Our Five Autumn Study Tips
It’s October, you’ve organised your accommodation and are settling into university nicely. However, as the nights draw in and the days get colder, it can be hard to find your mojo with studying and you may feel yourself losing motivation.
It can be easy to feel overwhelmed with your workload, especially in the first and final years of university. To help, we’ve pulled together our top five autumn study tips to help you stay on track.
1. Plan Ahead
It’s always best to plan! If you have a set timetable when it comes to studying, you’re more likely to stick to it. Choose a day that is fairly clear, so you can give yourself breaks in between. Make a to-do list and plan what you want to accomplish during each study session. It’s also a great idea to devote each session to one topic or assignment at a time so you feel more motivated to complete the task and like you have achieved something. As well as planning your specific study days, ensure you plan times to have fun too – they’re just as important!
2. Stay Social
Something that is very important whilst studying is staying social. Although sometimes it may be distracting to study with your friends, a lot of the time this can work out as a positive. By studying with those who are driven, wanting to finish their work and do it well, this can provide motivation to spur you on and do the same. It can also provide a helping hand when needed – an extra pair of eyes over a piece of work, someone to ask questions to or to quiz you on what you have learnt so far. Once you’ve finished studying together, you can then go do something fun too as a reward!
3. Change of surroundings
It can be hard to focus in your house or halls with lots of distractions, and the library may seem a little formal at times. Coffee shops are a great place to study as they take away the distractions of the home but without all the formalities of the library. Many coffee shops offer a drink and work deal, so you can spend a few hours there and get unlimited coffee - perfect!
4. Keep Warm
We know just how cold some student houses can get (not True Student accommodation though!), and it can make it very hard to concentrate when it comes to studying. Even if it’s just for a couple of hours a day, having your central heating on can really keep you warm and in turn boost your motivation to study. If that’s not an option though, find somewhere local that will be warmer, such as a communal workspace or the university library.
5. Take Breaks!
As much as it is important to study, it is also absolutely imperative to take breaks. Set yourself a period of time to focus on your work, say 20 minutes to half an hour, and when this time is up get up and walk away from your desk for five minutes. This will help motivate you to keep going! On your longer breaks, ensure you go outside. The fresh air and sunlight will help to clear your head, and in turn allow you to concentrate for longer. Light is harder to come by in the autumn and winter months, so make sure you take your outside breaks at a time you know you will get some daylight – even if it’s not very sunny.
We hope that you find our five autumn study tips useful to help you stay motivated this season. If you take these on board, you’re sure to stay on track. Happy studying!