Eve's Best Study Tips!

With university finals rapidly approaching, a lot of us are going into study hibernation to try not to fail any courses this semester. This can be a really difficult, scary, and stressful, but sometimes rewarding, time for a lot of us. Today, I’m going to share a few of my favourite study tips for preparing for final assignments and exams.

• Firstly, always remember that everybody studies differently. If your friend can sit down and smash out 8 hours in a row of exam revision, but you find yourself losing focus after less than an hour, don’t beat yourself up about it. It can take a while to find the perfect setting for you to study in, from the environment you’re in, the materials you’re using, the company you have, and the specific techniques you’re using. Everything on this list is a suggestion that you can try, but don’t worry if you find something isn’t really working – you’ll find your winning strategy eventually!

• One way to get started is with a list. Or two, or three, or four. I’m a bit of a list hoarder, because I find that my schedule and my priorities can change day to day, and I want to keep track of what I’m up to as plans change. Your list could just be scribbled down on a piece of paper, with all the things you have to do for a certain assessment, class, or time period. It could be a neat checklist on your whiteboard (or mirror, if you don’t have a whiteboard!) to give you the satisfaction of ticking things off. It could be a weekly schedule, calendar or planning diary where you can make plans for each day and make sure that everything will get done. One of my favourite tools for keeping organised is the website Trello, where you can set up a number of boards, each with as many different lists as you’d like. There are plenty of other tools out there like this though – let us know if you have a favourite!

• Eliminating distractions can go a long way. Sometimes, you’ll sit down with the intention of studying, but your phone is right there, and you’ll see a snap from a friend, and all of a sudden, it’s an hour later and you still haven’t done anything. We’ve definitely all been there. If you can identify what factors are distracting you, figure out a way to remove them from your study routine, or limit your access to them. If your phone is distracting you, try an app like Flora, where you can set timers during which you can’t use your phone for anything. These have an added bonus of helping you keep track of how much time you’re dedicating to study!

• Studying with others is a great way to be productive and stay social. It’s always nice to spend some time with friends, and meeting up somewhere to study together is a good way to not feel so isolated, and you can all help motivate each other & cheer each other on. In COVID-19 times, this might mean planting a tree together in a group on Flora, or video calling to have some virtual company and keep yourself and your friends accountable for studying.

• Try to find some new and exciting study spaces. Getting out of the house, or even just your own room, can go a long way in making you feel refreshed and ready to learn. If you have access to a public or university library, these are great places to study as they’re quiet, calming and not too isolated. Other good ideas are to move into public spaces in your home, like the living or dining room, or to venture to outside areas, like parks, backyards or balconies.

• Scheduling down time is super important. If you’re struggling to get through everything or to find motivation, try breaking study up with a more enjoyable activity. My favourite thing to do is to watch an episode of Criminal Minds after I’ve done a certain amount of work. Whatever your idea of a good break is, make sure you give yourself time for that, even when you’re busy preparing for finals. Avoiding down time will only ever lead to burn out, and that won’t get you anywhere good.

• Reward yourself! Whatever point you’re at in the finals study journey, you should always be so proud of yourself for the work that you’ve done so far. When you reach a milestone, whether it’s submitting an entire assessment or just reaching a small daily goal you set for yourself, take the time to reward yourself. This can be with tangible things, like a tasty treat or some quick online shopping, or even better, it can be with a little bit of self-love. No matter how much you’ve done, or how many goals you’ve reached, you should always be proud of yourself for every step you take in this journey. Remind yourself every day that you’ve achieved great things, and remember that something, even if it’s not all the goals you were trying to reach, is always better than nothing.

• Most importantly, always remember that grades aren’t everything. It can be so, so easy to get swept up in the life-or-death style of cramming exam prep or smashing out an assignment as if your life depends on it. And for some of us, that can be close to a reality – there’s no point pretending that grades don’t ever matter at all. But it’s important to always know what the most important parts of your life are, and know what you want out of your time at uni. Don’t forget to be happy, look after yourself, and consider the bigger picture so you know how much this situation will really matter in the grand scheme of things.

Thanks for reading some of my favourite tips! This is nowhere near a complete list of important things to remember or try, so keep your eyes peeled for more study tips from me in the future. If you have a favourite tip that I left off here, feel free to let us know in the comments, or message us privately through the website chat box if you have anonymous suggestions for future content.

If you want to more about stress, study, and staying sane in COVID-19 lockdown, don’t forget to check out our first podcast episode, out now.

Stay safe and sane, safe spacers!

Eve xx