The beginning of the school year brings one certainty ? in the next few days, homework assignments will be handed out.

Here are some tips to help you succeed in your homework ? and you might even end up enjoying it!Homework conjures up visions of working at a desk or on a computer at home ? but the key to success in homework is in the classroom, because you have to understand the topic before you can do the work.

To do this it is best to be focused in the classroom. Try to follow what the teacher is talking about and take clear notes. If you don?t understand, ask.

It may feel embarrassing but there is probably someone else who needed clarification. Sometimes the other person may even have thought they understood until the matter is explained in another way. It is always easier to remember things that you care about and feel are important, so finding a way to enjoy the topic you are studying is bound to make it easier.

One way to do that is to relate your knowledge to the real world ? so that if you are learning about seeds in plants ? cut open a few plants and look at those seeds.

Get excited that in real life you can determine the difference between a monocotyledon and a dicotyledon.

Look at different rocks at the beach or Botanical Gardens and figure out what they?re made from. A tried and true homework technique is simple repetition. Understanding is best, repetition works but often a combination of the two is needed.

You may have understood how a piston works when the physics teacher said it in class, but now you?ve forgotten.

Revising regularly helps burn the understanding in your memory. Use study periods to read over your notes until you thoroughly understand them. Staying focused in the classroom and revising in study periods give you a good foundation from which to do your homework.

No one technique will work for everyone but generally it?s a good habit to get it done right away. Don?t procrastinate and let the workload mount.

Be organised and set a schedule of which homework will be completed by what date. How you arrange your schedule will depend on how best you work.

You may like to get the work you find easy out of the way first, giving you time to concentrate on your more difficult assignments, or you may be the type who needs to first tackle the difficult task when you have more energy.

If you don?t know what works best for you, try each way. Be sure that you are relaxed, rested and not hungry while you are working. Many times you see college students cramming their studies while eating.

This is not ideal. You will be able to concentrate and retain information better if you are nutritionally satiated.Have the right equipment: You must ensure that you have the material necessary for your homework. If you are doing complex physics calculations you may need a calculator, you may need graph paper for geography, math or economics paper or a dictionary for English composition. Having the materials and references you need at hand helps you to stay focused and move easily through your homework.

Have a work area that is comfortable for you ? but not so comfortable that you fall asleep! You may be most productive working at a desk in complete quiet. Or may prefer sitting outdoors with your iPod on. Whatever gets you in the mood to study and keeps you there is worth adopting. For many students different techniques will work better for different subjects. Study groups tend to work well for English literature and recorded notes for Latin. Try different techniques and stick with what works best for you.

Above all it is important to believe in yourself, to recognise that you are capable of learning absolutely anything and then doing it.