Hey girl! Hope you’re doing well! Hope to chat with you soon 😃 I’m just wondering, if you’re willing to give some advice on how to get back into studying and all that. Cuz your girl is struggling with studying at the moment lol(Only if you want too, you can tell me no if it’s too much) Thanks in advance! Hope you’re having a great day/night! Sending you lots of hugs 💜💜💜
I'm doing as well as I can in the circumstances, how are you doing?
I'm probably not the best person to ask for studying advice because it's 10.40pm and I'm planning to stay up late working on my assignment due tomorrow, but I'll do my best! Honestly, when it comes to studying, you gotta do what you gotta do, especially when you're balancing your studies with a house, a job, mental health etc...
Here's what I can think of, from the top of my head...
Make your study space as 'you' as possible - my desk is full of little trinkets which people have gifted to me over the years, it's got a little calendar on it, it's got all my studying essentials on it, the coasters I use have sarcastic quotes on them... make your study space as defined as you can with what you have, and keep it as your study space. Make it fun, fill it with things which bring you joy. Or don't - some people like clutter, some don't. The point is, make your study space yours. It's hard to study, you deserve/need to be comfortable while you're doing it.
Create a little routine which always starts your studying - for me, I always study with a litre of iced coffee to start, I always watch a study vlog to make me feel less alone in the process, I always make sure my hair is in a state I'm happy with, and I make sure I have something to snack on while I work. With all those little things in place, it's easier to sit and study because once the routine is complete and I found something I can watch while I study [which is usually some kind of horror film], I can focus.
Make a five minute rule. Or if that's too much, a one sentence rule. Starting is always the hardest part but once you have momentum, it's usually pretty easy to keep going. So study for five minutes or write one sentence of notes. Just do something because once you start, it'll be easier to carry on.
Reward yourself little and often. You wrote a whole paragraph? That's amazing!!! Give yourself something delicious, your favourite sweet treat if you have one, take a small break to listen to your favourite song, just something as a little boost for your productivity.
Take breaks when you need them. [I don't take breaks because if I do, I'll lose my Focus Zone, even if it's only for five minutes. I gotta keep going or I'll stop and won't be able to carry on studying for the rest of the day, which is why I can do twelve-fifteen hour study stints. If I don't do it like that then I can't do it at all. But I know this isn't healthy or ideal, so I'm being a hypocrite and recommending that you take breaks.😂]
Keep your promises to yourself so you build a good trusting rapport with yourself, which will make it easier to be consistent with studying in the long run because you'll trust you can do it, and you will. So if you say you'll study for twenty minutes and then go grab another coffee? You gotta do it!
If you can, keep in contact with other students to help you feel less alone in studying or ask your professors for help when you need it, even if you think it's something small and silly. My grandad always used to say that the only stupid questions were the ones you didn't ask, and the older I get, the more I realise that he was right! If you're asking for help when you need it, it's too late! Ask before you need it, and be honest if you're struggling. Most people are really understanding and will help you if you ask.
Don't be afraid to watch YouTube videos or go outside of the syllabus to help you understand complex topics, just use critical thinking to make sure it's a reputable academic source and isn't going to be full of misinformation. There are lots of teacher channels who explain things as they would in a classroom, and it's helped me many a time when my textbooks just won't let concepts stick in my brain.
Consistency is key! If you can only do five minutes a day, that's okay! Just be consistent - small and steady wins the race, and it's not how fast you get it done! It's quality, not quantity.
I hope something here helps - if you want something more specific, please let me know and I'd be happy to chat about it with you! I hope you're having a good day/night too, and I'm sending you cuddles!!!🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂❤️
