As we enter the third week of the spring semester, some of you may find yourselves struggling to get back into the groove of school and out of the mindset that winter break brings. Homework, quizzes, and tests are creeping up on us as the semester continues and Netflix isn’t helping our study regime… at all. In order to get back into a study rhythm, here are 5 ways to refocus on your schoolwork and succeed this semester:
1. Make a to-do list
Making a to-do list allows you to visually see how many things you need to accomplish that day, week, or month. You also feel rewarded by the end of the list by seeing how many items you were able to cross off. A to-do list allows you to allocate time to each item and make sure it gets done. It is also helpful to organize the items by importance.
2. Find a good setting
The setting you are in while you study is just as important as the time you put into studying. You should have a neat area as well as good lighting. Studying in a loud area vs. studying in a quieter area will more than likely distract you and hinder you from learning. If you’re like me and enjoy a little noise while studying, listening to music is a good idea. If you don’t know where to start, Spotify makes playlists meant to help you focus and in turn should help you study.
3. Get rid of distractions
We spend most of our time on social media sites and absently refresh our feed. If you start studying without stopping every two seconds to check your phone, you are more likely to finish your work faster and absorb the information. Silencing your cell phone and placing it on the opposite side of the room from you/ far from your reach will lessen the number of distractions around you. Along with your cell phone, it could be very tempting to “study” while watching Netflix in the background. It may seem like a great idea when you are catching up on your favorite show, but you are vaguely aware of your work. Giving up Netflix for a couple of hours and turning off your phone will help immensely.
4. Take breaks
Studying for long periods of time proves to be ineffective. You’ll get mentally tired, not obtain what is necessary and probably give up studying for that day. Taking 15 minute breaks after studying for a while will help you re-energize and give you a fresh look at the notes you’ve been looking at. This break may entail watching a little bit of Netflix, stretching or doing some yoga, just make sure you give your brain a rest amidst all of the studying.
5. Set up a calendar
Writing down due dates for homework assignments, quiz dates, and test dates has the same effect that writing a to-do list gives you. All you need to do is read the syllabi you have for this semester and translate them onto a calendar. This calendar can either be on your phone or hanging on your wall. By writing down the dates on a calendar, you will have a visual of what you need to work on and what is coming up. This will also help you when you are making your to-do list for the day or week.