Now that summer break is soon coming to an end and the new semester is going to be starting soon, we all will have to go back to studying full time and keeping up with our assignments. As a normal human being, everyone is bound to lose some morale and motivation along the way, and studying can often become very stressful.
Therefore, I have listed five ways below to make studying more fun and enjoyable, which will also help keep your morale up and make you look forward to studying.
- Listen to Music that Works for you
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Now I’m sure that many people listen to music when studying, however, what’s important here is listening to music that actually works for you. For some people, listening to classical music works while others listen to more fast-paced music, such as lofi (short for “low fidelity”). In the past, I also tended to follow the trend and listened to what everyone around me was listening to while studying, but I soon found out that it does not necessarily work. Everyone is different and tends to have different tastes, so finding your taste is more important than going along with whatever your friends are listening to. You will soon find that your studying will become much more efficient once you find music that works for you.
And of course, if you prefer not to listen at all, that’s completely fine as well!
- use diagrams and mind maps
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Another method to make studying more enjoyable is to visualize what you are studying using diagrams and mind maps. Yes, they may consume a bit of time, and yes, you may find them a bit bothersome to draw at first, but later, you might find the input of different shapes and colors to be more helpful and enjoyable during studying.
Creating diagrams and mind maps is essentially helping you revise what you have already learned. So instead of sticking to the normal black and blue colors you use in your notes, you turn up a notch and fill your mind maps and diagrams with different colors and pictures. Furthermore, mind maps and diagrams are also a great way of revising what you have learned.
- change the setting
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Every now and then, try to change the setting of where you study. It may not seem so, but the environment we study in usually has a large impact on our efficiency. Sometimes changing the environment or the location can help increase your efficiency and make studying more enjoyable. If you are used to only studying in your room at home, try going to some local cafés to switch up your location. Sometimes having a change of scenario can actually motivate you to study harder.
Whenever I go to cafes to study, I always study more diligently than at home because otherwise, I feel that my time has been wasted. Furthermore, seeing everyone else study around me also helps me keep focused.
- buy stationary you actually like
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I’m sure many of us have seen study posts on Instagram or “how to take neater notes” videos on YouTube. As aesthetically pleasing and neat as these influencers’ notes and stationery are, they may not necessarily work for everyone. I have bought many different kinds of stationery and tried to take more efficient notes by watching these videos, but now, I have learned only to use the methods that work for me. I love buying stationery. However, I only buy the ones I really want and really like, because I know those are the only ones I will use in the end. When you buy the stationery you genuinely like, it may get you somewhat excited or motivated to study because you want to use your stationary or test out what you have just bought. Furthermore, using the right kind of pen or having the right grip can instantly help you with your study efficiency.
- Treat yourself
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Last but not least, Treat Yourself! It is never a bad idea to reward yourself after you have finished studying or finished your goal for the time being. Rewarding yourself with a tasty snack, watching an episode of your favorite tv show, and taking tiny breaks between studying can be really, really helpful and can also help make studying a lot more enjoyable. As opposed to just studying with absolutely no break or rewards, having tiny breaks can actually help your brain recharge and your body recharge as well. Every time you will sit down to study, you will feel motivated to finish your goal as there is a little reward waiting for you in the end.
Try out these five ways to make studying more fun during this semester!