Firstly, the brain has to work much harder when studying alone, so make it easier by swapping ideas with other students. Your ideas will develop much more quickly and easily.
Secondly, check your University email for messages from your tutors – they could be very important!
Thirdly, if in doubt about anything, or if you are not doing well, get some support from your tutor, supervisor, or the services provided the University.
Vary the day with different activities, make sure you include breaks, use different ways of studying (for example, reading, listening, watching, discussing). This helps you keep up your motivation and keeps you fresh – you will not dread studying.
Know your best time of day for doing different things and plan accordingly. Getting into a regular habit also makes it easier to start.
Keep your workspace separate from your relaxation space. Even if you are in one room, you can have the chair for study and the bed for relaxing with a book or the TV. This is a psychological trick that gives your brain the cue to trigger study mode.
In the same way, you can help yourself get down to study by getting dressed in the sort of clothes you would wear to go into Uni. People wear different clothes to do different things, so dress to study!
Also, try to keep your space tidy and organised so that you feel business-like – and have the things you will need easily accessible.
Get engaged. Don’t be Passive (i.e. just receiving information and trying to remember it)– be active:
Another way to be an active learner is making creative and visual notes, such as mind maps. You can also try using different techniques to learn, such as flash cards, online interactive activities, sticking up post-it notes around your room, etc.
When you are going to read something or listen to an online lecture, prepare some questions in advance and see if they are answered – if they aren’t, why weren’t they, and if they are, were the answers surprising?
You’ve read some examples here, but why not try to think of some more ways you think you can get yourself engaged. Being actively engaged means that you will learn better and have more to say in assignments.
