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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UPR chapter.

Who hasn’t had trouble studying? I think most people face issues like procrastination tendencies, demotivation, ADD, etc… Personally, I tend to procrastinate until the last minute and then I get very stressed. I start asking myself, “Why am I like this?” and then comes to my very best friend called “anxiety.” I know the stress can be a lot to handle when you have a lot of classes and you want a social life, but you may have a job too. Sometimes you just feel stuck and like you can’t do anything. So, how can you start feeling motivated again, get better at studying and be more responsible? Well, here are some tips that I hope can help.

1. Study in intervals

Studying with intervals can be very helpful because you can study for 20 minutes, more or less, and then take a break for the same amount of time. By doing this, you can concentrate better and get more work done because you are thinking that you are studying for a little and that you have a break at the end of that time. You can also plan to study two hours each day until the deadline you give yourself. You can divide those two hours into minutes, making four intervals of 30 minutes.

 

2. Use essential oils

You can start using essential oils as aromatherapy. Aromatherapy “is the practice of using the natural oils extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant to enhance psychological and physical well-being.”  Essential oils that you can use for when you are feeling stressful or anxious when studying are:

  • Bergamot: helps with stress, depression, anxiety.

  • Cedarwood oil: used as a calming agent to help reduce stress and anxiety levels.  

  • Chamomile: calming agent, antidepressant, and mood lifter.  

  • Lavender: stress-relief, also an antidepressant.

  • Sandalwood oil: used for tension relief.

  • Rosemary oil: mental stimulant.

  • Peppermint oil: helps with your mood and sharpens your focus.

  • Patchouli: relieves anxiety and depression.

  • Marjoram: aids in anxiety and stress relief.

Of course, these essential oils have other properties that they can help with. You can learn more about essential oils here.

 

3. Make a bullet journal

  

Making a bullet journal from scratch can help you relieve stress because creating art can lower your stress levels. It ’s a great way to stay organized because you can incorporate to-do lists and a calendar with activities you have coming up. You can also divide your day by setting the time you have to spend studying, or you can add a page with goals you have set up for today. It’s also a fun and creative activity to try.

 

4. Try meditation

Meditation is well-known for reducing stress, controlling anxiety, and enhancing self-awareness. It also helps to clear your mind and can make you have a more positive view of life.

 

5. Take breaks

Don’t spend a whole day studying– it’s no good for you, and you’ll get so tired that you won’t be able to understand half of what you’re studying. So be chill and take your well-deserved break.

 

6. Study group

Another thing that can motivate you to study is studying with a single friend or a group of friends. That way, you can help each other understand the material. It also can lead to a less stressful place.

 

7. Plan your week

Don’t leave everything until the last minute. Plan your week a week before or the first day of the week. That way you’ll know what you have to do for certain days of the week. If you want some ideas on how to plan your week you can go here.

 

8. Talk with a psychologist or a friend

If you are very stressed because school has you filled with tons of work to do, go and talk to a psychologist or a friend. Nothing helps more than to talk with someone in a judgement-free zone.

Talking with someone helps you find motivation and relieve stress and anxiety. It also helps you to be organized because you’re finally letting all of your emotions out.

 

9. Experiment with different styles

Also, don’t get stuck with only one style of studying; experiment so you can find the style that works the best for you.

 

Finally, stay motivated and believe in yourself. Don’t ever give up because you can make it and you can surpass anything. :)

 

Image Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

 

Arhiadne is a freshman at UPR. She's currently in the Humanities Faculty but is thinking about changing to the Faculty of Business Administration because she wants to open her own restaurant someday. However, she usually doesn't have much to say about herself because, according to her, she only knows how to binge-watch Netlfix.