Welp, it’s that time of year again… the dreaded midterm time. If you’re anything like me, the only thing on your mind is Thanksgiving break. I always find myself extremely unmotivated and believe me, I am the queen of procrastinating. It’s hard to put down that remote to study the history of Africa when Kim & Kris are just about to tie the knot on E!, we know. But you can do it, get motivated tonight! You’ll feel AWESOME after you ace that Chemistry test you’ve been studying weeks for.
Change your passwords. Good Studying = No Social Networking.
Have your roommate change your password to Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, etc. (If you don’t know what Stumbleupon is, I’m warning you… DO NOT go there. You will spend countless hours on that website and procrastinate forever!) I know this sounds brutal,
but it really does help. We all take those “facebook breaks”… and then it turns into an hour of creepfest galore. Have your roommate change your password for as much time as you need to study.
Take a break!
I’m not talking about a four hour break to the mall, unfortunately. Studies show that if you take a 30 minute break, you’ll recall more information. Although it seems like a perfect time to catch up on the newest episode of your favorite show, it’s not recommended to watch television. You should take a walk, listen to music, or just relax! Just make sure you discipline yourself because it may be hard to go back to studying after a break!
Eat before studying. NOM NOM NOM.
Get a good meal in before you study. No, McDonalds does not count as a “good meal.” Eating healthy can make your body function a lot better than it would after eating fast food.
Club Milner.
Find somewhere quiet, away from ALL distractions. I often find myself studying in my room then turning on my TV ten minutes later. Go to the library, trust me… you’ll get a lot more done!
Turn off that cell. No, but really do it.
If possible, turn your cellphone on silent… or leave it at home. It’s almost impossible to get anything done when your friends are constantly texting you asking what’s going on for the weekend. I know it’s hard to survive without your cell for a few hours, but you’ll be way less distracted!
Snack.
There are certain foods you can eat to improve certain studying skills. Foods such as blueberries can improve motor skills and learning capacity.
Dark chocolate (a good excuse to eat chocolate) is known to boost blood supply in the brain which helps improve cognitive skills. Also, snacking on nuts has been proven to help you retain what you are reading. But don’t fall into the boredom food trap. During a study break, it might almost seem natural to grab a bag of chips and a Mountain Dew. To avoid this, try drinking a glass of water or tea. If you really are hungry, try keeping healthy snacks in your room such as yogurt, string cheese, peanuts, veggies, or cereal.
Don’t wait until the day before the test.
Start studying a week (or weeks) in advance. Believe it or not, cramming is actually a horrible study habit. It may seem like an okay idea, but studies show that you don’t retain the information as well when you pull all-nighters. If you don’t know what you should study, try emailing the teacher asking if there’s any ways to get a head start. You may feel like a teacher’s pet trying to get ahead, but believe me… your name will stick out and they’ll remember you as someone who cares about your grade! This can be super helpful when you’re borderline letter grades.
Ditching your bad studying habits for good ones have long term affects. Getting good grades now may be what helps you land your first internship or your future career. Good luck HC readers!
SOURCES:
http://housing.ucsc.edu/dining/pdf/exam-time.pdf
http://www.onlineuniversityrankings.com/2007/08/20-foods-that-w.html
http://recallplus.com/breaks.php