Hello Bison! Welcome back to campus. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. This summer was probably the laziest summer of my entire life, not by choice. Because of this, I am having a really hard time getting back into the swing of things here. Summer seems to have that effect. To help you all, and myself, get locked back into school mode, I am going to deliver some (hopefully) helpful tips. I cannot promise that these tips will magically fix any laziness, but I promise to try them alongside you all.
- Heavily utilize your planner
This first tip is one I’ve been using for a few years now and I swear it helps. Early on in the school year, I go through all of my syllabi and write down every assignment in my planner. I either organize them by highlighting them or by simply writing down the class name ahead of the task. You can write down the tasks for the day they’re due, the day they are released or the day you think would be most convenient to complete them. This task is best done before school even starts, but obviously, it is too late for that. I did not complete this before school started. If your syllabi are subject to revision, you can just write down the tasks in pencil and adjust as needed. I am a pen-user through and through (due to my left-handedness), so I typically just scribble out or Wite-Out any changes. I have found that this helps keep my brain organized because I cannot avoid any harder incoming tasks. I know when the tasks are due, and I know what else I must do to make this happen. Sometimes professors don’t include schedules in their syllabi but in this case, just prepare yourself to keep updating your planner. I promise the initial effort is worth the stress saved.
- Schedule homework time
Do not save your homework for the night before it’s due. Unless, of course, you work significantly better under pressure–I do not. Plan times in your week to get work done. I typically designate time in between classes or in the morning before classes to be my homework time. The best time to do your homework is the time that you are most alert. If you tend to be able to focus well in the mornings, study in the morning. If you tend to focus better at night, study at night. Just do not leave it for the last second. Obviously, sometimes certain weeks will have more or fewer assignments than usual, but you can just adjust as needed. I would say it is better to air on the side of more study time than less. If you plan more time than you need, you have extra time in your schedule. If you do not plan enough, you might not be able to participate in social or personal activities that you had previously planned.
- Take breaks, but not for too long
Taking breaks is equally as important as scheduling your time. Schedule your breaks! Allow yourself a specific amount of time to take breaks. Ensure that you have time to get up, use the bathroom and potentially grab a snack. Do not, however, give yourself so much time that you get distracted and end up wasting your study time. If there is a random side quest you were hoping to complete on one break, fear not, you will have more breaks. Everyone’s break needs are different, but I usually try to allow myself ten minutes of break time after every hour of studying. You might need more or less time. Listen to your brain! Find a break schedule that works for you!
- If possible, annotate your textbooks
I understand that some students rent their textbooks. If you own your textbooks, I would strongly suggest writing IN them. Taking notes can be really hard and add significantly more time to your studying. Notes are very helpful, but I have found that if I annotate in my textbooks, I can consolidate my notes more easily. Writing in my textbooks helps me stay more engaged with what I am reading. Handwriting notes is also scientifically proven to help with memory retention of the content you are studying.
- Try different studying methods
I can give you as many tips as I have, but your success in studying comes down to what works best for you. Put yourself in an environment conducive to YOUR learning. If you study well with people, go to the dining center. If you study best in quiet places, go to the library. Try using flashcards, rewriting notes and reciting terms out loud. Study in the morning and the night so you can determine which one is more productive for you. Brew yourself a cup of tea to help you calm down, or do not if you would get too focused on consuming the tea in a timely manner. Experiment with every possible studying method so you know how you learn and focus best. I tend to study best with people but without food or a beverage, because they make me too excited.
Now that I have provided you with a good amount of tips, I am going to just throw out random motivational tips. Use these as you wish, I just find them helpful in establishing a routine.
- Make your bed
- Floss your teeth REGULARLY (you should be doing this anyway, but it definitely makes me feel really accomplished)
- Buy good study snacks
- Separate your study space from your lounging space
- Establish study buddies (if you study better with company)
I hope some of these tips are helpful! Good luck, Bison. I believe in you all. Yay, new semester. Roll Herd.