I believe that everyone has their way of studying, however, the way you are studying may not actually be the best method for your learning style. That is why it is important to figure out what studying style works best for you. I realized that the space you study in and the time you cut out for studying are essential. It can make a big difference in how well you retain the information. If you are in an environment where you cannot get the peace a quiet you need to focus, you are not going to do so well. Time management is also essential, especially if you procrastinate. Procrastination will cause you to be overwhelmed, and that will interfere with your focus. Below I give you some of the study tips that have helped me to be successful!
Space
I believe that the space that you pick is an important choice when it comes to studying. You need a clean room to study because it can help you focus. When your workspace is cluttered then your mind is cluttered. A cluttered mind makes it hard to concentrate and retain the information you are studying. The space you are studying is also important because the fewer distractions you have, the better focus you have to concentrate on the information you are reading. For example, I cannot study on a messy desk, so I will wipe down my desk with wipes before studying. I also have a music playlist for studying. On this playlist, I have music that I know will help me stay focused and drown out any distractions around me. I know that some people need complete silence to study, so it’s good to find what works for you. So in your free time take a walk around campus and look to see if you find a quiet or comfortable place for you to get in the study zone. You can make a playlist if you need music to concentrate as I do. You can also look up playlists on Spotify and or YouTube specifically made for studying.
Timing/ Procrastination
Time management is crucial for studying. Some people can cram right before a test or exam and still do well. Although this is not a good study habit, it seems to work for some people! A good study habit would be to manage your time and ensure that you set up an adequate time to study each subject. You can put it in your planner or whatever you use to keep track of your assignments. When the professors give me the syllabus, I put all homework assignments a week before the due date and all exams or tests two weeks before the due date. This way I have time to prepare, especially because I tend to procrastinate a lot. My procrastination makes me feel overwhelmed which does not help when studying. You can pick how many days you want to study for your test or exam. I choose a week because I know that some days I get tired, so I have to put things to the side. Overall, finding time to study and prepare for your classes can be difficult, but it can help get you to get your grades and performance where you want to be!