Okay, so it might be a little late in the semester to start thinking about how to study. Hopefully by now, you've found a routine that enables you to get work done. But in case you're in need of some new techniques as we go into finals, here's my personal list of study tips. It's never too late to switch up your routine.
1) Find the perfect study spot.
I love working on the fourth floor of Mudd, because it's fairly quiet without the intense silence of the third floor. One warning: do not fall asleep in a womb chair. It's happened to me many times, and is in no way productive.
2) Turn off your WiFi.
This one's tricky, because it doesn't work if you're writing a research paper or something that requires online articles. But, if at all possible, turn off your internet to force yourself to focus on the Word document at hand.
3) Give yourself rewards, like food and YouTube videos.
I often tell myself things like "If you finish this reading, you can eat a Rice Crispie treat!" and "You can watch Adele singing 'When We Were Young' live for the thousandth time if you write an intro paragraph!" Sometimes the hardest part is getting started, and the promise of a reward can be the perfect motivation to begin.
4) Have a priority list.
I've made an extensive Google Docs to-do list in which I order my tasks by class and, within each class, by importance and deadline. This has helped me figure out which homework to tackle first each day, which is crucial when dealing with overwhelming final papers and projects.
5) When you're working, WORK!
I'm very guilty of the whole "check your phone every two minutes" deal, but I have to admit that it slows my work process down immensely. Giving homework my full attention always reduces the time it takes to complete it.
6) Take breaks! Self-care is so important!
Embarrassing confession: I have started playing Neopets games again since starting college, and one quick round of Destruct-O-Match III is the perfect stress-reliever. Find something that makes you happy and lets your brain relax, and do that periodically to keep yourself engaged!
Best of luck with finals! Winter break will be here soon!
