Imagine starting each day feeling rested, confident and prepared for success.

There might be some factors we can’t control, such as weather or traffic. Yet employing basic study skills, staying organized and adhering to wise health habits can help both kids and adults triumph over trying circumstances.

Seventh and eighth graders at The Bear Creek School enjoyed a recent Study Skills Day covering six discrete skills/strategies that are essential for efficiency in school and in life. Students rotated through sessions on Staying Organized; Methods of Note-Taking; Effective Computer Use; Effective Library Use; Memorization Techniques and Strategies; and Test-Taking Strategies.

“Strategic learning has always been a part of the Bear Creek philosphy, since the beginning,” noted James Woollard, head of the middle school division at the classical Christian school located at 8905 208th Ave. NE in Redmond.

The Study Skills Day focused on “getting the kids to be ‘meta-cognitive’ in their approach to their academic studies,” he added. “By teaching some workshops on specific skills, we hope to make kids realize that learning is not something that just ‘happens’ but is something that comes about through the application of specific learning strategies.”

The Test-Taking Strategies workshop, led by Woollard and teacher Carl Benson, offered sound advice that even grown-ups can use to reduce confusion or errors.

For example, “review should be a constant, ongoing process — don’t wait until you have a test before you start reviewing,” they suggested. “Eliminate distractions and have the correct tools for reviewing.” Turn off the cell phone, Instant Messaging, computer games, radio or TV. Keep basic supplies within easy reach.

“Manage your time wisely … Plan to review a little every day,” they continued. “Remember to take a break, too. After about 30 minutes, concentration lapses, so do something different to keep the brain in good working order.”

Scanning an entire test, before you answer, is a great idea, said Woollard. It allows you to “find out about the big picture, the length of the test. Where are the hard questions? Allocate enough time for each portion. Pace yourself.”

And don’t overlook painfully obvious clues that can mean the difference between success or failure.

To illustrate that point, Woollard displayed a cartoon of a boy at the Midvale School for the Gifted, pushing against a door marked “PULL.”

Similarly, teachers Jenai Sheffels, Sherrie Brown and Scott Moe, began their Staying Organized workshop with photos of how a student’s locker or binder shouldn’t look. Hoarding trash is a surefire way to lose or misplace the things you really need.

A neat planner book is another must. This is where students — or parents — can find answers to questions about the school dress code, use of electronic devices or whether late work is accepted. Besides jotting down due dates for projects, students should list medical appointments, sports schedules, music lessons, family vacations — anything that might present a time conflict.

“If you know you need a poster board, help your parents out,” said Sheffels. “Get it on the weekend. There’s not much you can do at 8:30 in the morning, on the way to school.”

Also, Moe stressed the importance of an acronym, “NEST.”

“A nest is a comforting place where birds go to rest, lay their eggs — it’s a nice place to chill,” Moe stated.

NEST starts with Nutrition: “Eat well to think well. Garbage in, garbage out,” he said.

“Exercise. When studying, take a break, go for a jog, do some push-ups,” he continued. “Sleep. There are 24 hours in a day. … Every hour that you go to bed before midnight counts as two because it’s better quality sleep. Nine hours of quality sleep feels like 12.”

And finally, don’t forget “time,” said Moe. “Time for you and time for God. Relax, watch a show you like, play a game, enjoy life a little. Start your day with a Bible reading and prayer.”

This was the first Study Skills Day at The Bear Creek School. Hand-outs were distributed so that students can review the knowledge all year and carry it with them to the next grade level.