Okay but why do cascading binder tabs excite me?
Back in 2020, I was a part of the unfortunate (or fortunate) cohort of students who began university in the middle of a pandemic. I was so focused on trying to navigate life during a pandemic, that I lost sight of how important the very essence of studying was to me. As a result, I began to fall out of love with a degree that I spent tirelessly working towards; who was I if not the studious girl who only knew that she wanted to go to McMaster?
As life gradually regained a sense of normalcy, I realized how little I romanticized studying. I hated going to class, I hated taking notes, and I hated studying. Worst of all, I hated myself for feeling like this ā education is a privilege, so why was I acting so ungrateful? I didnāt mean to, and I knew there had to be some sort of change, especially if I wanted to pursue higher education.
Over the past 2 years, I spent a lot of time reflecting about what made studying a chore to me. Was it my studying methods? Was it my study space? Or was it a combination of both? I took a lot of time to reflect on the ways I studied and discovered different methods that could potentially work for me, and Iāve created a list of ways that I think could help other students as well!
- Finding the best time during the day to study
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Some people are night owls, while others are early risers. I realized that I had fallen victim to the ārise and grindā mentalityĀ and often felt guilty if I was not up by 6 in the morning to begin studying. Even when I was able to wake up that early, I felt groggy and so incredibly tired ā nothing I studied was retained and I had to put in twice as much effort to re-study what I had already āstudiedā. I may not be the type of student who can begin studying at 6 in the morning and that is perfectly okay! Quality over quantity is what matters!
- Finding the perfect spot
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I learned that I perfectly despise studying in the learning commons of any library. It is way too loud with far too many distractions. I also learned that if there is not a window or some greenery of some sort nearby, I feel restless while I study. Fortunately, I have the privilege of attending a university that is abundant with lush greenery. Now, I study on the silent floor of libraries, closest to a window where I can bask in the sunlight while I hit the books.
- The right supplies
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When I was younger, I would look forward to September for the sole reason: back-to-school shopping for stationery! Even as a 20-something-year-old, that has not changed. I realized that what makes me excited to study is a brand new notebook, or a fresh 0.5 black ink gel pen to take notes with, or my beloved cascading binder tabs to separate each component of my courses. Romanticizing studying, I believe, begins with the right supplies!
- Be proud of your progress
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Rome wasnāt built in a day and the topic you are studying cannot be understood in a day either. It is so important to understand and make peace with the fact that studying even a little bit is still progress. Some topics are harder to understand than others and being critical of yourself during the learning process is a tried and true way to kill your motivation. Though it is still a work in progress, I learned to be proud of the progress I make when understanding new concepts, which makes me excited to get back to the task the next day.
- Reward Yourself!
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One toxic habit Iāve had to unlearn while studying is that not everything has to be āearnedā or ādeservedā. I would often reward myself with breaks after pushing myself to the breaking point where I felt extremely burned out. I would also refuse to get myself a sweet treat until I understood a topic, and if I didnāt understand it, there would be no sweet treat. While the reward system is good to an extent, I believe that there exists a fine line between rewarding yourself and rewarding yourself after pushing yourself to the brink of burnout. The latter is one reason why studying can feel like a chore.Ā I think that rewards, in healthy doses, allow you to not feel as pressured while studying. I also believe that when you alleviate the pressure, studying feels less like a chore and is (dare I say it) romanticized!
Even now, I continue to find new ways to improve my studying habits and fall in love with my degree more and more. I even created a Studygram on Instagram where I am able to document my progress. I hope that I can look back on my posts at the end of the school year and appreciate how far I have come.
I hope that these tips and tricks can also help you fall back in love with studying. I hope, dear reader, you have a wonderful and productive school year ahead.