With this year’s final exams right around the corner, it’s understandable that things are stressful. In these times we tend to get overwhelmed and want to give up. This year, try not to let that happen. Let’s make the most of our time and make the upcoming exam period and the 2018/2019 school year our most productive one yet! Here are some helpful study hacks and organization tips to help you get through another year of school in one piece.
Using a planner or planner app
I know this one seems obvious and you might have already read it everywhere, but that’s only because it’s such a lifesaver. I started a planner (and stuck to it) for the 2017/2018 school year and it has made my life so much easier! What worked for me was planning out each week every Sunday and making it my goal to stick to it. This not only helped me see my week in review but also allowed me to keep track of all my deadlines and schedule time to get my work done in a timely manner. Allowing myself time each day for my work left me less stressed and actually gave me an opportunity to focus on myself and pursue leisurely activities. A planner that I’ve seen become very popular and actually purchased for myself is the Panda Planner; it helps you plan goals, assignments as well as a weekly to-do list. If the Panda Planner can work for me, it might work for you too! Click here to find out more about the Panda Planner.
Keep your syllabus
You know those syllabi your professors give you on the first lecture? Trust me when I tell you to keep those! A majority of classes today give you a PDF version of your syllabus. This year I decided to try something different and order all of my course books from the cheapest site I could find beforehand. Then, next to each title on my syllabus I wrote down the approximate date my books would be shipped. (Make sure to also include this information in your planner.) Highlighting your syllabus is one of the most important things. Color code everything! I usually highlight all important deadlines and dates in orange/red highlight to make sure they are the first thing I see. Once you are happy with your completed syllabus, save a picture of it on your phone for easy access at all times! Now, when exams come around there’s no need to stress because you can see beforehand what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by!
Figure out your most productive time
Photo via: Cheryl Singh
Figure out what time of the day you are the most productive. For some people, it’s in the early morning before breakfast, for others, mid-afternoon, or late at night. Find when you get the most work done and try to optimize that time for work. To make sure you are able to reach your full potential during this time, try going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning. A great tip is to use the bedtime feature in your phone located in the clock app. It allows you to input your bedtime for each day of the week and how many hours you would like. It also tracks the number of hours you spent lying in bed and hours slept. Looking back at this analysis is a great way to reflect on your sleep patterns and find ways to help you sleep better at night. For example, I put in bedtime for midnight and wake up at 7 a.m. each morning. This allows me to wake up feeling fresh and helps me stay on top of my schedule. Having a consistent sleep schedule will ensure you have energy to continue to work in the morning and get through your exams without a hitch.
Use the 8x8x8 Method
The 8x8x8 method is a great method to split up your day and maintain consistency. The method is simple, get eight hours of sleep each night, work/study for eight hours a day and spend the remaining eight hours on yourself (eating, exercising, family time, Netflix, etc). You don’t have to complete this in eight hour blocks but definitely try to keep track of how many hours you spend doing each activity. This way you will see that regardless of popular opinion 24 hours in a day really is enough and countless all nighters are not necessary!
Use SelfControl
SelfControl is an application you can install to any browser on your computer. This app keeps you from accessing websites like Facebook, Tumblr or Twitter when you should be working. It is free and highly customizable – you can block any website you like. Apps like this one will force you to stay focused and not stray to those addictive sites. SelfControl is, however, only limited to computer browsers; so what I find works best to stop picking up your cellphone, is to turn your phone on airplane mode. This will leave you unable to access your social network platforms and make you focus on your studying.
Go Easy on Yourself
No one is perfect, and it can be incredibly difficult to stay on top of everything in your life. Do your best, but remember if you mess up that it is okay to make mistakes. All that matters is that you are trying. I can’t emphasize this enough. Always put your health first. Try to get between seven and nine hours of sleep a day, which will help you stay alert and happy during the day. Find something that makes you feel connected to yourself or your spirituality. Take care of yourself!
These are just a few tips and tricks that work for me when I study under stress. Exams, quizzes and assignments can be overwhelming to the point where we are ready to give up, but what’s important to remember is time management’s effectiveness. Having a path and sticking to it will not only make your life that much easier but will also leave you feeling refreshed and energized rather than sad and tired. So next time you start a new school year or just need some sort of control or routine in your life, give these hacks a try; I’m sure you’ll be glad you did!