• Simple and Practical Writing Tips from Real Writers

tips on studying effectively

The years you spend in education can be some of the most rewarding of your entire life, but they can also be some of the most stressful if you are not equipped to deal with the massive workload that college and university imposes in its students. When it comes to making it through your degree with ease and as little stress as possible, it is all about taking advice from those who have already been through it, and implementing the tips in to your own daily studying routine to achieve the best results possible. If you are looking to make your studying and writing more productive, then read through this list of ten great tips that we have compiled to guide you in the right direction.

1. Organize Your Study Area

To put it simply, the more organized your work desk and surrounding area is, the more organized your mind is going to feel. Trying to study in the midst of a big mess is never a good idea. There are too many distractions and you might not be able to find what you are looking for in the moment that you need it.

2. Complete Past Papers

If you are anxious about upcoming exams, you can search online for past papers to complete, and this helps in two different ways. The first is that it will help you to be familiar with the format and structure of the exam, and the second is that it might be able to give you an idea of what topics might be covered in your exam, helping you to make the most of your revision time.

3. Study Group

If you are the kind of person who tends to be easily distracted when working alone, an easy way to solve this problem is to organize a study group with other students in your class. You will be able to learn from each other and share your knowledge.

4. Get Regular Sleep

Pulling an all nighter to cram in more information might seem like a good idea, but your brain can only function if it has had enough rest. Even if you have managed to finish an entire topic overnight, you will probably be so tired the next day that the information flies right out of your head. Make sure that you maintain a regular, healthy sleeping pattern.

5. Limit Social Media

Social media in its various forms and platforms is the number one procrastination for students everywhere, so you need to commit to cutting back on scrolling and doing more studying. Use social media as a 5-minute reward for doing an hour of solid work, this will turn it in to a form of motivation rather than distraction.

6. Always Write A Plan

Whenever you are writing an essay, it is vital that you begin by putting together a solid plan. Having a clear direction with an introduction, middle and conclusion will prevent you from going off on unnecessary tangents, and will also ensure that you include everything that you wanted to in order to get your argument across.

7. Give Yourself Enough Time

It is tempting to leave everything to the last minute at university, especially when the pull of social life is always there, but it is important that you always gives yourself enough time to complete your projects and essays. Count backwards from a deadline and make sure that you have at least 4 or 5 days to write a big essay, breaking it up in to smaller chunks of work over a period of time makes it seem much less daunting.

8. Take Breaks

The worst thing a student working hard can do is burn out, so it’s important that you give yourself some time off to recharge and give your brain a rest. You can only do your best work if your body and mind are feeling good, so don’t overload yourself, remember that you aren’t a machine!

9. Eat Healthy

The temptation to load up on junk food during a cramming week is very high, but try to make smart decisions about what you are putting in to your body. The healthier you eat, the healthier you will feel and the more energy you will have to attack the next task!

10. Ask For Help

If you are wasting precious time by being stuck on a topic that you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask your teachers and professors for help, after all, that is exactly what they are paid to do! As soon as you grasp a subject, you can move on the next one which makes your time much more productive.