It’s getting to be that time of year again: the library starts to feel like home, you subsists off of mostly ramen and stale coffee, and you spend so much time with your nose in your books that even when you’re sleeping, you’re dreaming about studying. It’s a stressful time, for sure. To help you out, here are some of our favourite study tips from the HCUBC writers. Hopefully your exams will be at least a little less stressful.
“Taking some time to de-stress during exam period helps me sharpen my focus when I’m studying. I like to study in 30 minute intervals with a 10 minute break. During my break, I find that going for a quick walk around campus is really relaxing. It’s a refreshing change from being bogged up reading a textbook indoors! I find that doing moderate physical activities is an excellent way to get rid of symptoms of stress.” – Seher Asaf, Political Science
“I like to study in intervals, and take breaks to call my friends and chat and giggle with them to take my mind off of work and over-concentration. A trick I have for motivating myself to finish all of my readings is to put a candy of some sort like a gummy bear in intervals down the page and when I have read as far as the gummy, you get to eat it! It seems juvenile, but it really does motivate you to finish those important readings!” – Leigh Averill, Arts
“What gets me through exams is the perfect combination of healthy living and indulgence. The UBC Yoga Club offers a variety of classes at a variety of times. It feels so good to take an hour break and squeeze tension out of the muscles. On the indulgence side, Boulevard Coffee makes the most delicious Vietnamese latte. It is smooth and chocolaty, perfect for raising the spirits during a long rainy day of studying.” – Kayla Fast, Philosophy and Political Science
“Schedule time to get enough sleep and exercise (yoga is great). I like to meditate a lot and I take breaks on YouTube and Tumblr. To make sure these beaks don’t take over your study time, set a timer. I find timers super helpful especially if I’m doing a reading. I’ll set a timer for 25 minutes of studying and then take a 5 minute break. I think it’s important also not to isolate yourself from your friends. Study together if you can handle being around other people while studying, or schedule snack or meal breaks with them.” – Jacqueline Marchioni, English Literature and GRSJ Minor
“Making sure you have a set sleep schedule is the key to productive study sessions. If you find yourself unable to fall asleep, try listening to the sound of rain or, my personal favourite, ASMR videos. Giving yourself 10-minute breaks throughout the day will also help you focus better. During this time, I like to go on light jogs around the neighbourhood, or watch a YouTube video. Music is also a great tool for when you study. Scores for action films like Pacific Rim are perfect for getting you pumped up in the mornings, while Miyazaki soundtracks (Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away) will help you pay attention to the task at hand. The most important thing is to listen to music you can’t sing along to – if you do, your study session will inevitably turn into happy hour karaoke.” – Natalie Tung, Sociology
“I am easily distraught by the thought of sitting down for long periods of time to plug away at projects, and that usually means I become distracted while I am working or studying. For me, I set rewards for work getting done to varying extents: study for 25 minutes, take a short brain break; complete a 3-4 hour study session, have a snack, go to the gym, and get some protein; finish a day’s worth of studying: watch a movie or read a book, and go to bed at a decent hour. Sleep is really prioritized for me when it comes to my academic (and overall life) success.I also like this website for tips on time management.” – Katie Tissington–Turner, Psychology
“I find the best way to cope with stress is to manage my time and listen to my body. Schedule your day with an understanding that you have to take time for yourself as well as getting your desired amount of work in. I try and mentally schedule time to go for a run, nap, or go grab a coffee (the flat white at Great Dane is the ultimate study tool) and factor that into my study plan so that taking a break doesn’t set me back, and it feels like an accomplishment to stick to my schedule. I also find it helpful to prepare healthy snacks before sitting down to study (fresh almond milk, grapes, and pomegranates are my personal study favourites), that way I don’t lose time and concentration by making a snack mid-study.” – Taylor Blair, Religion, Literature and the Arts with an International Relations minor
“I find that the best way to cope with exam stress is to make a study schedule and to stick to it. This helps you avoid last minute late-night cramming and those totally unproductive study sessions that last all day. Have short and meaningful study sessions instead, interrupted with ‘off-screen’ breaks. Going for a quick walk or reading a ‘fun book’ for a while helps to refresh my brain.” – Emma Riek, English Honours
“Getting together to study with friends can be great, especially if they’re in the same course. It doesn’t tire me out as much as sitting alone, staring at my books for hours. Social interaction makes work feel more fun. I also try to sleep well. If you have to stay up super late to get some work done, try to reward yourself the next day by taking it easy and going to bed early. ” – Grainne Downey, English
“I like listening to the Essential Waltzes Playlist on Songza while I study – it helps me focus up, but also to stay relaxed. I also make sure that I get out of the house for most of my studying, either heading to the library or a cafe (Calhoun’s on Broadway and the Bean Around the World on campus are my favourite library alternatives) because I like to keep my room a place I can relax – when I spend all day hunched over my desk, it makes it harder to fall asleep in that same room at night. Keeping the stressful parts of exams separate from the relaxing parts I find helps to make both more effective.” – Jessica Schmidt, English Honours
“It’s so easy to want to push yourself to the extreme during exam period. You have a short amount of time to study and review everything, and its easy to want to try to get everything done without taking breaks. However, your body and mind will thank you if you take time for self care. I like to study with friends – it makes it a little more bearable and I find myself more concentrated when I have people around me studying. I also like to take some time and get fresh air every hour or two just to clear my mind. I also don’t fight the feeling of tiredness. If I feel like I need a nap or if I need to call it a night, I will. You get nothing done when you’re exhausted. Also, sometimes you’re brain needs time to focus on something silly. I tend to take a Netflix break and watch a short episode of ‘The Office’ to get my mind off studying.” – Simran Singh, Political Science and English Literature