Study tips
Whereas you may miss going to class everyday and socialising with your friends, there is no reason to think that you cannot have a good time while preparing for your qualifications at home.
The key to success is to be organised, follow a plan and more importantly, to stay positive. By following these simple instructions, you will not only make sure that you keep on top of your studies, but you will be on the right track to make it to university.
- Plan a routine and stick to it. It might be tempting to sleep for a bit longer, play some computer games until late at night or just scroll through social media. However, if you fall into this trap you will certainly find yourself facing the stress of not being able to keep on top of your lessons! Make sure that you plan your day accordingly with clear starting and finishing times to avoid any frustration.
- Find the right place to work. Whilst your bed might be very comfortable, it might not be the best place to study at all. Try to find a room in the house where you can be on your own or at least not easily distracted and get yourself all the materials you need, including your laptop, textbooks and some water to keep you going.
- Prioritise your tasks. You want to make sure that you spend the right time on each task before moving on to the next one so, when planning your day, it is extremely useful to identify a couple of big tasks and then break them down into smaller tasks. By doing this, you will not only avoid feeling overwhelmed, but you will also achieve your daily goals without almost realising.
- Take regular breaks. As you plan your day, don’t forget to schedule your breaks! Some people prefer to work for longer hours and take a single break, but there’s lot of research that shows that working in shorter intervals and taking small breaks works best. You can use many apps and popular techniques, like Pomodoro, where you work for 25 minutes followed by a five-minute break. Explore the many options out there, stick to your favourite and see the results as you start to narrow down the tasks on your list!
- Keep in touch with your classmates and teachers. You want to make sure that you still get to feel that you are actively taking part on your studies and making the most of your qualification. Email your teachers if you have any questions or try and work with your classmates via Skype or any other multimedia platform available. You will feel much better if you know what your colleagues are up to!
- Would you like to find out what it is like to live and study in the epicentre of the pandemic? Have a look at this article written by an NCUK student in Wuhan.