Adamson University students, or “Adamsonians” as what they are referred to, always find ways to study productively through hell weeks, workloads on top of each other, and juggling curricular and extra curricular activities all together. But there really are times that the students feel stressed, or just “burnt out” so here are some ways on how to make ends meet between school, extra curricular activities, and personal life.
1. Make a list
– What are the classes and organizations that you are part of? When is the schedule of the meetings? Make sure that everything is organized. If you like doodling and journaling, you can buy a mini planner or travel organizer. But if you want your schedule to be always with you wherever you go, you can opt for the calendar applictaion on your phone. Both are feasible, as long as you’re comfortable with using it. Organizing your schedule can help minimize absences and tardiness in either your classes or your org meetings which means less stress for you!
2. Find a happy place
– Different students have different happy places when studying. Some feel comfortable studying in the four corners of their room while some feel more energetic when they study in coffee shops, libraries, or anywhere wherein they can see other people. The challenge is to find your own happy place. Are you a “i want no distraction when i study” person or “i feel sleepy when i study alone” person? After determining your perfect happy place for studying then make it a habit of continuously going there. Studies have shown that people who feel at ease in the place where they are studying results in a productive study session and a more continuous flow of thoughts when doing school-based activities.
3. Avoid distractions!
– Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, may have created ways in connecting people and increasing student collaboration thru group chats, group page, and many more. But to be honest, it can be more of a distraction that it is more than a positive impact. It is mainly because instead of working on your homeworks and studying for a straight 30 minutes, you cut it by 10-10-10 for the reason of checking your social media accounts. So cut out any distraction and make a pledge to study throughout your study session and make the most of it. And at the end of the day, you can indulge yourself in these sites as a reward for all your hardwork during your study session.
4. REST
– Some student can pull an all nighter while some are morning birds who wakes up early in the morning to study. Rest assured, either way is fine. But you should always remember to find time to just sleep and relax after studying. Are you bombarded with schoolworks and exams the next day that you think you cannot fit in a full 8 hour sleep? Then rest your eyes. Studies shows that resting your eyes during intervals of your study session can really help boost your energy while studying, making you more productive rather than continously studying with a groggy state and tired eyes.
5. Find a study group
– Finding a study group can be very helpful at times. You can ask your friends to study together or it is commonly referred to as “group work”. Studying with groups can help you to learn and understand difficult topics on different subjects. You can exchange ideas, learnings and knowledge about certain things. Studying together can help you be more motivated and focused. In these days, it is a trend to study in coffee shops given that coffee shops are now open for 24 hours and provide wifi network that is very useful for the customers. Aside from that, you may also have a group study at home with your friends.
6. Motivate Yourself
– When you are studying, you need a driving force to motivate you to study. But it is not always possible to have a driving force standing behind you to motivate you. You have to learn how to motivate yourself. Set yourself goals or rewards that you can collect after you have accomplished a certain amount of studying or homework. Motivating yourself can also help you to be more productive since you are inspired to do things on your own. It would be a great deal for us students if we start our own little ways of helping ourselves.
7. Learn from your mistakes
– You do not have to be the student who always gets 100% on the examsz quizzes or activities. We know that our capabilities have its shortcomings. However you do need to be the student that learns from the mistakes they have made. It’s okay if you have screwed up on one text. You can always make it up on the next, or study better. You cannot reap rewards without a little bit of hard work after all. Just always remember that mistakes have the power to make us better than we were before.
8. Set your goals
– When you have planned your study time, you should also know where your plan takes you. Have a specific goal in mind before you start your study session. This goal should be in such a way that it helps you accomplish your study plan in an organized manner. Having goals will help you stay focused and observe your progress. Be clear about what exactly you want to achieve during study time.
9. Never postpone your study plan
– Students nowadays have the tendency to postpone their study plan. They tend to always say “I’ll do it later”, “I still have time later” which later turns into “I’ll do it tomorrow” and eventually turns into not doing it. It would always be better to follow your study plan or better yet, study ahead of time so you do not have to cram when the due date is approaching. Adjourning your plans will make your studying less effective and you should avoid that.
10. Don’t study too much
– Of course, at the end of the day your mental health is the most important. Don’t tire out your brain too much. Space the work you have to do over shorter periods of time. Do not try to cram all of your studying into one or two sessions. Stay sane while in school. Your brain and your body and the two are undeniably intertwined. Don’t beat yourself up for taking a break every now and then. Don’t feel guilty about a night out with friends. It’s all about balance, and balance can help your mind focus better too. Keep that in mind, and you’ll be making great progress in no time.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
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