For some reason, the gap of time after midterms but before finals have started is the point in the semester where everyone seems to be struggling to focus. The stress of midterms is over, spring break is a distant memory, and finals, despite what the callendar says, seems to be incredibly far away. The weather is getting nicer and summer seems so close.
- Designate a space for studying
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Have one place in your life where you go to study and only go to study. Your brain does better with routines and establishing context can help you stay on track. The reason it’s so easy to get distracted in your room is because that’s also where you sleep, watch Netflix, and just generally relax. If you designate one space, whether it’s the library, a study room, or a specific spot outdoors, that will help focus.
- Make a study bag
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Make sure that you have every thing that you could possibly need for a long haul study session when you go to your designated spot. Pack snacks, chargers, water, and headphones. It’s easy to use the excuse of grabbing a snack in order to procrastinate. Don’t let yourself.
- Set aside time
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In the same spirit of setting aside a location, choose a specific time, when you’re most productive, which will be your time to study and do nothing but study.
- Take breaks!
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Ironically, if you’re too drained from studying for too long, you’ll never be able to focus well enough to do your work well. Make sure your breaks are rejuvinating, not more taxing.
- Prioritize your time
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What will really bring you more joy? Spending quality time with friends for an hour and then studying for an hour or scroll through Twitter for an hour and then studying for an hour. When you’re happier, you have an easier time focusing and your more productive. So do the things that make you happy, not just the things that take the least amount of energy.
The most important tip, which shouldn’t really count as a “tip.” Enjoy your time at college. It flies by, so in the meantime, enjoy the moments when you’re not incredibly stressed about exams and papers.