At university, you’re responsible for creating your own study schedule to ensure you’re prepared for exams and able to meet due dates for assignments. This can be a difficult adjustment to make coming from high school, where you were likely given plenty of guidance about what to study and when. However, learning how to create your own schedule and developing the discipline to stick to it is great practice for the world of work after university. Here are some tips to help.
1. Make a Weekly Schedule
Divide each day of the week into hour-long blocks and specify what you’ll be doing in each. First, input all your other commitments, such as classes, labs, a part-time job, and extracurriculars. Next, think about the free time you’ll need for things like eating, sleeping, socializing, and relaxing. The remaining blocks are available for studying. Ideally, you should have enough time to dedicate two or three hours of study for every one hour of class.
2. Decide What You’ll Study
It helps to specify what you’ll study during each block on your weekly schedule. As well as assigning the block to a particular class, decide what kinds of activities you’ll cover. This could include reviewing your notes, reading some of the materials, or working on assignments. To help with this, consider where you’ll be and the time of day — it’s best to begin the day with the most difficult activities to prevent procrastination.
It’s even better if you dedicate every Sunday to going over your schedule for the upcoming week. You can then make a note of the tasks you’ll cover in each study session. For instance, you may decide to read certain chapters of a textbook, write a particular portion of a paper, or practice a specific set of flashcards.
3. Break Big Projects into Smaller Tasks
When you have a big assignment to do, divide it into smaller components to make it more manageable. This will help you feel more motivated to start and prevent a rush as the deadline looms. Make sure you begin earlier than you think you need to. That way, if you run into any unexpected issues, you’ll still have plenty of time to finish.
4. Study Without Distractions
Commit to dedicating the time you’ve designated for studying to studying and nothing else. Turn off the notifications on your phone and avoid looking at any apps or websites that are unrelated to the task at hand.
If you struggle to concentrate for extended periods, use the Pomodoro technique. This involves figuring out how long you can stay focused and setting a timer for this amount of time. Don’t stop studying until the alarm goes off! You can then take a short break before you begin again.
You’ll find it easier to stick to a study schedule if you live in comfortable student housing. Edmonton students can receive a private bedroom or an entire bachelor suite to themselves at 1TEN on Whyte. All our apartments are fully furnished, including with a desk and chair, and you’ll also have access to our onsite study rooms. Apply now for the suite type you want.
