One of the things you should know about me is that I get distracted while studying… more than I would like to admit. I may hear a song from an artist I like and spend the next half hour stalking them/trying to find their next concert, which then leads to me attempting to figure out a concert outfit and creating a new study playlist. It’s bad, really, really bad… Now there are certain things I do to counteract this issue, which is make sure I have all my essentials. These essentials aren’t all necessarily study objects, but my basics that keep me going when all I want to do is curl up in bed and go to sleep.
1. One seriously comfy sweater or sweatshirt. I may or may not collect sweaters like a fiend, but at least I know they’re worth it.
2. Leggings you can live in. I know everyone believes that Georgetown girls only live in yoga pants/leggings, but there’s a reason why. They are incredibly comfortable and can literally be worn with everything.
3. Ballet flats which are as comfortable as slippers. I am the biggest fan of ballet flats, and that may have to do with the fact that I live in them. If it was acceptable to wear ballet flats all the time I would. I may or may not have worn them in a torrential rainstorm recently, which was completely my bad, but at least my feet were still comfortable. (Although soaking wet.)
4. A huge hair clip or hair tie to tame your mane. Unless my hair is straight, I can’t stand to wear it down. It literally is Mufasa, but in human form. So to avoid my animal-like tendencies I always have multiple hair clips and ties in my bag.
5. Glasses for the moment when you realize you can’t wear your contacts any longer. There comes that time when your contacts literally feel like they’re not working anymore, burning, or actually drying your eyeballs out. This all sounds horrible, and that’s because it is. When I’ve been in Lau for way too long I always have my glasses in my bag, ready to go, for when duty calls.
6. Your go-to drink. Having your go-to drink definitely makes work seem not as bad. Once fall rolls around you will not find me without a pumpkin spice chai latte in hand, even though I try my hardest to fight this obsession.
7. A great study playlist that keeps you focused, instead of distracting you. Something I need (not everyone does though!) is a playlist to listen to when I’m studying. I keep my current “study” playlist (such an original name, I know) on rotation with Pandora stations like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and American Pie Radio or different iTunes playlists I’ve made.
8. A short, but useful “break time.” Sometimes people tell you to avoid all distractions, but from my experiences this isn’t true. Sometimes you need to step away from the books for a little bit, and watch a TV show or browse the web for a little bit.
9. A snack to munch on when your stomach starts growling, resembling some sort of beast. Snacks are good, as long as they aren’t an enormous amount and constantly devoured. I usually keep different bars in my bag, but sometimes I can’t resist that trip to Vittles or Midnight Mug to get a bag of chips or a bagel.
10. A good area to study in. Study location is key. There are so many different places to go on campus, and the vibe in each of these places is definitely unique to each area. Find the ones that work for you, and get ready to post up.