The end of term is coming up and with it, a chance to breathe. This year has been chaotic and it hasn’t been easy to stay motivated for my studies, given how access to university space and general London life has been restricted. I certainly haven’t been the only one to lose interest in my work, or become consumed in my anxiety with exams a month away now. If there’s ever a time to pull myself together though, it’s this final stretch ahead. Here are some habits I recommend to finish this year right.
1. Tidy your desk
If you’re anything like me, chances are you have a massive pile of books, too many pens scattered about, and scraps of paper all over your desk. It’s difficult to want to study if the place you have dedicated to working is a mess. Cleaning up has to be the first step otherwise you’ll never be able to focus on your work with clutter around you. Time yourself for 10 minutes—that’s all it takes to put your books away, throw away any garbage, tidy up your stationary, and maybe even light a candle.
2. Organise your calendar
Laying out all of your study time, extracurriculars, responsibilities, and events in front of you will help you visualise what the end of this year will look like. It’s difficult to stay inspired if you can’t see what you’re working towards, so pull out your favourite calendar app (I prefer Google) or paper calendar and jot down any deadlines or important dates you have. Be realistic about how much time you have to dedicate towards extracurricular activities, but make sure you give yourself some fun things to look forward to as well.
3. Make to-do lists
Whenever I sit down to study, I always become overwhelmed by the number of things I have to get done by the end of the day or week. Making a quick to-do list really helps to clear my mind and prevents me from losing track of my work. I chase the thrill of crossing something off of my list and it’s evident in the simple “make my bed” and “water my plants” boxes I write down, but that’s okay! Give yourself small, manageable tasks to make you feel accomplished and motivated enough to study. Keep it in front of you so you don’t become swept up in the anxiety of what to do next.
4. Start small and slow
You don’t want to get to exam season and find yourself burnt out from all the work you’d been doing the weeks prior. Manage your time well by looking over the content you’ve learnt throughout the year and break it up. Study your weakest areas first, do plenty of practice papers, and do some daily practice if you’re studying a language. It’s important to tailor your study routine to the degree you’re doing—for instance, humanities students are more likely to need timed essay practice, whilst language students would benefit from daily vocab revision and grammar practice sheets. Don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to do too much at once. Try to stick to the Rule of Eight—8 hours of sleeping, 8 hours of studying, 8 hours to do whatever else you’d like. This particular habit has benefited me so much throughout exam season and it’s given structure to my days. Try it out!
5. Change your environment
Though leaving the house to go study elsewhere may be impossible for many, it’s important to change your study space every now and then so you don’t tire from the same routine. Pick up your books or laptop and take it to another room, or if you’re stuck at your computer desk like me, take your phone and watch your lectures or do some readings (paper readings are obviously a benefit but not everyone has access to books or are able to print out their readings) someplace else. If you’re in London, make use of UCL’s study spaces here https://library-calendars.ucl.ac.uk/r though make sure to book places 3 days in advance, otherwise they get swept up pretty quickly.
6. Maintain a health routine
Whether it be exercising even for 10 minutes a day, eating well, keeping up with your skincare routine, or meditation, it’s important to care for your body and mind during these stressful times. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve lost any semblance of a routine in anything, especially if you’ve been in a depression slump like me for most of the year. But it’s so necessary to your health to stay active and well-nourished. Try to go for a daily walk or jog now that the weather is getting sunnier, or simply do
something fun at home with a hula hoop or jumping rope, plan meals ahead so you’re eating nutritious food, use meditation apps like Headspace or search on YouTube for some relaxing videos, try to wash your face every morning and evening, change out your sheets, and try not to get swept up in exam anxiety. It’s near-impossible to prioritise self-care when deadlines are the only thing on your mind, but doing even the most basic of tasks can really help to calm you down.
7. Check up on loved ones
The increasingly isolating situation we have found ourselves in has made it difficult to maintain relationships with our friends and family. Sending a simple text can be enough to exhaust you socially and it’s made crossing the distance between us and our loved ones seem like a challenge. Try to dedicate a little time everyday to reach out to someone, whether it be by sending voice notes or texts, facetiming or calling for a chat, or even scheduling long-distance dates with partners if lockdown restrictions prevent you from meeting up. Doing simple tasks with someone else over the phone can lift our moods and make us feel less alone. Cook together, eat together, study together, watch films together on Netflix Party… there’s a myriad of options to choose from and even doing chores with someone else on a call can be motivating enough.
8. Treat yourself
This year has been hard! Regardless of whether you feel like you’ve been working enough, we all deserve to treat ourselves. No matter if it’s getting takeaway or ordering clothes online now that spring sales are coming in, these next few weeks should give you something to enjoy. Make use of the free delivery and returns a lot of stores are offering, try a new dessert you’ve been seeing all over your TikTok feed, and try to enjoy life around you as much as you can. It’s important to give yourself small boosts to keep you going so that exam season doesn’t feel as draining.