With a lot of studying moving online, we’ve put together a list of helpful ideas to get the most out of studying from your accommodation or permanent home:
Don’t be hard on yourself
You are studying and taking exams in a time like no other. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself by expecting yourself to go at the same pace as before.
Take it one step at a time. Start by reading over old notes or re-reading text that you are already familiar with to help you get back into the swing of things. Remind yourself that you are not alone and that students all over the UK are struggling to stay motivated during the current pandemic.
Keep your worlds separate
You are probably using the same space to study in, that you are also using to sleep and relax. This makes it hard for your brain to disconnect at those key times when you should be unwinding. Try to switch things up by studying from different areas in your home to keep things fresh.
Give yourself set study hours. When your working hours end then make sure that you switch everything off to allow your brain to switch off. However, make sure that your study hours are disciplined by setting your phone to ‘do not disturb’ and by putting it out of reach.
Decide on your study style
Think about what makes you the most productive. Is it studying from your desk rather than your bed? Does getting out of your pjs and dressed help? Decide what works best for you.
Once your environment is set up then make sure that you have everything that you need right in front of you; a notebook, highlighters, and a tape recorder are always useful.
What is your study style? Do you prefer writing things down as you go along, or do you prefer to write bullet points and later expand on them?
Make sure that you have got plenty of water and healthy snacks available during your study hours and take regular breaks. You can take
Cancel out the noise
We get that your studying environment might not be ideal at the moment, so if you’re struggling to get in the zone then invest in some noise-cancelling headphones. Or alternatively you can search for study playlists on YouTube or Spotify. Some people even say listening to the Mario Kart theme tune helps them study. You have to remember when studying at home that you can’t control all noise so just try to focus on what you can control.
Stretch
Make sure that you stand up at least once an hour. Relax your shoulders, stretch your legs out in front of you, and release the tension from your entire body. You might not even release that you’re stressed so make sure you take plenty of deep breaths too.
Get social
If you prefer to study with other people then you can put together a specific study group chat with your course mates to help eachother out and to share tips. Depending on your course, you could even test each other over Zoom.
If you already have a group chat with your course mates then consider setting up a new one and having a ‘strictly uni work’ policy.
Reward yourself
Setting yourself small goals is a great way to stay motivated and treats definitely help. Plus, you deserve it! Set your study hours and reward yourself with an episode of your favourite programme when you finish. Read two chapters of a book and reward yourself with a nice lunch. Positive reinforcement always works, and physical rewards will leave you feeling good about yourself which will better your motivation.
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