The sun is out and the Rec Pool is open. Needless to say, it’s spring quarter. The goal of spring quarter is to have as much fun as possible, hang out with as many people as possible, and get into as many shenanigans as possible! Unfortunately, the fact that we call it spring quarter and not spring reminds us that we are still in school and have classes we need to pass. With all of these distractions, it’s hard to focus on the responsibility of schoolwork. Fear not, because I have five tips and tricks to help you buckle down and be productive in between all the fun you are (and should be) having.
Tip #1: Go to the library. We all know how hard it is to do your homework or study for your exam when everyone else in your apartment is watching a movie, enjoying happy hour, or going to the latest Entertainment Council concert on campus. The easiest way to not be temped to do (fill in the blank) with your friends, is to remove yourself form the situation completely. Rather than being the only person not doing something fun, which will keep you distracted from actually paying attention anyways, you will be one of many people studying and working at the library. It is motivating to see other people being productive and will help force you to do the same. Find a spot, on campus or off, where other people motivate you to stay focused by being focused themselves.
Tip #2: Bring earplugs. We’re only human, and it’s natural to get distracted from your work when you’re hearing how Brittany* hooked up with Mike* last night even though he hooked up with Vanessa* an hour before. (Although this is shocking news, you most likely do not know these people and their life stories mean nothing in your world.) You do not want to spend your time at the library being as distracted and unproductive as you would have been if you had chosen to blow off your work and go out with your friends. Earplugs are my best friend. I keep a pair with me in my backpack so I will always have them in any school setting. They may not cancel out all of the noise that you will surround you, but they greatly improve your chances of focusing. They also deter people from approaching you while you’re getting your study on!
Tip #3: Wake up early. Most of us aren’t going to wake up until we have a class to attend or work to rush off to. I’ve learned that waking up prior to my classes is one of my most productive work times. Despite the not-so-fun-waking-up-early process, your house is most likely quiet and still in the morning. People aren’t playing outside or drinking next door. Drag yourself out of bed, make a cup of coffee, and sip it while you do your work. You will surprise yourself with how much work you’ll get done before anyone wakes up. There will be no distractions and nothing to miss out on since everyone will be sleeping! It makes for a very peaceful and productive time, just make sure to leave time to get ready before you have to head to class.
Tip #4: Go to class. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. You’ll have less studying to do if you just go to class. More often than not, you’ll have at least one friend to sit with who will entertain you during the most excruciating of times. The professor might even help you out with review sessions or hints on what will be on the exams, cutting down your study time. The examples given in class often correspond to the homework, cutting down the amount of time it will take to complete it. Basically, if you go to class you’ll be more prepared.
Tip #5: Take breaks. My professors have repeatedly told me that the human attention span is only about two hours. This means that you can really only focus on something and truly gain knowledge for two hours at a time. Do not try to read an entire book in one sitting for the midterm that is the following day. When studying or doing homework, do so in increments. Even if it’s just a five-minute Facebook stalking session, giving your mind a break from everything is incredibly helpful to your retention. If you’re studying at home and are spoiled enough, as I am, to have a DVR, I recommend watching your show in the segments broken down by the commercials. Watch 15 minutes, do an hour or two of work, watch the next 15 minutes, and so on. It is more productive, and suspenseful, than taking an hour-long break to watch one show all the way through.
Live up spring quarter, it comes but once a year. Hopefully, these tips will help you stay on top of your work so you can partake in as many shenanigans as one can pack into a 10-week period. Good luck!
http://public-republic.blogspot.com/2011/01/secrets-to-studying.html
http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2011/sep/california.cfm
http://bestnatesmithever.tumblr.com/post/3713199201/wake-up-in-the-morni…
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article442227.ece