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By Haley Huchler
Studying is a skill many of us have tried to master since our first school days. It’s an essential aspect of our lives as students, from elementary school to graduate school, and yet many students struggle to study in a productive and efficient way. Studying often becomes the dreaded activity put off until the night before a big exam or assignment. However, by following a few simple rules of thumb, studying can go from a source of stress to a source of success.
Stay Organized
When you look at your desk, piled high with textbooks and papers, the first thought in your head might be “Where do I even start?” To overcome this initial studying anxiety, get your to-do list in order. Write out all your important due dates and deadlines and decide which tasks to prioritize.
Claire Johnson Machosky, author of A Path to Learning and Literacy: Study Guide for Secondary Students and Parents, puts a strong emphasis on the importance of staying organized. Some students might prefer the simplicity of a pen and blank notepad, while others might want an upgrade to a structured planner or
desk calendar. For those who are more technologically inclined, online calendars like Google Calendar or note-taking software like Notion provide a digital space to plan.
Make a Plan
Before diving in, students should create a plan of action. Machosky suggests students verbalize the tasks they need to tackle in their own words, making it clear and easy to understand. Machosky also urges students to visualize their finished work, then make a list of the steps necessary to arrive at that end goal.
Knowing what your assignments are is step one, but step two is equally important: knowing the teacher’s expectations for the assignment. Machosky encourages students to take this into account when they begin their study routine.
Be Consistent
Some simple consistencies can get your brain and body in the right study space — both literally and figuratively. Machosky suggests students have an established study location. By returning to the same spot to study each day, it will feel more natural and easier to get started. And let’s face it, you may be less inclined to distraction if your study spot is different than your TV-watching spot.
Don’t Cram
The all-nighter, the cram session — most of us are familiar with the panic of studying at the last minute, of trying to cram a week or a month or a semester’s worth of material into just a few short hours. And we all know it doesn’t tend to produce great results.
Studying is best done in shorter intervals over a longer period of time. Once you have all your deadlines lined up on your calendar or to-do list, you can plan out how to divide your study time. Make a loose schedule of when you will study for what and add this into your calendar or list to avoid last-minute cram sessions.
Break It Up
Studying for several hours without tearing your eyes from your computer screen or textbook is bound to make you feel frustrated and exhausted. Taking frequent breaks will help you feel calmer and more relaxed, as well as help you process and retain information better.
One of the most popular ways to break up study time is the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method that divides your time into 25 minutes of work interspersed with 5-minute breaks. The method suggests that after about 4 “Pomodoros,” or sets of 25 minutes, you take a longer break of 15 to 20 minutes. Do a quick online search for “Pomodoro timer,” and you’ll likely find one you can set up on your computer desktop.
If intervals of 25 minutes and 5 minutes aren’t for you, maybe it’s 30 and 10 or 15 and 5. It’s not about following one methodology exactly, it’s about finding what flows best for you and remembering to take the occasional break. Stretch, have a glass of water or a snack, or walk around the block, and you’ll come back to your study session feeling refreshed and refueled.
Set Goals
Studying aimlessly is a sure way to get distracted and turn to some other activity or get frustrated and decide to give up. By setting even small goals for yourself during your designated study period, you can give yourself the motivation you need to keep going.
Before you start studying, set an achievable goal or two. Maybe you want to read two textbook chapters. Maybe you want to go through your flashcard set three times. Whatever it is, make sure it’s attainable within the time frame you have allotted for studying.
Despite the importance of good study habits, most of us aren’t taught how to study in school. We’re left to figure it out all on our own, and it takes many of us a long time to determine what works. Follow these simple tips to master those study habits and get your study time back on track.
Haley Huchler is a contributing writer for Prince William Living.
