Top Five Study Tips For University Students
5:40 PM
1. Create a Study Setting Conducive to Learning
It was until much later I realised the importance of curating a study setting that works for my preferred mode of studying. I feel like my relationship with my study setting is the same as Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and his 'Spot' on the couch. When I sit down to do my readings I like a quiet space with minimal distractions. Every person is different, so make sure that you are in a comfortable place with an ambience that is just right and motivating for you to study. You should also consider having a cup of tea and a bottle of water nearby before you get started. Whatever the setting is, make sure that it is conducive to your studying.
2. Manage Time (With the Help of a Planner)
I cannot stress how important time management is when studying. Do yourself a favour and get a planner/ agenda either during the beginning of the year, or the student-year (starting September). What I prefer to do is write down a list of all the lessons covered during a semester, break it down into individual topics, and assign a time period to 'complete' studying it. The list would look something like this:
| Lesson | Topic | Time |
| Albert Bandura- theory and applications | Biography/ Writings | 40 minutes |
| Social Learning Theory | 2 hours | |
| Self-efficacy | 1 hour |
Once this is done, I fit all of these study segments into my planner, leaving time to do extra reading and enjoy a few episodes of Riverdale as stress-relief (or as an addition of a different type of stress).
Another great tip for time management is using the Pomodoro-method. It requires you to study in short portions of time (example: twenty minutes) followed by short breaks of five or ten minutes. I find this particularly useful in getting started, which is the biggest challenge when it comes to studying or doing assignments.
3. Engage in Active Reading
How often do you find yourself falling asleep just reading the first line of a paragraph, or find yourself in a race for time to read 5 chapters in one hour. As ridiculous as this sounds, this is precisely what happens when you read passively. Reading an entire chapter without an in depth understanding of its contents is futile. Since my previous example was on Bandura, he maintained that learning occurs through attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. This is precisely why paying attention to the reading material, and developing an active interest in what you're reading is important.
4. Brainstorm, Take Down Notes and Answer Questions
In terms of retention of the material you studied, brainstorming, doing additional readings related to the topic and forming your own notes, aid in recalling the lessons without additional effort. I often role-play as a lecturer when I have readings to go through, pretending to respond to 'questions by students' which allow me to brainstorm and research more on the questions I am unable to respond to. We all learn while doing our O/L's and A/L's to answer as many previous test papers as possible, and this habit ought to be extended to university as well. It helps immensely, if you have an idea about the structure of a test paper, the timing, and the grading procedure.
5. Stay Motivated and Avoid Procrastination at all Costs
At one point, we all might have sat down at our desks to study a chapter and found a topic of interest, went on Google to read more, and ended up watching funny animals compilations for an hour straight. Needless to say procrastination is our worst enemy. Especially when it comes to the consequences of procrastinating, five percent of the time that adrenaline rush when you complete a reading or submitting an assignment at the last moment will give you an euphoric kick. Rest assured, 95% of the time you'd be recoiling in bed, brimming with feelings of anxiety. If you're struggling to hold yourself accountable, you could ask a friend, or use an app to monitor progress and restricts access to other websites until the work is completed. What I mean is that there are ways to quit this habit if you want to. Having a role model or a mentor in university also helps to keep yourself motivated.
I found this quote that said 'Do your Future Self a Favour and Work Hard Now', and I try to live by this.
Besides, they say delaying gratification is the hallmark of adulthood!
Shop This Post:
Ban.Do Planners
If you have more study tips, let me know in a comment down below.
Thank you so much for reading!
Much Love,
At one point, we all might have sat down at our desks to study a chapter and found a topic of interest, went on Google to read more, and ended up watching funny animals compilations for an hour straight. Needless to say procrastination is our worst enemy. Especially when it comes to the consequences of procrastinating, five percent of the time that adrenaline rush when you complete a reading or submitting an assignment at the last moment will give you an euphoric kick. Rest assured, 95% of the time you'd be recoiling in bed, brimming with feelings of anxiety. If you're struggling to hold yourself accountable, you could ask a friend, or use an app to monitor progress and restricts access to other websites until the work is completed. What I mean is that there are ways to quit this habit if you want to. Having a role model or a mentor in university also helps to keep yourself motivated.
I found this quote that said 'Do your Future Self a Favour and Work Hard Now', and I try to live by this.
Besides, they say delaying gratification is the hallmark of adulthood!
Shop This Post:
Ban.Do Planners
If you have more study tips, let me know in a comment down below.
Thank you so much for reading!
Much Love,
0 comments