Studying can be tough when you’re at university. Trying to balance studying, working and also a social life can feel like it’s impossible at times. When it comes to studying, don’t panic as we have the ultimate study guide for uni students below.
Making notes is a great tip and has made it onto our ultimate study guide for all the right reasons. Just reading a textbook and hoping your brain will absorb all the information won’t work (unless you have an eidetic memory, in which case you have an amazing superpower!). Make notes of the important information you need to remember as you read through your textbooks so you know what to elaborate and expand on when you are answering questions in your exams. You can do this using notebooks or prepare notes on little cards on different topics if you find that helps instead. Your studying style is all about trial and error so find what is the best method for you.
Reading textbook after textbook can be draining. The black and white text is enough to send you to sleep so to help your notes more visual and vivid, use highlighters or switch it up by using different coloured pens. Colour code different things in different colours to help you remember things better. Using highlighters and different coloured pens will help you break up the black and white text and will help as visual aids.
Finding the time to study can be hard when you’re trying to juggle everything all at once but if you find it hard to fit time in to study, try creating a study timetable which you can stick to. Make sure to stick to the schedule and give yourself short bursts of study time which will help your productivity and maintain your motivation. If you find it difficult to study for hours, start off by doing an hour a day and ease your way into it before building the hours up more to whatever you feel comfortable. By sticking to a schedule, you’ll know to dedicate that time to studying.
Our ultimate study guide has to of course include breaks. Studying 10 hours straight will not help (unless you’ve been on the energy drinks?) your productivity and you’ll easily burn out. Make sure to take regular breaks so you don’t get exhausted quickly and to maintain your productivity levels. Make sure you’re looking after your body an that you stay healthy as getting ill during exam time won’t do you any favours. Eat regularly and drink plenty of fluids; you won’t be able to concentrate without giving your body fuel.
Whether it’s your own room, the library or a quiet cafe, find a comfortable and suitable place to study. You’ll be able to maximise your productivity levels and it will mean you’ll get a lot more done without so many distractions. You might even want to have a study buddy if you find that helps; you’ll be able to help each other out on things you’re not too clued up on and together you can motivate each other. You can also arrange a study group where you meet up on a regular basis – while studying by yourself means you can focus on what you want to study, studying in a group can mean you can discuss topics together and as they say: two heads are better than one.
No, really. Don’t leave studying to the last minute. The hardest thing about studying is actually starting it. Psych yourself up to study and once you get started, you’ll be on a roll. Leaving things to the last minute will just make you panic even more. Begin early on so you’ll be as prepared as possible and you’ll be able to ace those exams! Starting early on will mean you’ll be able to tackle those tough topics or questions that you probably didn’t get before and by taking the time to understand it, you’ll decrease your chances of getting into panic mode.
Exams can only ask so many questions and the same kind of questions are bound to come up in one way or another. Try and do as many past papers as you can so you can familiarise yourself with the type of questions that you might get in your exam. Practicing made it onto our study guide because as many people say: practice makes perfect (or maybe close enough?)
This is a tip from our ultimate study guide that a lot of students probably disregard or don’t do. If you are stuck, don’t panic. No, really. Getting into panic mode won’t help the situation. Take a deep breath and relax. Ask for help if you need it – there are always people willing to help you out. There is always help available whether this is making use of library resources, your classmates and of course, your lecturer. Your lecturer wants you to pass with flying colours and they’re the ones that will know what is on the exam.
Another important tip from our ultimate guide: clear your desk. Before you even attempt at studying, clear your desk and get rid of any clutter that will just get in the way and what is also not necessary. Get rid of rubbish, chocolate wrappers and unnecessary sheets of paper that you don’t need. Lock your phone and electronics away if needed if it will only distract you ever 5 minutes. Clearing your desk will help you get into study mode and with a clear desk, you’ll have a clear mind where you’ll be able to begin your studying.
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