I am going to admit that I do not have the best study habits. It is a combination of being diagnosed at 17 with ADHD-inattentive type and my tendency to be a bit of a procrastinator which sometimes makes me not study until the last minute.
It has taken me a long time to form some sort of routine to review information for upcoming quizzes and tests. However, I am not perfect. Sometimes, I do fall back into my old ways.
One of my first study tips for myself is writing down a to-do list in the notebook that is always on me. Usually, I will do assignments or studying from easiest to most difficult. The first thing I might do on that list is a discussion post because I know those do not take long to write. Then, I go down the list until every task I have is completed.
Some tests I don’t need to study that much for because the information just sticks with me better. For example, my strongest subjects have always been in the humanities, so English and history. Those two subjects can be challenging, but I like the challenge because they always change.
My kryptonite when it comes to my education has always been math. I have always passed my math classes, but with great difficulty. During elementary and middle school, my parents placed me in a math tutoring place called Mathnasium. I would go there after school a few times a week and I even went during the summer.
The reason why I have never connected with math can be broken down into two things. One is that I considered a disconnection between me and the math problem. I can understand how the math problem is solved when the teacher is doing it, but once it is my turn I just can’t seem to transfer the knowledge I know I have.
The second reason for my weakness in math is that testing makes me anxious. It seems that when it comes to certain tests I get so nervous that I forget what I have studied. I will be looking at that test trying to think back to the information I just looked at.
A big game changer in doing my school work is finally having a desk. Before I would work on my couch or on my bed,but now I have a dedicated place in my living room where I can do my work. What I like about my setup is that it gets me motivated to do my work and lets my room be a place where I can relax.
I just have to make sure to always keep my desk organized, so I do not get overwhelmed by all my books.
Another way I study and overall do all of my work is I like to listen to music. I am not one of those people who have a dedicated study playlist. When I am working I like to listen to a variety of music. Sometimes, I am in the mood for a song that is loud and fast, or maybe I want a tune that is slow and mellow. Occasionally, I will just shuffle my music and listen to whatever plays next.
The one thing I have to stop doing in my studying is looking at the materials for real the day before the test.
My goal this year is trying to get a full night’s rest because I have a tendency to stay up late. I have always been a night owl, not an early bird. Throughout the years, I’ve noticed I am more productive at night with my work.
I currently have a full load of classes which can sometimes be a lot, but I think I am doing well with keeping up with my work. After a while, I start to get into a routine with my school work and it makes it easier to do the things I need to do. My last piece of advice is don’t forget to eat a good breakfast in the morning and get lots of sleep!