As the school year begins to ramp up, Covenant students are feeling the pressure of the pile of tests, papers, and exams coming their way in the next month before finals. With the weather turning from cold to glorious, and the end in sight, sitting down to study feels like the least appealing thing imaginable. But it must be done. I offer you some tried and true study tips that will hopefully help you start down the path to straight A’s.
1. Schedule your breaks
Making good use of your time is hard, but one way you can help keep yourself from distraction is by making sure you set aside time for your break and keep your schedule. The most recommended formula is to spend 45 minutes working with a 15-minute break, but you can try other variations to see what works best for you.
The Pomodoro technique also works well, having you focus for 25-minute bursts with 5-minute breaks, and then taking a longer break after a certain amount of time has passed. You can find a Pomodoro timer at tomato-timer.com, where it will notify you when you’ve reached your break. It also allows you to fiddle with some custom settings, making it the perfect study companion.
2. Drink water
According to a BBC report, students who brought water to their tests scored 5% higher on average than their classmates. But a glass of water doesn’t just help during your finals; staying hydrated will keep your brain functioning at its best. A red bull or coffee can feel very helpful during late-night study sessions, but water will do a lot more. So if you’re opening yet another canned Starbucks drink, don’t forget to pour yourself a glass of water too.
3. Change locations
If you find yourself hitting a mental wall while studying, unfocused, or distracted, get up and move. Take a short walk, or go somewhere else to study. Changing locations can give your brain a reset. Additionally, if you spend your leisure time in your room, your brain will have a harder time shifting into focus mode, since it’s used to having fun in that space. Going to the library or a commons with other students can provide some additional pressure to stay on task, but if you like peace and quiet, the upstairs of the library, or a quiet corner of a building can offer you some space to be focused in.
4. Find a good study group
Studying is hard work, but friends can make it easier. Meet up with classmates in the library to review your study guides together, or make a shared google doc to collaborate on preparations! One thing to try and find is a good study group that will help you get the most out of your time. While joking around all evening is a lot of fun (and there’s plenty of time and place for it), seek out a group that will help you stay on track. Knowing someone is keeping an eye on you can help keep you from getting distracted, and finding people who will do that without distracting you more, is key to getting your work done. But don’t forget to make time for fun social activities too! You can fight burnout by being preemptive about taking breaks.
5. Try word sprints
My personal favorite tool for writing, be it study guides or essays, is using a word sprint. For those unfamiliar, word sprints are a game where you set a timer (usually for 15 minutes, but it varies) and race to see who can write the most words in that time. You can play with your friends, or race against yourself. The game gives you a sense of haste that keeps you focused and can turn a long essay into a fun contest between you and your friends. While word sprints might not bring out your most polished writing (revision is a must), they can help you get that first rough draft done.
There are several ways to do word sprints; if you use Nanowrimo.com, they have a word sprint feature. Discord users can add the sprinto-bot to their servers, and the website ohwrite allows you to host your own sprint games with your friends or join a “global sprint.” Several other websites and tools allow you to try word sprints and are easy to use. Discord’s sprinto-bot is my personal favorite, but the options are endless. If you find yourself stuck in a writing rut and need that additional push, I cannot recommend this tool enough.
6. Sleep
Last but not least, don’t forget to sleep. While cramming the night before a big test feels like a good idea, research shows pretty clearly that the students who get a good night’s rest tend to do just as well, or better than their sleep-deprived classmates. But good sleep isn’t just helpful the night before your test; a well-rested brain needs at least a week of good sleep before the test. Napping during your study breaks is also a smart idea, and cut back on caffeine where you can.
It’s not always easy to get a good night’s sleep, especially if you’re stressed or have lots to do. But making the choice that takes care of your health first, and your grades second will often result not only in better schoolwork but in your mental and physical wellness for the long term. Don’t wait until finals week; start setting up a more healthy sleep schedule now, and you won’t regret it when your next exam rolls around.