During this unprecedented
time, the most affected sector is academics. We have switched on to virtual
mode of classes, when the students around the globe are finding themselves
homebound for weeks at a time; things have to be done hhdifferently.
You may be home by yourself, quarantined along with
your other member or entire family—either way, study preparations for an
important exam will need an adjustment to allow you to fully focus. Before the
pandemic, it was easy to escape to study at an open space or library (or at
least somewhere silent), but we’re now readjusting to a new normal in which
home studying is the only option.
Here are some tips on how to study effectively
while stuck at home, whatever your situation might be.
1. Carve out (and clean out) your study space
If you already have a desk in your bedroom, that’s
a great start. Do a little Marie Kondo-ing to de-clutter the space and make
room for your books, computer and any other study tools. Remove, during your
chosen study time, anything unrelated to your test prep.
If you don’t have a desk in your room (maybe you’re
sharing counter or table space with others in your home), choose a dedicated
area where you can study. Make sure it’s clean, clutter-free and generally
quiet during your study time. Also, be sure to remove all of your study
materials once you’re finished, so that the space may go back to its original
purpose. Using a portable container—like a crate, backpack or small box—that
you can dedicate to housing your Exam study materials is helpful; you can keep
everything together and move between spaces easily when necessary.
2. Communicate to others in your home that you will
be studying
It’s crucial to let anyone else in your home know
when you’ll be studying, whether it is a set time each day or a block of hours
on certain days. This will give you quiet time to focus and hopefully ensure
that you are not disturbed.
3. Tune out distractions
If you find that you need to tune out the noise
being made by others around your home, prepare yourself with some headphones
and your favourite studying music. Instrumental music—classical, jazz, lo-fi
hip hop or synthase, for example—is helpful as background music, cancelling out
unwanted noise as well as providing a motivating soundtrack for studying.
Experiment with different genres to see what works for you.
4. Focus
During your chosen study times, focus. The
more focused and dedicated you are, the more effective your study time will be.
If you go over your allotted time, great! Your hyper-focus helped you to study
hard and prepare even more than you’d planned. If you’re finding it difficult
to focus, take a short break to stretch, breathe or enjoy some refreshments.
5. Reward yourself
Focusing on studying during a pandemic, especially
under quarantine or shelter-in-place orders, comes with particular
difficulties. If you’ve managed to study and focus for the duration of your
goal time, be sure to reward yourself! The reward could be an extra hour of
binge-watching your favourite show, eating an indulgent dessert, taking a nap
or anything else that you enjoy. This will reinforce good study habits and, of
course, it will be a well-deserved treat.
6. Keep reading
Whether you’re reading for pleasure or for
reference, keep at it. Reading has been proven to help with vocabulary, grammar
and comprehension on standardised tests. It will also help to stimulate your mind
in your downtime.
7. Set realistic goals
When coming up with your study plan, be sure to set
goals that you can actually achieve. If you plan to study for three hours a day
while perhaps also juggling a full-time job that you’re now trying to do from home,
you may fall short and lose motivation. So, set realistic goals, which can be
achieved.
Stay Safe & Happy Reading!!!