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I’ve gotten a lot of questions about how I stay focused during study sessions & get the results I want, so I decided to make a post. Before I start I just want to say that I’m not perfect!! At all!! I just want to share some things that helped me throughout the year & I hope they’ll help you too.

1. Put away your phone!

this is such a huge one for me because it’s so easy to keep scrolling through the Instagram explore page watching cute animal videos, but you need to put down your phone!! I like to use the forest app because it visualises how much time I’ve spent focused and I can block distracting apps on the whitelist setting. This applies in class too, make sure you’re listening during lecture especially if your teacher doesn’t put notes online after.

2. Dedicate time to reviewing your notes after class

This is a big one for me, too. Ever since I started reviewing the key concepts after the lesson, I’ve started to do better on quizzes, tests, exams, etc. I choose to rewrite my notes, but you don’t have to. Other methods are: finding a Quizlet related to the concepts you learned that day, rereading parts of the textbook you don’t understand, or even doing textbook questions. Just remember, doing SOMETHING related to what you judt learned is better than doing nothing.

(P.S. Here are my notes before & after I rewrite them)

3. Find relaxing music or white noise that helps you focus

I use this method at school and at home (or at Starbucks lol) while I’m studying. It’s loud sometimes and easy to get distracted, especially when there’s other people around. I like to listen to classical music, jazz, or the OG lo-fi beats to chill and study to. I also like to use the app called Relaxio on my phone or RainyMood.com on desktop.

3. Write down any questions you have

It’s super important to make note of your questions while doing the homework AND ask your teacher for help. It’s not embarrassing or annoying to ask for help and teachers will appreciate your questions if you’re putting in the effort to understand. Since I started asking my teachers for help I’ve done so much better in school, too.

4. Don’t just read out of the textbook!

So many times when I read out of the textbook, I don’t absorb the information and can’t even remember what I just read. A better technique is to create questions based on the topic you’re studying (or even use the questions in the textbook) and keep them in mind when you’re reading. This way, you won’t mindlessly read for hours and learn nothing because you’ll actually be paying attention and actively looking for information.

5. Just start working!!

idk if yall remember but i asked if yall want me to start this lil series a long time ago but i’ve finally gotten onto it!! u’d be surprised to find out how many of this can save u lots of $$ too and i still have a lot of posts to come so look out for them ٩◔‿◔۶

get urself a water bottle

i was shocked to find out sm people don’t have bottles of their own??

reduces waste   

save $$ by never buying plastic bottles bc u can just refill it

also get urself a tumbler

so u can use ur own at cafes and starbucks

such a good investment u buy a $10 cup && save 10₵ everytime

if u drink 4 coffees a week that’s $20 saved a year

take the public transport / bike / walk

esp if u have time after school and when ur not in a rush

extremely therapeutic and is a great stress relief

u can rent bikes now which is rly cool

draw ur curtains

apparently 10% of energy can be saved on heating when u let sunlight in

saving money too how cool

turn ur thermostat down by 1°C

or up if u use air conditioning

apparently u can save up to $60 a year

or just turn it down by 5 degrees and hibernate in ur hoodie + a thick ass blanket bc it’s rly comfy and u should try it

shop w reusable shopping bags

or just bring a huge bag u can dump stuff into

some places deduct a few cents if u don’t use plastic bags isn’t that gr10

reuse plastic bags

don’t throw them out bros

u can line ur bins w them

if u need a change of clothes throw them in a plastic bag before u throw it in ur bag

after u gym or smt throw ur sweaty clothes in a plastic bag so it doesn’t stench up ur bag

and check if the plastic bags are recyclable before u recycle them!!

buy refills instead of new pens

let’s be real ur gonna buy the same pen

so just get refills instead it’s sm cheaper + u get 10 in a box

just google “(pen name) refill” it’s rly easy

some shops sell refills at the counter u can go ask

(@ sg and msia fam,, popular bookshop does)

STOP BUYING NEW PENCILS

literally just get ONE mechanical pencil

and get urself some pencil lead

idk why every back to school haul has like 5 pencils

yo pencil lead refill is a thing my brothers

and a box costs less than a pencil and lasts for more than a year

is this not a thing??

eat meatless some days

did u kno giving up beef will reduce ur carbon footprint more than if u give up ur car

but lol still gotta live that cheeseburger and kbbq life from time to time

so just cut out the meat like 1 or 2 days a week

and no mutton and beef and pork and turkey if u can help it

save and recycle paper pls !!11!1

use both sides!

recycle don’t trash!

buy recycled paper and notebooks!

that is all kiddos if u have more ways to save the earth pls inbox me here!! and check out my other study tips too:

if you realize you’ve been studying for hours: grab a snack to refuel your body and watch a sitcom to refuel your brain. then back to the books.

if you’re feeling stressed out: take some deep breaths, text your friends, maybe stare at a wall for a few minutes. gather yourself.

if you can’t seem to focus: get moving and get outside. take out the garbage, check your mail box, maybe walk your dog. just get moving and get fresh air. it’ll help bring you back.

if there’s something else going on in your life and you can’t get it off your mind: write down what’s going through your head, sort of like a diary entry. it’ll help you work things out.

if you’re just mentally and physically exhausted: set a timer for 25-30 minutes and take a nap. any longer and you’ll hit REM and you’ll wake up feeling just as tired. once you wake up, get some caffeine in you.

if the material is boring as hell: find another way to study. see if there’s a crash course video online about it or draw out what you’re trying to learn in diagrams and pictures to make it fun.

if people around you won’t shut up: listen to some music. soundtrack and classical music is always good because they won’t absorb you as much as music with lyrics. white noise (like ocean waves, rain sounds, etc.) also works.