Study habits you need to start now

With the beginning of the new academic year upon us, it is completely normal to feel overwhelmed when trying to balance studying and your personal life. The start of the academic year is a time when many of us are trying to find routines and study habits that work for us, and now is the perfect time to achieve study habits to last all year long. Maintaining these habits will make your life easier in the long term as you will perfect handling deadlines, staying on top of coursework, and managing revision. If you want some tips on how to deal with the stress of the academic year ahead, then keep reading.

My most important piece of advice as we go into a new academic year, is to invest in a planner

First and foremost, it is important to note that everyone has a different way of studying and therefore, it is crucial to figure out which of these study habits works best for you. It may take a few trial-and-error runs at first – it’s all part of the process. Another way to help navigate what study habits will work for you is to figure out what kind of learner you are. Are you a visual learner? Auditory learner? Or even a kinaesthetic learner (learning by doing)? If you are unsure, there are many quizzes online to help you figure out what kind of learner you are. The Arden University quiz is particularly useful as it is very quick and even gives you some learning tips specialised to your learning type.

I associate with being more of a visual learner, but this definitely varies depending on what it is I am studying, and other factors. Throughout my time as a student, I have found some habits particularly useful, which I will share with you and hopefully this can help you have a successful academic year.

My most important piece of advice, as we go into a new academic year, is to invest in a planner. This will be a saving grace and your best friend when the term gets busier and busier. It doesn’t have to be really expensive but get one that you love and that looks nice to motivate you. Carry it around with you every time you go to study or are on campus so that you can jot down things to do, or mark off things you have done (always very satisfying).

I would also recommend having a set day to consider what you achieved in the last week and to plan any goals for the upcoming week, or assignments that need to be completed.  I like to do this on a Sunday, as it is usually my rest day (it’s very important to factor rest in as well,) and looking back on the week motivates me for the week ahead as well as helping me to plan my workload.

It is important to spread your time wisely across all responsibilities and modules to ensure that you know exactly what to do for each one and how long to spend on it. I like to colour code each responsibility or module to make it easier to see the separation between all my tasks. I then set a designated time aside for each reading or task, and avoid other distractions like using my phone during this time period.

Surprisingly, these next set of tips have nothing to do with studying itself, and are arguably more important. Ensure you have a balanced lifestyle. University life is not all about studying and it is so good for your mental health to make sure you have a sport, a hobby, or time spent with friends to take a break away from studying. Also, you should prioritise sleep as much as you can because it will help you in the long run. There is no point in sacrificing your sleep to stay up studying because chances are, it won’t be your best work and sleep is more important.

Ultimately, a balanced lifestyle is the key to successful study habits

One thing I’m sure all of us as students struggle with at some point, is procrastination. This can make meeting deadlines increasingly difficult. One way to combat this is to reward yourself with breaks, a sweet treat, or time to do something you enjoy after you complete a task. This will help you to be conditioned to complete all your tasks as you will know that you will have fun afterwards.

Ultimately, a balanced lifestyle is the key to successful study habits. There are many tips out there, so find out what is best for you! Try and stick to your own routine and try your best to stick to study habits that will help you out in the long run.