There’s no doubt about it – studying can feel like a drag. This is especially true since students are approaching their year-end examinations, and due dates are looming near. It can become overwhelming at a point when you bombard yourself with questions like whether or not you will manage, you already know your stuff, or you’ll make it through the exams. Even the most subtle of insecurities can begin to consume you and draw your focus away from what you should be doing – studying! We’re here to generate some motivation for you to keep you at those books and scoring better than you thought you would!
Set Questions for Yourself
Make the task of studying a little more exciting and challenging by mixing it up a bit. Do this by setting questions similar to the kind that would be asked in the examinations based on various sections that you have gone over. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you get them wrong or don’t know how to answer them because the idea is that by challenging your brain in this way, you’ll be learning to absorb information better! This is a process that requires time and effort. If possible, have a set of questions and answers for each section or chapter of your notes to make it likely that you fully understand your notes and make it easier for you to revise.
Team Teaching
It is particularly helpful to study in a group as long as all members of the group are truly dedicated to studying instead of using a “study group” as an excuse to hang out, of course! So, the idea here is that each member of the group goes and studies a specific section of notes thoroughly, then each comes back to the group to teach the others whatever they have learned, answering any questions the rest of the group may have. This is particularly effective because there could actually be questions that some people ask that you may not be able to answer. In this case, you will be learning even more. Plus, you benefit from the others teaching you other sections. Win-win!
Pore Over Past Papers
You would actually be incredibly surprised by how many students actually ditch their notes, textbooks, and general swotting to just thoroughly answer exam papers and past assignment questions. You may even find that you do exceedingly well just by focusing on past papers However, it is always best if you have the time to first read through all your notes to grasp a full understanding of the work before tackling question papers. You may even be surprised to find that many questions repeat themselves in the examinations — sometimes unaltered, or just slightly altered – which is often the case for calculation-based subjects like maths and physics. Puzzling over things and getting them wrong actually does help you remember how to do it better than reading through the notes do.
Change Up Your Routine
If you’re lacking the motivation to study, there may be a simple fix to your lack of concentration – changing up your routine. Perhaps you’ve been tackling the books at midday for months now in a specific room at a specific table. Well, when exams loom near, you may find a new environment and a new routine very refreshing. Try waking up extremely early in the morning or working late into the night, depending which is better for you, and try studying in a different environment. The new surroundings and refreshing change may just be what you needed to refocus your concentration and have you being more productive than usual.
Get Moving
While all or some of these tips are bound to work if you give them a go, you may just need a little more to pep you up. One of the best and most natural ways to get more out of your study session is to find the time in the day to do some exercise. It is scientifically proven that exercise helps with concentration and could even help you retain information better. It’s worth a shot – and besides, you will feel great and have more energy, which is bound to have you jotting down notes in no time!
Here is the most important thing – do not stress! Easier said than done, yes, but just breathe and take it easy, and you will be fine!