually think I know all the material, and I don’t bother even researching it.”

“I sometimes do my work when the teacher is lecturing in order to get ahead but it’s always a better idea to listen to the teacher before you do anything,” said Lockhart.

Many upperclassmen, who have experienced the effects bad habits can have on them, recommend listening to the teacher during class time so you don’t miss any instruction.

Lockhart recommended to, “do a limited amount of things, but do them well.”

Mrs. Miyamoto, a teacher in the science department, has several recommendations for students developing bad habits, and why they need to break habits they may already have.

Miyamoto has taught hundreds of students, so she has seen what effect study habits have on students’ grades.

Studying at different times and at different places is recommended by Miyamoto because is vital to your ability to retain information.

Study time is study time, it is important to not multitask.

Miyamoto says that every one should not try to, “multitask, and do several things at once, which research shows doesn’t really work, that as humans, our brains actually really can only focus on one thing at a time.”

In all classes, especially AP classes, students need to steer away from “cramming for a test, not doing your study guide… [or] studying with your cellphone,” said Miyamoto.

Miyamoto said to, “start as early as you can, take your notes, don’t just take your notes and be done.”

Miyamoto said that even she sometimes procrastinates.

“If you take your notes come back to them over and over to study them,” says Miyamoto, because, “once doesn’t work, your brain needs repetition.”

“What you’re trying to do is increase the connections in your brain, so you [are] able to study in different places at different times to get your brain to make those connections and increase your neural net,” said Miyamoto.

Most importantly, always remember that “everybody can get smarter,” said Miyamoto.