Class is in session, and by this point in the school year I’m sure teachers and professors have started upping the ante. Whether you’ve got a unit test, an essay, or a project coming up, these study tips are sure to help you prepare to ace it. Read on for my favorite practical pointers that actually help.
Find an Intentional Study Spot
Whether you prefer to study outside, at the library, at your desk, or in a cafe, having a go-to spot will help get you in the zone. That’s not to say that you can’t switch it up, though! Most importantly: don’t study in your bed. Study anywhere except your bed. Not only are you more likely to get tired and fall asleep prematurely, but you always want to mentally associate your bed with rest, and doing homework in bed is a sure way to attach feelings of stress to what should be your relaxation zone!
Ditch the Phone
If you’re anything like me, putting your phone on silent might is not be enough. Just because my notifications aren’t buzzing doesn’t necessarily mean I’m not still likely to pick it up for a “quick” scroll when I get to a challenging question or start to get bored. If you really want to master your focus, put your phone in another room, or at least out of reach. It’s amazing what simply having the phone far away enough that I have to stand up to grab it does for my focus.
Minimize Computer Notifications
First and foremost, for the Mac users out there, remove the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps from your dock. Just slide them over to the trash and save yourself heaps of trouble. Speaking from experience, it kind of defeats the purpose of putting your phone in the other room if you can still text from your computer! Don’t worry, the apps are easy to find and return to your dock when your study sesh is over. Just go to Finder -> Applications, and scroll until you find them.
Close Your Tabs
Close (or minimize) all tabs that you’re not currently using for your project or assignment. If there’s any page you’re particularly nervous about losing on accident, you can always favorite the page and come back to it later. Just go to your Bookmarks tab on your menu bar! Closing your tabs helps clear up some mental space by decluttering your visual experience, and it makes it easier to navigate between pages as you do your research!
Take Breaks
There are many different study/break timelines that people swear by. I personally prefer the Pomodoro Technique. This method involves working in 25-minute spurts punctuated by a five-minute break. Wondering how you’ll keep track of time since you just decided to keep your phone out of reach while you work? Fear not! Pomofocus is a lovely online Pomodoro timer that will keep track for you!
Rethink Your Audio Experience
Personally, I find it nearly impossible to focus on reading, writing, or numbers if I have music playing where the artist is singing actual words. Brace yourself, multitaskers who love having music blasting while you study, because this might hurt to hear. What we call “multitasking” is actually a misnomer. Despite what you’ve heard, our brains are inherently incapable of focusing on two or more tasks at once. Evidence shows that when we think we are multitasking, our brains are actually switching back and forth from one activity to another. Read more about the science behind it here.
That being said, not everyone prefers a totally silent work environment. That’s okay! Although I personally prefer to turn my headphones on noise-cancelling mode and get down to business, there are tons of artists out there making wordless tunes that will still keep your mind from wandering. One of my favorite mixes is the iconic beats to relax/study to by everyone’s favorite Spotify curator, Lofi Girl.
Make a Checklist
Having a list not only helps you outline your objectives but also allows you to organize them in order of priority. Many people find that starting with their quick/easy tasks first and then working their way up to the more arduous/challenging ones last to be a good method for preventing burnout. But if you prefer to swallow the bigger frog first as they say, do that! Follow what feels right for you and matches your energy levels and the way you like to prioritize. Plus, checking things off a list just feels good.
Use a Planner
Whether you decide to go digital or pen-and-paper, using a planner is a non-negotiable. Digital options are helpful because you can set reminders and notifications for when things are coming up, but they do say that writing things down helps you remember them better. I prefer a combination of both.
In college, I would go through my syllabi in the first week of class and write everything down on a big monthly calendar going all the way through the semester. Plus, my university had an online calendar that would automatically populate all of the assignments that professors would put up on the class page. I found the combination of both to be a perfect blend. Either way, as long as you’re getting dates documented and keeping track of them, you’re golden!
Study With a Group
Classmates can make or break your report card, particularly in challenging classes. I have found that studying with people I get along with but who aren’t my best friends, and have different learning styles from me, is the most helpful. I love the idea of studying with my bestie in theory, but too often we find ourselves distracted and chitchatting. For this reason, I found that studying with people I like but am not super close with is the perfect middle zone to getting things done and still having a good time.
Studying with people with a different learning style is key when taking technical or challenging classes, where you might need help getting a handle on the coursework as opposed to just reviewing vocabulary and concepts that are more memorization-based. Teaching is the best way to fully learn a concept, and by mixing different learning styles in your study group, you have an opportunity to both learn from someone who has a different mind than you (and likely your professor as well) and have the chance to teach them something the way you understand it as well!
Come Prepared
If you’re locking in for a long study session, take a beverage and a snack! Everyone loves a fun little drink on top of their regular water, and having a salty snack (plus a sweet treat) helps balance your energy levels and your taste buds. Moreover, if you don’t have to get up every hour to go to the drinking fountain or stop what you’re doing to order or make food, you’ll be able to maintain your focus for longer periods of time and complete your tasks faster and with ease.
Combining these tips with your stellar mind and always leaving yourself enough time to get things done is sure to elevate your study game and help you make an A. What did you think, are you going to try any of these tips? Do you have any tips of your own that you swear by? Let us know on our socials!
Trying to manage work and school at the same time? Click here for Bookstr’s tips for maintaining the balance!
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