Studying is a drag, and getting into the right mindset to sit down and focus for hours on stuff you probably don’t care about can be a daunting task to tackle. With finals right around the corner, this can be a helpful list to go to when you’ve been telling yourself “Okay, in five minutes I’ll start studying,” for two hours.
- Organize your space – It can be hard to focus when your desk is a mess, so it’s important to keep it clean and organized. This also goes for however you keep your notes and work from classes. When you have loose papers in your bag it’s hard to find what you need, and you could potentially be missing something important. Organization makes all the difference, and affects how well you do on your test, and in the class all together.
- Create an outline – Now that you have an organized space, you need to know what you’re studying, so making yourself a study guide can be really helpful. Go down the list, look over your notes for each topic, and practice answering questions. You should set goals for yourself for each section, and set aside time every day leading up to the test to focus on one or two sections so you don’t get overwhelmed.
- Take breaks – When you’re studying hard and get in the zone, it can be hard to stop and then come back to it, but giving your brain a break is important. After maybe an hour of studying, set out time for yourself to watch an episode of a show you’re watching, go for a walk outside to get some fresh air, have a snack, take a warm shower, or anything else you need to do to chill out and have some down time, even if it’s only for a moment.
- Ask for help – If there’s something you get stuck on, it’s important to ask for help. Ask a parent, sibling, or friend to get a new perspective on something. If there’s still time, it can also be really helpful to talk to your teacher about it to help you get a better understanding of whatever topic you need to know.
- Drown out distracting noise – If you live in hectic house like me with lots of noise, it can be difficult to get anything done. Luckily, we live in a time where we have access to pretty much everything online, so pop your headphones in and listen to the sounds of rain, the ocean, or anything, without leaving the comfort of your own home. These sounds can help you relax and focus. I find that when I listen to music while working I get distracted and end up singing along or dancing, but if that’s not a problem for you, you can also just listen to music.
- Study consistently – Don’t wait until the last minute to study. Instead of cramming, spread out your time by going over a few sections every day and focusing on them. That way, by the day of the test, you’ll feel confident in your knowledge and skills after spending time every day studying.
- Get rest – When you’re worried about doing well, you might want to study all night, but getting a good amount of sleep every night (at least eight hours) is important. It will be harder to obtain information if you were up all night and are running on four hours of sleep, so go to bed at a reasonable hour.