Tips for Studying at Home
The end of the semester is upon us, which can only mean one thing: it is final exam season! Many of us are accustomed to studying at Evans or West Campus libraries, student lounges, or local coffee shops. However, individuals are now required to stay home and socially isolate from others. Studying at home can be difficult, as it is easy to become distracted or fall victim to procrastination. The media outreach team has come up with some tips to help you BTHO finals!
- Establish a studying space: If you have a desk, coffee table, or some type of seating area with a surface in your home, remove all items not related to your studies and dedicate the space specifically to studying.
- Get rid of distractions: Put your phone on “do not disturb,” turn off the TV, and focus. If you like listening to music when you study, try instrumental music without lyrics. There are many playlists dedicated to studying on apps like Spotify, YouTube, and the like.
- Let others know that you are studying: If you have roommates or are back home with family, let them know that you have exams coming up and will be using the space for studying. Providing a schedule of set days and times that you will be using the space is important as they will avoid distracting you.
- Set realistic goals and prioritize: It is unrealistic to study for all of your finals in one day. Give yourself an adequate amount of time to study. The Learning Strategies Center at Cornell University created “The Five Day Study Plan” for students who may struggle with creating and executing study plans (find the link at the bottom of this post). Some exams may not require five days of studying, so it is important to understand where you stand with some material. When setting time aside for studying, pick certain classes for certain days and dedicate more time to classes that you have the most trouble with. Do not pull all-nighters, as you will be less likely to retain material without an adequate amount of sleep. In fact, Dr. Michael Scullin, the director of Baylor’s Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory, found that students averaging eight hours of sleep for five nights during final exams week had better exam scores than those who did not receive 8 hours of sleep.
- Reward yourself and take breaks: When you accomplish a goal (like finishing a review on Quizlet), be sure to reward yourself and take a break. Go outside for a walk, play with your pet, talk to a friend on the phone, take a nap, bake your favorite dessert, or anything else that you enjoy (while following social distancing guidelines, of course). The treat will be well-deserved and encourage you to continue your hard work. You will also be less likely to burn yourself out if you give yourself time to recuperate.
To find out more about Cornell’s Five Day Studying plan, visit the following link: http://lsc.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The-Five-Day-Study-Plan.pdf
To learn more about Dr. Scullin’s research at Baylor University: https://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=205058