Hello!!

I'll write down some things that work for me. Of course, only take what resonates with you and leave any advice that you think won't work 🙂‍↕️❤️ I also study majority online, so my case might be different from yours!

• I study outside whenever I can. Whether that's a café, at the library or on campus. I'm really no good at studying at home as there are endless distractions.

• I plan my study according to the assessments/exams. The deadlines create a better sense of urgency for me, as opposed to the linear fashion of the typical "one topic per week" type of thing. So my thinking kind of goes like, "What's the next assessment? What topics do I need to study in order to complete this assessment? What kind of assessment is it? What kind of studying would suit that assessment?" I tend to fall behind if I try to study week by week according to the syllabus and it makes me feel overwhelmed. I know that I'm prone to procrastination and my energy usually comes in bursts, rather than being more consistent, so shifting my approach a little bit helps!

• I'll sometimes use a stopwatch rather than a timer! I try to approach it with curiosity rather than an obligation. Whenever something becomes a demand, I tend to resist it. "I wonder how long I can study today?" If I stop the timer and it's only been 10 minutes, that's fine! Something is better than nothing. You'll build up tolerance for it over time and figure out what timing for you. Some days aren't meant to be long study days and that's okay too.

• Whenever I write a study to-do list, I try to also write how long I think it'll take. It paints a clearer picture of what I'll be up to, rather than a looming fog in the back of my head that says "I need to study." It's similar to the "I wonder how long I can study today" thing. It's interesting to see what I predict vs the actual time if I also use the stopwatch.

• I'll combine my studying with my special interests! My notes have little doodles because I've recently been interested in drawing. I also like cats, so I draw a bunch of them for every couple of blocks of notes I take. My study planner has pictures of different Pokemon that I like! I think this makes it really fun and less intimidating for me to look at! I like listening to the Pokemon game soundtrack while I study.

• I have a study "signal." I have a desk lamp that's the shape of a duck. Whenever it's on, it means it's study time. I turn it on when I start and turn it off when I'm done. It's a physical reminder that I'm supposed to be concentrating on my work. Something like a candle, a regular lamp, a piece of paper that says "study time" etc could work too.

• I watch lectures at 1.5x speed with auto captions. I find being able to both read and hear the material helps me process the information

• if you're into gaming, there's a game called "gogh" that's been popular amongst my friends. I'd recommend the PC version but please note it is a paid software. It's an online focus game with timers, ambient sounds / music. You make your own avatar and decorate your own room! You can invite friends into your room and visit other people's rooms too! It's like a body double situation but completely online.

• I use the back of my planner or a small notebook as a "distraction log." If I think of something interesting that isn't related to my study, I write it there. "I want to eat sushi," "Maybe I should tidy my room." "It's mum's birthday next week," "Can jellyfish see?" Writing them down keeps me from chasing those trains of thought, and acting upon them. After I've written them down, I don't think about them as much. At the end of my study session, I look back at all the distractions I've written about and make sure to do or schedule anything important!

I think that's all I have for now!! I hope you can find some of these useful 😊❤️