It’s very easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about a study plan, especially on a full course load. There seems like so much work to do, more than is possible sometimes! That is just the kind of thought pattern that will land a student into one of the traps of studying: anxiety. Honestly, it isn’t as bad as you think and there is a way to meet all goals and deadlines.

First of all, take control of the situation. Prioritize assignments, papers, exams and studying. Set out a clear schedule for the semester so you know exactly where you stand at any given time. If there is a big project coming up, be sure to set aside time for working on it. Be sure to schedule short study breaks as well, 30 minutes is a good chunk of time to refresh the body and mind. Don’t skip classes to get some extra study time in, it may mean missing valuable hints about exams or review sessions.

Boredom, indifference and monotony all create a pretty big trap students can fall into when it comes to studying. The subject matter may seem really dry as toast, enough to put you to sleep, but it has to get done. There are several ways to combat boredom, one very successful one is in group study sessions. When a subject does not hold any interest for you, but must be mastered, gather together a group of classmates to help add motivation to the learning. Create a plan of attack. By taking the offensive on a subject you don’t find interest in, you are preventing an apathetic attitude. Being actively involved in the text through reading aloud and asking open-ended questions, passive learning is eliminated.

It’s not sinking in, no matter how much studying you do. Although frustrating, having difficulty retaining information is quite common with students. There may be several reasons; it may be a lack of sleep, the issue of boredom discussed above, or perhaps anxiety. Start with a fresh mind, which means scheduling in time for a full night sleep every day. You may be young and full of energy, but your brain needs to recharge for eight hours every night if you want it to work properly for you. Then, battle the anxiety with positive self-talk, a solid study plan and a list of priorities. Try using mnemonics or another memory-assisting method for memorizing information; also, group subjects or categories into a spectrum, such as colors or animals.

One of the single most frustrating situations for students is trying to recall information that was just studied, and nothing comes up. Just as mentioned above, it may be due to lack of sleep or anxiety, but the best way to combat this short term loss of memory is in review. Then review again, and again. It’s really quite simple: the more time spent studying, the more easily you will be able to recall the information. There is no such thing as over-studying.

Still feeling iffy about the material? Then it is time to quiz yourself or have a study partner quiz you. Many textbooks have exercises and quizzes at the end of chapters, use those for testing. Or, ask the instructor for an old exam to study from. If time permits, make up your own exam. Have a classmate mark it for you, as it will serve as a great tool for their study as well. Some students even write a term paper on the subject they find a little more difficult than others, not to hand in but as a method of studying. For some, that may seem like a bit of unnecessary punishment. On the other hand, if it helps get a better grade then doing the paper was well worth it.

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