Finals week is coming up and I am sure all of you are starting to get stressed about studying and getting all of your work in before the end of the semester. A lot of college classes are hard and the exams take a lot of time to study and prepare for. Here are some tips that have worked for me to study efficiently and stay motivated while studying!
Planning Ahead
I am a big advocate of planning in advance, whether it is meetings, homework or studying. I frequently make both daily and weekly plans. I find that this helps me stay on task and there are many apps or websites that you can use for this (link previous article). I think that it is very satisfying to check to-dos off as you get them done and it helps you stay motivated to finish the rest of your work. One thing that I struggle with is splitting up all of my tasks evenly between the days. I frequently find myself piling on too much work for the day that I can’t finish. If you have an exam to study for, a week in advance start writing down what chapters you want to get done each day and what practice you want to do and when. This helps you stay focused and it makes sure that you are not forgetting to do anything.
Changing Your Study Environment
After studying in the same place for a while I find myself getting bored and going on my phone a lot. One way to prevent this is to find a different place to study when this begins happening. Another little tip is to put your phone in a different room from where you are. Another thing I do when I start to get distracted easily is to study near friends. I find that the accountability increases when you see other people who are also studying hard and you are less likely to go on your phone or get distracted! Going to the library or a coffee shop would also work!
What Time You Choose To Study
This is different for everyone and it depends on what works best for you. I study frequently in the morning and take a break in the afternoon and study again at night. I make sure to schedule everything else during the day outside of my studying times. If you block out certain times to study everyday, you will be able to fully utilize these times and stay focused.
Staying motivated to study is very hard, especially when you have to do the same thing everyday and it doesn’t seem like you get a break. I hope these tips help you stay on track and stay motivated when studying. Remember to take breaks and prioritize your mental health as well. Good luck!