Preparing your student room for exam and assignment focus
It’s coming to that time of year, your final deadlines and exams! For some, it could be nearing your dissertation hand ins, so make sure you’re prepared for the last push. Here are some of our tips for focusing on revision and assignments!
Location
Everyone has their preferred locations, from their beds, bedroom desk, to the library or cafes. If you find your bedroom the most comfortable and convenient for studying, there are some small steps you can take to make sure the space doesn’t become a distraction.
De-clutter
Desks can become cluttered easily, so having a clear working space reduces the number of distractions you have. It also means you can create an organised work space, increasing your productivity.
Try avoiding sitting in bed doing work
Everyone has their own peak productivity areas, but try separating the place of rest from the place of work as much as possible. Psychologically, this should help keep your mind focused on work, keeping the place your bed space for sleep only.
Lighting
Don’t sit in the dark, but maybe try a lamp or fairy lights rather than the large main light that could be too harsh. Being at home, this is something you have control of; creating an atmosphere that suits your working style. The library or other student common rooms, for example, could have too harsher lighting, with some modern buildings potentially having too much light which in itself can act as a distraction!
Temperature
This is again something you can control in your own home! Take advantage of this, as the library and other places could vary in temperature, yet another potential distraction! This is an obvious one, it’s hard to work if you’re too hot or too cold, so get this sorted before you try and complete any task. If you’re at home, it also means you can get comfortable and ready to focus.
Exercise
It’s important to stimulate your brain as focusing on the same thing for hours-on-end, and being sat in the same space will reduce productivity. Don’t stop playing your favourite sport, or stop going to the gym to revise, plan your days around a balanced mix of revision, rest, food and exercise! This ensures you’re getting your usual balance and will help you concentrate more and retain information at your allocated study times.
Downtime
Students do, but it’s not advised to cram everything last minute completing all-nighters to get that revision and assignment done. Getting a good night’s sleep is another step to increased productivity Especially before big exams, it won’t help to stay up all night to revise as you then won’t be able to focus on the exam itself. Some people work better under pressure, but with final exams and assignments, this is a time where you should be putting in your all to get the best result.
Learn to say no
University can come with a variety of social pressures, from societies to nights out. You won’t always be living with people on your course so deadlines will be different, so periods during the university year when students are able to go out will differ. The assignment won’t write itself, and if it’s due in a couple of days you will appreciate us telling you the night out can wait until it’s done!
Background Noise
This ties is well with the location, with background noise usually one of the main factors in choosing a location to study. The Lanchester Library at Coventry University has facilities for both individual work and group work but can become very busy around exam and deadline periods. If you choose to do work at home, overly loud music either through headphones or speakers isn’t the best idea, but softer background music can help.
A Lettuce top tip, playing your favourite song or a catchy song whilst revising something important could actually help you remember it better during the exam. Think of the song and you might think of the content you need for the marks too!
Routine
Set certain times throughout the day dedicated to revising or completing your assignments, giving yourself enough time to take breaks for food, drink and exercise. Even if it’s something as simple as walking to the local supermarket for 20 minutes, the same time each day! Routine can help your mind prepare itself subconsciously, helping with focus, sleep and ultimately managing your time more efficiently.
Learning Style
Back to the basics, but it’s good to know what your learning style is before you try and revise in the wrong way for you! There are three types;
Visual Learners
– Creative
– Mind maps, post-it notes and colours
– Colour organisation, division into topics and themes
Auditory Learners
– Repetitive listening
– Talking out loud, explaining topics to friends and parents
– Songs, rhymes or raps to remember some topics
Kinesthetic Learners
– Interactive learning
– Re-writing notes and making visual aids
– Kinesthetic learners often play sport and exercise during their revision to stimulate learning
We understand everyone has their own methods of revising and completing work, but if you’re stuck, our top tips could help you find yours! Finding your learning style will help the most, but combine this with our tips and you should find completing revision and assignment at University that little bit easier.
