It can be difficult to settle into the routine when you are transitioning from school to university, especially if you have chosen an accelerated curriculum or have to balance classes with a full or part-time job. Fortunately for you, we have come up with the top ten effective study habits that can help you blossom into a capable and disciplined college student. Not only this but your productivity and the ability to concentrate and understand the material will improve if you get into the study habits outlined in this blog.
Table of Contents
1. Study Schedule Creation
One of the best study habits is to come up with a study schedule and make sure that you do your homework at a specific time every day. Try to set aside time when there is nothing else you need to do, so there is nothing else that will be stressing you out and keeping your mind off of the work. Also, remember to organise your homework time for each class you are taking according to how easy and difficult you find them.
2. Effective Study Location
One of the most important elements of effective studying is choosing the ideal study location. Look for an area that is both peaceful and free from distractions so that you may concentrate without being distracted by other people or loud noises.
A school or public library, a coffee shop, or a quiet corner of your house can be good places to start. If you can, try changing your study location from time to time as some studies have shown that occasionally the study location can help retain information as it helps your brain create multiple associations with the material, making it easier for you to remember it.
3. Minimise Distraction
While picking a good location can be the first stage of the “doing your homework” process, you also need to work on minimising distractions for that place to work its magic. No matter where you are, distraction can reach you. It is no secret that smartphones are the epitome of distractions. Turning off your notification and keeping it out of sight can help you stay focused. Use the internet only for research. These insignificant and seemingly harmless distractions can take up hours of your time without you even realising it.
4. Never Procrastinate Your Planned Study Session
It is something that is very common among students of all ages. There are various reasons to put off your study session for example, you may not be interested in the subject, there are other things you need to get done first or it could be because you find the assignment too difficult. No matter what the reason is, if you want to be successful academically, you should never procrastinate studying. If you procrastinate your study session, it will not be as effective and you will not be able to accomplish everything you have planned. Procrastination leads to cramming and rushing, which are the number one cause of errors.
5. Start With The Most Difficult Subject First
You should begin with your most difficult course or homework/assignment because it will demand the greatest effort and mental energy. It will be much simpler to finish the remaining work once you have finished the hardest task. Though it may seem counterintuitive, starting with the most challenging tasks can significantly increase the efficiency of your study sessions and your academic success.
6.Take Breaks
Taking intentional breaks has been linked to better retention, it increases attention and boosts energy as well. Studies have shown that working for 50 minutes straight and then taking a break of 10 to 15 minutes can lead to optimum productivity. Here are some ways you can take a break to increase your productivity for later study sessions.
- Take a walk
- Stretch
- Take a shower
- Have a snack or coffee
- Watch some tv
Also, remember that not all breaks are created equal, there are studies that show that checking your phone as a study break can actually lead to a decrease in performance.
7. Take Notes
Taking notes is one of the best study habits to have. Not only does it help you stay engaged during the class, but also helps you narrow down what you need to study when you set down to complete your homework or when the time for exams comes around. It is much easier to reread your notes than to reread your entire textbook. It can also make the researching part easier for you as you will have an idea from the get-go of what you should look for when you are working on an assignment related to a specific course.
8. Don’t Multitask
Studies have shown that multitasking while studying is physically impossible. Multitasking can have a number of negative effects on learning. Students are less effective at absorbing information about what they are studying if they aren’t giving their schoolwork complete attention. Additionally, grades may begin to suffer if students lack a thorough understanding of what they are learning. Longer and more frequent distractions from multitasking can cause productivity as well as school performance to drop even more.
9. Effective Study Strategies
Sometimes simply going through your notes doesn’t work as well as you’d like. There are some other study strategies one can use to produce better results:
- Rewrite your notes
- Make an outline of the homework assignment you are working on
- Use memory tricks like mnemonic devices
- Make use of flashcards
- Restate concepts in your own words
10. Ask for Help
You are in school to learn, so don’t be afraid to do just that. If there is a concept that you need to understand in order to complete your assignment then ask for help from a teacher, this is a sure way to make you truly understand the material. If even then you are confused then you can always invest in getting a tutor. Tutoring can help your productivity as the process features a supportive approach to help students understand the material better and in less time.
