It has dawned on me that I get easily distracted while studying. There are things that I could do to succeed with studying but I don’t seem to even follow my own rules. Since I don’t follow my own rules, I thought I’d share them to whoever is reading this. Maybe you’ll find my advice useful.
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First off- go to the library! Yes, I know it is a pain in the ass to haul to the library and you probably have to walk far to get there, but trust me it is worth it. The downstairs floor of the library has cubicle-rooms that are super quiet and good for studying.
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Stay off your phone! I know studying is boring, frustrating, and hard, but time literally disappears when texting or scrolling through social media. Here’s a tip: turn it off or put it on “do not disturb.”
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Study with music. I find that I can’t study (or read) when I’m listening to music that’s not just instrumental. I listen to the Spotify “Peaceful Piano” playlist while studying. Here’s a link for that: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX4sWSpwq3LiO?si=9gxP18ZFT0q7uzDl9neuxw
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Set breaks for yourself. You are not a robot that can study for hours and hours straight without breaks. If you need to, it’s ok to get up and walk around or go get food. I don’t know if it’s just me but I get hungry while studying. Or maybe I’m just eating because I’m bored.
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If you’re struggling, reach out! Go to your professor’s office hours and go to tutoring sessions for the class. Also reach out to your classmates so you can make study groups or so you can help each other with homework. It is helpful to have a friend in class.
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Make real-life flashcards instead of just using Quizlet. This is a personal preference but I find that real, physical flashcards are more effective than just using Quizlet.
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Bust out that highlighter. Mark up your notes when studying– it is especially helpful to highlight formulas and key information in your notes. Then you can transfer those formulas to your ~real~ flashcards.
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Reward yourself– this is critical. After a certain amount of time studying, take a quick break and play your favorite song and eat your favorite snack. Then get back to the grind.
Studying is a skill that really takes time to develop. These things are easier said than done but I hope this advice helps!