Lacking motivation to study? Stressed from the influx of assessments due all at once?  Laura Rumbel tells her top nine tips for staying motivated during the final weeks of semester. 

1. Invest in a planner – this could either be in the form of a physical diary or a planner app such as ‘Structured.’ Use this planner to map out what assignments are due when. This will allow you to remain on track.

2. Set smaller tasks – set your own deadlines and be strict on yourself to meet these deadlines. Set the task of writing 600 words of a 1200-word essay by a certain date for example.

3. Take breaks – take time away from study and away from your computer screen. Getting out in the sun and going for a walk is a great way to refocus and reset.

4. Sleep! Get enough sleep – running yourself into the ground from living on next to zero hours sleep won’t award you with HD’s but instead you’ll probably end up feeling under the weather from exhaustion.

5. Drink lots of water & eat regularly – have your water and some snacks with you when you are studying. This will stop you from making excuses to leave your study space. Doing this will not only avoid procrastination but promote energy levels and stimulate metabolism.

6. Study with a friend – now this tip won’t suit everybody’s study needs but for some studying with a friend can be super beneficial. At the moment face-to-face study sessions are off limits, however video-calling applications such as Zoom are a great tool for studying with friends.

7. Turn your phone off and put it in another room! It is so easy to become distracted when your phone is sitting right next to you when you are trying to study. Becoming distracted by your phone while studying can lead to lower levels of concentration, as well as reduced memory intake.

8. Find a dedicated study space and time – experiment with different areas of the house and times of the day that work best for you when studying. Especially at the moment with lockdown confining everyone to their houses, take some time to enjoy the sunshine and take your study outside.

9. Lastly, but most importantly – focus on why you came to university in the first place. Focus on WHY you chose this degree to study and what you want to get out of your chosen degree.

Focus on your goals these final weeks of semester 2 and get into the mindset that by submitting these assessments, you are one step closer to your goals. 

Feature Image: Siora Photography on Unsplash