Graduating with a brilliant grade and starting a successful career can only be done if you study. It’s a skill that can be practised over time. However, there are tips you can use to turn you into a studying expert.
We’ve listed the best ways to show you how to make studying a habit.
- Make a study plan
- Set targets
- Use the library wisely
- Change your learning styles
- Use your evening to prepare yourself for the next day
- Join in the conversation during seminars
- Study with your friends
- Know when to take a break
- Maintain a clear and calm mind
Make a study plan
Creating a study plan is the first thing you should do when studying at university. It can help you see your daily tasks, lecture and seminar times and any free periods you can use for further research.
You can create a study plan by dividing your days up into times you’ll use for doing specific things. One hour might be used to research a certain topic, another hour might be used for a study group.
You can print this study plan off, add it to your laptop calendar or even download it to your phone so you know what to focus on all the time.
Set targets
Setting targets helps you to visualise your studying. Each week, start off by listing all of the tasks you need to accomplish, such as:
- essay writing
- writing up notes from previous lectures
- seminar planning
You’ll be able to plan your time around these targets. Because of this, your time can be used as efficiently as possible.
Use the library wisely
When learning how to make studying a habit, try using the library more often. If you’ve never used the library before or haven’t used it very often, go explore the building. Walk around it to find the sections relevant to your degree and the best places to study.
Sometimes there are areas that are hidden away you’ll be able to find. Why not take a virtual tour of Newcastle University’s Robinson Library to see what you could discover?
Make sure you’re using the library at least once a day. The more you study in it, the more it feels like a comfortable place where you can get work done.
Change your learning styles
There are many different styles of learning and you might be able to remember more by choosing one over another. For example, you might be one of the following:
- visual learner: use pictures, images and video to learn the most information
- social learner: group work and seminars are the best way you can take in information
- audio learner: listening to speakers and other forms of spoken communication is what helps you the most
A great way of getting information while you’re on the go is by listening to podcasts. You could be doing housework, walking between lectures or on public transport. All you need to do is find a relevant podcast, put your earphones in and you can learn while doing something else.
There is a learning style for everyone, so try each one and see which you prefer.
Use your evening to prepare yourself for the next day
In the evening, you’ll probably have some free time that you can use to prepare your backpack, outfit and textbooks for the next day. This will save you time in the morning and put you in a positive mindset to start studying straight away. Make studying a habit by trying this more often.
You can also prepare a lunch to take with you, which makes your weekly shop easier to plan.
Join in the conversation during seminars
Seminars are a fantastic opportunity to participate in social learning. They’re friendly environments where you can ask questions, create ideas and discover things you might not have come across before.
Contributing during a seminar can help to make you more confident. It allows you to practise your debating and public speaking skills.
Every time you join in on a discussion during a seminar, it gets easier to deliver your ideas.
Study with your friends
One of the best ways to understand complex ideas and information is to learn about it in a group. You’d be surprised how much you can learn by discussing things with friends from your course.
Each week, set up a study group session where you and other students can meet at a cafe or someone’s flat to work through any issues you’ve found.
Making studying a habit can be so much easier if you’re working with friends.
Know when to take a break
A key thing to remember when it comes to how to make studying a habit is that you shouldn’t overwork yourself. Sometimes, studying too much makes it hard to remember information. Your brain can’t process it all at once.
Remember to take time off. Making time for yourself will help to decrease any stress you’re feeling, allowing you to work more efficiently later on.
If you have a big study session coming up, break it up. If you’re spending all day in the library, take 10 minutes every hour to just relax - read a book unrelated to your course, listen to music or go for a quick walk. This helps to keep your mind feeling rested.
Maintain a clear and calm mind
Keeping a clear and calm mind at university can seem difficult because you usually have a lot of work on. It can seem overwhelming, but by following the rules above, you’ll be able to study a lot more effectively.
To help you keep a clear head, you can take a day off, spend time with friends or even meditate. Your mental health at university is important and by maintaining good mental wellbeing, your studying ability won’t be affected.
This helps to make studying a habit by putting you in a better mood to open your textbooks and begin.
At Newcastle University, we have a dedicated Mental Health Team you can talk to. We also run a helpful Counselling Service, which you can talk to face-to-face or over the phone.
Maintaining good mental wellbeing is the best way to study efficiently at university, but what kind of advice can you follow to do this?
Maintain good mental wellbeing and enhance your studying skills at university
To help you protect your mental wellbeing while at studying abroad at university, we’ve created a detailed guide on the challenges and how to overcome them.
You'll also learn what universities in the UK provide to help students and in particular, the brilliant services that Newcastle provides to students who need them. Click the link below to explore your own copy.
