By Wendy Legorete, Staff Writer
There is no possible way to avoid the inevitable lump that lies in the midst of the semester that every university student must drag him or herself over: midterms are coming. And since we are all in good and sufferable company, let us dread this trifle together with a few tips on how to study in the most beneficial way possible:
5. Study in groups (But only if you dislike the people you are with)
That last bit has some truth in it. For the more social student, study groups can be a useful and advantageous way to get work done. The people you are studying with are carrying the same work load and can possibly bring some new information or insight to the table. However, this method can backfire drastically if your study group consists solely of your friends. Friends (though enjoyable to have around) are a distraction. A person can only work to his or her full potential if that person is in full-on work mode. You cannot accomplish what you have set out to do if you are constantly stopping to catch up on what your friends are giggling at on the Internet.
4. Study in solitude
For the student who knows that he or she works best alone, be alone. Hole yourself up in your room and bask in the quiet. It is just like being in a classroom during a test only you are not worried about the amount of time you have left to finish, there are no headache-inducing florescent lights, and you can put your feet up on the desk and no one will yell at you.
3. Study with music (But something without words)
For the student who loathes complete silence, listen to music while you work. However, make certain that this music has no lyrics. Think about it. There is always a possibility that you will get caught up with singing along to the tune instead of paying attention to what you are supposed to be doing. What is advantageous about listening to strictly instrumental music is that the songs eventually turn into white noise. White noise serves its purpose in providing just the right amount of atmosphere without having to choose between distracting music and unsettling, un-stimulating silence.
2. Study in comfort (Ladies, I’m talking to you)
The key word in this article has so far been “distraction,” so here it is again: Uncomfortable clothes are a distraction. Yes, I love your shoes/necklace/dress/earrings/etcetera, but I am not the one who has to wear it while trying to study for the midterms. Think of what you’re wearing now. How many times have you had to shift, pull at, fix, or worry about what you are showing and how much of it with the outfit you have on right now? Now imagine the number of times you have had to do that today, but multiply it by 0. You obviously get 0. And that is what you will have with a good pair of sweats and a T-shirt, leaving your mind free to conquer that short essay question or those terms you need to know for English.
1. Study unplugged
It is pretty much self-explanatory and there is no way around it: the best way to study is to do it without any technologic temptation. It is not just putting your phone on silent and setting it aside; it is also using only one tab (the tab for looking up sources for essays) in your Internet browser while you are on your laptop. It is turning off the T.V. It is refusing the urge to scroll through your iPod or mp3 player or radio for the perfect study song. Everything electronic is a temptation that will eventually get the best of our willpower and ruin the study session. So, yes the best way to study is to sacrifice some entertainment value and have some self-discipline to sit down and not only complete the assignments we are given, but to also complete it to the best of our academic ability.
