so i had a couple weeks where my motivation just… seemed to have taken time off. these 5 tips are those that helped me the most when i couldn’t seem to bring myself to start studying. i hope they’re helpful to others as well!
have a ritual
i’ll bring myself as an example: before i study i always follow these steps, in this order: i clean the desk, even if the books i need are already there, i clean it; i take a glass of water and a small plate with some almonds and ½ chocolates; i get a timer for the pomodoro technique (i’ll talk about this later); i brain dump (i’ll talk about this too); start a playlist; take a deep breath, sit down, and actually start. now, this is mine, it doesn’t have to be yours, but it was to help you understand. when you’re on the couch with your phone and you just don’t want to start an afternoon of studying, just… try the first step. clean that desk. then get the glass of water. and from then on it will be easier and easier to actually get to it. the important thing is to start.
start small (the pomodoro technique)
if you feel that your brain just… refuses to focus on that textbook, don’t strain it. start small. if you’ve never heard about the pomodoro method, i suggest you look it up online, i’ll try to explain it briefly: all you need is a timer; you study for 25/30 minutes, get a 5/10 minutes break in which you get up, go to the bathroom, drink, do a mini-workout… then you start again. it really helps if the idea of sitting at your desk for ours makes you want to vomit. if even 25 minutes seems too much, don’t worry. study for 5 minutes. have a break. try studying for 10 minutes. but maybe you won’t even need to do that: like i said before the important thing is to start. just that will set your brain in motion, and it will actually be harder to stop.
brain dumping
this simple tip has really helped, maybe more than all the others i name here. you have a lot of thoughts rushing through your mind that you just can’t lock away so you can start focusing on that homework? brain. dump. just grab your planner, your bujo, a random piece of paper, and write down what’s on your mind without worrying about the form. just write. write until your mind is blank. then try to start again.
give yourself a reward (if…then)
it can be a small thing like “if i finish this maths equation i’ll eat a candy” or a larger-scale thing like “if i study this chapter i’ll watch another episode of my favourite tv show”. our brain tends to choose the path that requires less effort and gives a bigger reward. but facing a task knowing there’s a reward at the end might help make it seem more effortless.
just don’t wait to “feel like it”
because sometimes you just never will. you will never “feel like” spending an afternoon studying a subject you hate. but you have to do it anyway, so… try your best to make it pleasant. study in your favourite spot, listen to your favorite instrumental piece, buy a nice notebook so it’s easier to actually open it… but you have to start. just start. that’s really the hardest part. i promise it’ll get easier from there.
[click images for high quality]
[transcript under the cut]
Other advice posts that may be of interest:
All About Procrastination
How To Study When You Really Don’t Want To
Common Study Mistakes
7 Strategies to Improve Concentration
How to Make Your Notes Aesthetic
How to Stop Procrastinating Series
Keep reading
[click images for high quality]
[transcript under the cut]
Other advice posts that may be of interest:
How To Study When You Really Don’t Want To
Active Revision Techniques
How To Do Uni Readings
How to Revise BIG Subjects
Keep reading
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I miss you so much…😢 r.i.p. my endless love Loki ❤ (? - 2018)
ziad nakad fw 17-18
since my last masterpost on mind maps was successful i thought i’d make a masterpost about general studying! this way i get to share with you guys what i’ve found out over the years with my personal experience!
the space you choose to study is really important! it can be in your bedroom, another place in ur house, library, cafe, a park, etc
it should be somewhere u can focus + concentrate without distractions
have more than one place to pick from in case u ever need to change a little or can’t use one
lighting is really important. good natural lighting is always best; try to find a place where the light comes from your left if you’re a righty or from the right if you’re a lefty – you’ll thank me when ur writing and u can see everything perfectly
if ur in ur room, figure out whether having motivational quotes/pics on your walls help u or distract u – for me, i like to have a couple but not many, and mostly motivational quotes + sticky notes with the stuff i need to get done
keep it organised! u can use drawers to keep ur suplies so that they aren’t all laying around when ur studying if u don’t need them
lay out everything u need when ur about to start studying so that u don’t have to get up to get this or that all the time
it’s great to try out many different ones!
you’ll always have a couple u prefer but don’t be afraid to experiment
masterpost by @heystudy
masterpost by @etudiance
flashcards are awesome for memorizing + testing yourself! here are some tips for making them by @tbhstudying
here’s a great alternative for flashcards by @studyign!
mind maps are great for linking information + understanding + condensing. here’s a link to my masterpost!
rewriting notes is an awesome way to revise!
when u rewrite ur notes, u can color code them + add lil drawings + diagrams, make them more visual overall
great masterpost on visual/aesthetically pleasing notes by @areistotle
if they’re available, always try to find old exams and take them to practice! u can take them under exam conditions or not, whatever helps u the most
first of all, u need to figure out whether u work better with or without background music, because it may end up distacting u
if u don’t want music but still need background noise, u can listen to white noise or ambient noise!
classical music is awesome; studies have shown that it benefits the brain, sleep patterns + stress levels
u can listen from playlists on 8tracks, spotify or youtube vids [i prefer 8tracks]
check out my #music tag for great playlists + masterposts!!
you’ve probably heard of it all over the studyblr community and that’s because it’s awesome
here’s a link to the official site!
it’s great for helping u focus; i work better like this because i couldn’t study for an hour straight if my life depended on it, + i still get everything done!
however, don’t adapt yourself to the times it sets for u but the other way around – if you’re working and the 25 minutes are done but u still feel like u can continue, you’re motivated and focused, go on!
don’t know what to do in those breaks? here’s the list for u!
i use forest to time myself! it’s great cause it also keeps u from checking ur phone. focusnow is a free alternative for ios
start revising early, even if u know u can cram and get good results. i used to do the last thing and even though i got really good grades i was always super stressed the day before and it made studying suck even more
avoid checking social media while studying, even tumblr for “motivation”, because you’ll inevitably get sucked into it
form a study group or find a study buddy because they’ll help u focus, u can explain to each other when u don’t understand something, etc
know everything u need to get done and prioritize
make ur notes pretty only if u have the time + it helps u
if u don’t have the time to make ur notes pretty but are a visual learner, grab a highlighter and colour code them – e.g. green for terms, yellow for definitions, pink for dates/people
figure out whether u work best in the morning, afternoon or evening. try not to study at night unless necessary + get good rest bc it helps ur brain work better
studyblr-ing 101
apps for ur life
how to mind map
i hope you found this masterpost helpful!! if u have any questions or request for a masterpost, send me a message!
sofi xx
I miss you so much…😢 r.i.p. my endless love Loki ❤ (? - 2018)
My 10 favorite hot looks of Cary
I’m reaching the end of my time at university and it’s got me all sentimental. and regretful. There are a number of things that I had learned during my time at university that I wish I’d known during first year.
Read everything. The only valid excuse for not reading everything on the reading list is that you didn’t have time, not that you found it boring, or that it wasn’t useful. Because there’s nothing scarier than trying to write an essay on something you studied a month ago, and you have no notes on the topic.
Revise constantly. I wish I’d revisited everything I did a week after I did it, just as a recap. I tended to focus on what I was doing in the moment because it felt the most important thing at the time. Well, during exams, everything is equal. And it’s so frustrating not quite being able to remember something. So, revise. Even just for ten minutes.
Don’t spend all of your money on impulse. I’ve bought so much rubbish that I really don’t need. And if I’d saved that money, I could have gone on holiday. Save every last penny you can.
Eat well. I just said that you should save all the money you can, but I think that food is one exception to that rule. Try and save money where you can, obviously, but don’t go for days and days without fresh vegetables because you’re saving money for a holiday. Your mind, as well as your body, needs food.
Go and talk to professors in their student hours. I used to find this so awkward. To be honest, I still do. But if you’re going sending them an email and asking for clarification on a topic, consider maybe popping into their office when it’s open to students. And tell them if you’re struggling! If you don’t let them know, then they can’t help you.
Take hot drinks with you, to your lectures or to the library. Don’t spend all your money in the library cafe. Bring a flask of tea, and loads of study snacks in a packed lunch box. Trust me on this.
Make time to meet up with friends you haven’t seen in ages. Don’t wait for them to ask you. I make sure to socialise with my friends at least twice a week. And by socialise, I don’t mean getting blind drunk and going clubbing. Sit down and have lunch together. Chat. Get to know each other properly. Friendships formed over alcohol never last as long as friendships formed through actual conversation.
Do stuff that the university puts on for students. Join societies. Get involved. One of the best nights I ever had at university was a masquerade ball that my college put on. And for some reason, I’ve never done anything like that since then? And I don’t understand why! University is for making memories, and I don’t really have many!
Travel around your university town. If you’re university is on a campus, don’t let your life revolve around that one place. If you’ve travelled away from home to go to university, then make it worth your while! See the sights, be a tourist, get on a bus and go to a random town and buy ice cream.
Experiment. This is the time. Dye your hair blue, join a weird and random society and take up a hobby you’d never dreamed of. If you want to try drugs, make sure it’s a safe environment and do your research before hand. If you don’t want to do that kind of thing, then don’t judge other people for doing so.
Give yourself a day off per week. When you’re at university and you’ve got loads of work, it’s tempting to just work constantly - or at least, to work every day, if not all the time. But it’s so much better for your mental state to take a day off to just relax.
Keep up with your chores. When you’re stressed about an assignment, you don’t want to be also stressed about that pile of washing up accumulating by the sink. Keep your room tidy too - clear space, clear mind.
Be kind to everyone. You’re going to meet a lot of people at university, some you’re going to hit it off with immediately. But there will be some who really rub you up the wrong way. Don’t worry about it, it’s completely fine to not like someone. But don’t be mean to them. This isn’t high school, you’re all here to learn and there’s just no need to make them feel bad about themselves. It’s just petty and childish.
Think about the future. I know that you’re completely wrapped up in your university life right now, but you’re going to have to venture out into the real world at some point. Do things that might help your future career: volunteer, get a job, join a sports club, make connections. University isn’t, sadly, forever.
There you have it! The advice that I would have given myself in the first year of university. Whether you’re just about to start university, or whether you’re just about to leave, I hope this is useful to you.
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