Since becoming a full-fledged college student, I’ve found that having a study routine helps to keep me productive when things get hectic or when I’m feeling particularly unmotivated. Even if you excelled at studying in high school, it’s important to develop good study habits in college so you can make the most of the time you spend doing work and maximize the time you have for other things.
The following list is a couple of things that work well for me, but obviously different things work for different people, so you just have to play around with your routine and be flexible!
Semester Overview
During the first week of classes at Georgetown, teachers always hand out syllabi that go over the major projects, assignments and exams for the semester. I always block out a chunk of time to put all the important deadlines into my planner so I can always see what’s coming down the pipeline. It can be overwhelming to see everything you’re going to have to do, but it definitely helps me orient myself when I look through it quickly before I start doing work.
Making Checklists
Every time before I start doing work, I spend a couple of minutes jotting down every possible task I can think of to get it out on paper. It’s also wildly satisfying to cross something off after you’ve accomplished it, even if it’s something small like “Send a thank you email to professor.”
Choose your study location wisely!
Studies have shown that changing up where you study can actually dramatically increase your productivity if you’ve been stuck in one place for too long. Luckily for you, Georgetown has an abundance of places to study, like the Lauinger library, the Bioethics Librar, study booths in the MSB, or your dorm common room!
Put your phone away
I know you’ve heard this one before, but it truly is so important to try and limit the amount of distractions that can disrupt your workflow. For me, I’ve found that there are a ton of cool apps like Forest that prevent you from accessing your phone before the timer you’ve set to do work is done.
Staying Hydrated
75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated! Don’t be one of them! I always carry a water bottle on me, especially when I decide to have coffee or caffeinated tea when I study.
Take breaks as needed
Dance parties are highly encouraged. Always.
If you find that you’re struggling with developing a study routine that works for you, head to the Academic Resource Center on the third floor of the Leavey Center! They have a ton of great resources and many trained professionals whose job is to help you succeed academically.