How do you stay motivated throughout the semester, school year, etc.?
Whenever I get the secret to this I will be glad to share it with you! But really, in all honesty I think it all comes down to accepting that I am human and at times the motivation to continue my work will be difficult (if not almost impossible) to find. When this happens, I like to remind myself of what my goal is and why I am doing this in the first place. I also like to reflect on previous experiences of hardship when I did my best and succeeded in the end. I think this helps me get back on track when I need it! Every little battle at overcoming procrastination is a step closer to victory!
Can you study in an environment with noise or music, or do you need it to be quiet?
I actually can study in different environments as long as it’s consistent. For instance, if I am in a café and there is noise and all the sudden, everybody leaves and it’s all quiet, I would be disturbed. Same goes for music if I start studying with music on I prefer to continue doing so for the entire session. The same also applies for quieter places like my home or the library. I like the feeling of knowing my environment is “set” and unchangeable so I can focus on my work.
What is your best piece of advice about studying?
Plan, plan, plan and plan. I think it’s best to divide your study (or writing) material in pieces and schedule a realistic time to do it. I find the waking up in the morning and saying “today I’m studying!” never works unless I planned in advance what I wanted to do. Being organised and doing well in school go hand in hand in my opinion.
Thanks for asking me these questions! Good day!