With a new year and new semester ahead, what better time to make sure your study skills are as on point as your outfits? It’s easy to fall back into your old study habits, but make it a priority to keep your studies on top. Here are a few new things to try- see if they work for you!
1) Start your homework directly after you finish class. Sure, it’s easy to walk back to your dorm after class and crawl into bed for Netflix and naptime. But getting a chunk of homework done before dinner will only give you more time to unwind before bed. Try heading to a library or a coffee shop off campus to get a chapter of reading or a problem set done. You’ll be glad you did!
2) Schedule your spare time. Do you have that awkward hour between classes that you would otherwise spend killing time in your dorm room or texting friends from home? Turn it into a study time. Make it your priority to get as much work done during that time as you possibly can, preferably some place near your next class.
3) Schedule breaks. Obviously, no one is a study machine. Schedule breaks in your study schedule to keep yourself sane. Plan a dinner with friends, a munchie mart run or a trip to your friend’s dorm for an episode of The Mindy Project.
4) Make your workout a study break. With so much stress centered around school, it’s also very important to fit a workout in. Make your workout a study break, and the post-workout shower another one!
5) Isolate yourself. Sure, those group trips to the library may seem like fun, but we all know that studying with a large group can definitely be counterproductive. If you have a lot of work, go somewhere alone or with one other person (who ALSO has a lot of work). There’s nothing worse than spending hours “studying” and still being on the same page in your book.
6) Early to bed, early to rise. Studies shows that the most productive sleep happens before 2am, so try to get as many hours of shut-eye before 2am as possible. If you have work left, finish it in the morning, as it is better for your circadian rhythms.
7) Reward yourself. If you were successful in getting a large chunk of work done, reward yourself with a macaron from Iris Café or an episode on Netflix. You deserve it!