BACK TO SCHOOL: STUDY HACKS

Part II

WEAR NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES

Whether you like to study with music or not, noise-canceling headphones are one investment
you should consider making! Noise-canceling headphones work to block out the sounds around
you. Simply turning on the noise-canceling function will block the world around you so you can focus
on your studies. You can use these without playing music so you get complete silence, or put on a bit of peaceful music in the background, which will be all you come to hear. Plus these are great to have around even if you don’t have any studying that needs to get done!

MAKE SURE TO REWARD YOURSELF

Too often, students get it in their head that studying non-stop is the best way to memorize and understand the material. But they couldn’t be more wrong! It’s necessary to take proper breaks and
reward yourself in between studying to make sure you’re not getting overwhelmed. If you study constantly with no pause, then you won’t be absorbing or understanding the information as much as you can when you’re rested. Whether you take a nap, watch Netflix, or treat yourself to a snack, make sure you’re taking care of yourself!

CREATE A SCHEDULE (AND STICK TO IT)

Many students say the same thing happens to them before an exam or paper: they run out of time to learn the material! Having excellent time management skills is crucial when you’re in school, but it’s easier said than done. We recommend creating a study schedule well before a big deadline. This helps you visually see how much you need to study, and estimate how much time it will take. Plus, it can
help alleviate your stress since, assuming you stick to the schedule, you’ll be on track to know everything by the time the deadline rolls around.

ASK YOUR TEACHERS QUESTIONS

Many students are too intimidated to ask their teachers or professors questions after a lesson. You might be worried the question will come across as silly, or that you’ll be even more confused and stressed out after getting an answer. But this is exactly what your teachers are there for! They’re meant to help explain the material to you as much as you need to until you get it. It also often works in your favor to build a repertoire with your teacher. They’ll see how hard you’re trying, and you’ll likely be able to pinpoint topics you need more work in understanding. At the very least, it certainly can’t do you any harm to ask them for clarification!

LEARN WHAT WORKS FOR YOU

Too often people assume that there’s only one right way to study. And that’s just downright false! People come in all different shapes and sizes, and thus they all have different ways of learning, too. The best thing you can do is learn what works from trial and error. Do research into different study methods and put them to the test. If they’re not working for you, then move on to something different. Eventually, you’re bound to find a routine and habits that allow you to study in a healthy and productive way. Oh- but no one benefits from all-nighters. So make sure you’re getting a good night’s sleep, no matter what!