There Are Two Types of Students - Which One Is Your Teen Becoming?
- Brodie Mackie
- Sep 8
- 2 min read
Every year, I notice a pattern. Some students seem to glide through school with a sense of direction and consistency. Others constantly feel like they’re treading water — stressed, behind, and unsure of how to make things better.
The difference? It isn’t just about intelligence or natural capabilities. It’s about being strategic, intentional and consistent across five key areas that I have identified as being key in making revision stick and driving academic success. .
The Strategic Student
These students aren’t winging it, or waiting until Christmas to get going. They:
Open their study planner after school and map out their time.
Work in short, focused bursts using a timer.
Use methods like flashcards, past papers, or retrieval practice that make revision stick.
Balance study with rest, knowing when to push and when to pause.
Personalise their environment, routines, and tools so that studying actually fits them.
They're strategic in the 'how', 'when' and 'why 'they study and they're consistent in those things.
🎥 If you filmed them, you’d see:
A student calmly checking off their goals on a whiteboard.
A parent noticing that studying gets done without nagging.
Dinner conversations that sound more confident and less frantic.
Less stress, better sleep, and more structure.
✅ The results? Better grades, more opportunities, stronger self-esteem, and long-term skills like responsibility and resilience that will serve them far beyond the classroom.
The Unstrategic Student
On the other hand, some students don't know how to personalise or structure their study system, so they never do.
Instead, they:
Procrastinate and “wait until later.”
Spend hours rereading notes but remember little.
Depend on cramming or last-minute panics before exams.
Feel overwhelmed, stressed, and unsure of what works for them.
Constantly giving into distractions or checking their phones.
Waiting for someone to tell them what to do, what to revise
🎥 If you filmed them, you’d see:
A student staring blankly at a textbook, phone in hand.
Irritable outbursts with parents and siblings.
Exhausted all-nighters followed by poor exam results.
Disappointment and shrinking confidence when grades don’t match their effort.
❌ The consequences? Poor grades, fewer choices, more stress, and a lack of confidence that can limit their future opportunities.
The Key Difference
Both students are putting in time and effort.
But only one is working with a clear strategy across the 5 puzzle pieces of studying — the areas that, when aligned, make revision stick, reduce stress, and improve results.
That’s what I’ll be teaching in my upcoming free webinar:
“The 5 Puzzle Pieces That Make Revision Stick and Drive Academic Success”
📅 Saturday 13th September
🕓 4pm
I’ll break down studying into 5 clear, practical components you and your teen can start improving straight away.
Because studying doesn’t have to feel messy, stressful, or overwhelming. With the right framework, it can finally make sense.
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