Tag Archives: Academic Performance
Dress code: Does it affect a student’s overall performance in school?
For teens who love strutting around in their low-riding jeans or ultra-miniskirts, the strict dress code enforced by schools, is, at times downright oppressive. Though not all, there definitely are many students – irrespective of which country they hail from- who resent school uniforms.
Does school uniform affect your grades?
While enforcers argue that school uniforms have definite impact on students’ behavior and academic performance, students fail to actually fathom the “connection”. Let us find out what the truth is. In fact, instead of drawing an arbitrary conclusion, we will try to substantiate our claims with the help of results of a few studies, brought to light from time to time.
Right at the onset, we will try and bring the very basic function of school uniforms to the fore. A school generally has students hailing from diverse financial backgrounds. With the absence of a dress code in school, students flaunting more expensive clothes will unwittingly turn out to be a constant source of envy for those who can’t afford equally expensive clothes. Think about it! That’s not really a good space to be in – not for the one envying or the one being envied!
What do the studies have to say?
School uniforms do have distinct benefits. As per an article published in a famous magazine way back in 2009, uniforms play a major role in reducing gang aggression – primarily because every student of a particular school sports the same hue and style. Plus, there is no room for students using their dresses as status symbol. It renders an ambience conducive to harmony. Students can approach studies in a more serious way.
Mandate clothing can actually keep certain fashion out of the school premises without really “spelling out” a ban on the same. For instance, a student knows that he will have to comply with the dress code of the institution no matter how badly he wants to sport a pair of ripped jeans or pajamas. The school hasn’t officially banned them but has spelt out its mandatory dress code clearly.
Studies have even gone on to suggest that school uniforms do impact students’ grades, behavior and attendance. Around 160 schools in an urban district were surveyed and it was established that both male and female students demonstrated improvement in middle and high schools. Though girls in general showed higher rate of improvement, both the genders showed some kind of betterment nonetheless. In an academic year, girls missed one day less in school.
Students: Don’t let stress affect your performance
While most of us indiscriminately link a child’s inability to perform desirably in examinations to his lack of academic abilities, hardly any one attributes the same to stress. It’s difficult to understand why. There is no dearth of reasons why a student can’t be stressed and there is also no dearth of reasons why his stress can affect his academic performance adversely. And, what are the possible reasons behind stress among modern students? Peer pressure, future plans, examination blues and the like. And, what more? Today, there are a lot of students who are actually juggling part time jobs and studies at the same time. Stress, as such, is regularity.
Exploring a few ways in which students can beat stress
It is very important to identify stress as a possible deterrent towards desirable academic performance. Nightline Association had carried out a survey in 2013 in which it was found that 65% of students feel stressed. Educating yourself about ways to successfully combat stress is essential. Here are a few ways in which you can do the same.
Meditation
Shell out 10 minutes every day for meditation. Work on your breathing techniques in order to ensure that the oxygen received by your body is circulated well throughout your bloodstream. It will help you drive away mental fatigue.
Eat right
It is very important to have a balanced healthy diet. Eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits. Orange juices and other such juices filled with vitamin C are known to bolster immunity.
Indulge in some kind of exercise
Studying, doing part time jobs (in certain cases) and exercising – you might as well think it’s a lot of work. However, it’ll all be well worth it. Take part in a sporting activity for at least once a week. If you think you cannot work out intensively you can at least try and walk every day for 30 minutes.
And last but not the least – make sure you are taking proper breaks between studies. Have a proper routine (which subject will you study every day and for how long) and make sure the routine consists of due breaks. There is no point in working hard meaninglessly. Studying relentlessly without proper breaks might as well lead to burnout. Adopt a systematic approach to studying.
Do what you like besides studying. Painting, singing, dancing, piano or for that matter any other hobby may act as a great outlet.
Are you student? What do you do to beat stress?
