For many students, this week is mid-term and is the perfect opportunity to recharge batteries, take stock of your studies so far and look ahead to ensure you are going in the right direction and will reach your targets. And yes, while it’s called a break, mid-term is most definitely not a holiday! Rather it is the perfect time to kick your studies into gear and make sure you are firing on all cylinders. While classes are a great place to learn, your studytime is where you take ownership of the learning and make it your own! So why not take this week to analyse and shape your studying methods.
And here at whichcollege.ie we thought it might be a good time to take a look at 5 things to consider when it comes to studying.
Mid-Term Studying
Location
It’s important to be in the right environment. The library is a perfect spot to knuckle down and get some study done. It’s quiet and you’re surrounded by the world of knowledge – shelf after shelf of inspiration! For some people they like to be in a place that is not so quiet and if that works for you that’s fine – maybe that’s in a corner of a coffee shop or a communal area in college. Just make sure that it is the right space for you – if you find you’re not getting enough work done and the noise, movement of people etc is breaking your concentration then yes maybe the library is a better place for you. If you are setting up a study station at home let other people know when you are using it for study – this lets them know that just because you are home doesn’t mean you are available to be disturbed!
No Distractions
Try not to respond to phone calls or texts when you are studying – doing so will break your concentration, take you out of your study-mode and you will lose focus. And avoid social media. Close down unnecessary browser tabs on your laptop and switch off all alerts on your mobile phone – all of this can wait until you’ve finished studying or when you are taking a break. The more you put into study the more you get out so give 100 percent and get that back! Any distractions that break your focus are going to be obstacles that prevent you from getting where you want to in the time you want – so remove them!
Take breaks
It’s essential to take breaks. Breaks help maintain top study performance and can actually increase focus, reduce stress, and help students better retain information they learn. Many studies have shown that it is more beneficial to take regular short breaks rather than the odd long break. So don’t think of it as morning afternoon and evening shifts of study with a long break in between. Better that you structure study sessions broken up with short breaks of 10/15 minutes. Also think of these breaks as both mental and physical – leave your chair, have a stretch, re-energize the body, as well as clearing the mind and taking time to refocus.
Get organised
You should always know what you are trying to achieve when you are studying. Create a study plan that works for you. Set out your goals and targets of what you need to get done. A good study plan can help you prioritize what you need to work on . It is also a great way to manage your time effectively and take control of your studying ahead of time and focus on achieving targets set out. This also gives you a strong feeling of success when you reach your goals rather than just studying with no aim in place. If you’re organised, you’re in control. If you’re in control, you’re successful!
Routine
You shouldn’t be just studying whenever you get the chance. You need to make it a routine and block off time for it – it must be the priority and shouldn’t be changed because someone wants to meet you for a coffee or there’s a good film on! Add your study sessions to your calendar like any other commitments. Doing this is the best way of ensuring you will get it done as it becomes a planned event that you have promised yourself to do rather than something that might happen.
Fill your week with that regular block of study – preferably not late at night!! If you can stick to your plan, studying will be more productive. At the end of the week look back, self-evaluate to see if you are hitting your targets.
A regular routine will ensure you are in maximum study mode!
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