Learning. Life.

What?! OMG!! Oh well, I’ll worry about that when I’ve done all my assignments.

Right?

Wrong. Sorry.

Most of your assignments are due almost at the end of term, which only gives you one week to study before exams. It’s certainly possible to study only for that week, and pass - if you’re very (very) good at studying, and at sitting exams. But -

(a) If you don’t think you’re very, very good at studying and sitting exams, you might need to do a bit more, and

(b) If you want to do more than just pass, you might need to do a bit more.

Here’s how:

1. Single-task, don’t multi-task.
2. Plan out your study time.
3. Study smart, not hard.

1. Multi-tasking vs Single-tasking

We can’t do more than one thing at once - not well, anyway. It’s easier if we do one thing, concentrate on that thing, then put it down and do the next thing. So, when you study, pick one thing to work on for that session, and do that. This lets you get all the information you need together, keep it in your RAM (short term memory), and put it together efficiently. When you’ve got lots of different assignments and exams to work on, that means planning smart study sessions so that you can get through them all.

2. Plan out your study time

You need to:

a. Make a list of all the tasks you have to do: assignments, exams, housework, commitments etc. All of the tasks.

b. Prioritise based on importance, not urgency. Some things are more important than others. Check which papers are compulsory - they’re more important than optional ones. You’re going to have to make some hard choices here: do you go to the pub with your mates every night, or study some of those nights? This post will help you prioritise.

c. Then plan out when you can study, and break it into hour-long sessions. Schedule the tasks from step 1 into these sessions, most important first. This post will help you plan a good amount of study and still have a life too.

3. Study smarter, not harder.

Check out the Study Skills series from April for ideas on how to study smarter, not harder.

Then do the things you know you should: Follow your plan. Don’t let interruptions or temptations get in the way of your study: if a mate turns up, tell them you need to study. Keep what is important in mind. Don’t get raging drunk so that your next morning is a write-off. Eat healthy and exercise.

You know what you should be doing - it’s doing it that’s the hard thing. Hey - it’s only for a few weeks.

And if you’re procrastinating, check out this post