Essential Study Skills
It is common for many students to feel like they don't know how to study or that they never learned how to do so. Maybe you have a study system in place but feel it can be improved on. This page is to help you learn and create good study habits that will make your classes and learning experience at Dominican easier and more fulfilling.
Studying More Efficiently
You can study, and then you can study well! Learning good study habits and techniques saves you time and stress. Here are some of the ways that you can improve your study habits.
Stop Distractions From Reaching You
Turn off your phone, temporarily block websites that eat up your time, and remove quick access to time-eaters like video games and social media when you have to get work done. Be realistic about your distraction tendencies and set up boundaries for yourself.
Plan Your Work
Write out what you have to get done and when, so you have a clear map of what you need to get finished and what time you've set aside to do it. Weekly and/or monthly planners both physical and electronic are a great way to get you into the habit of controlling your study time.
Get to Know Yourself and What You Need
We all work differently. If you find yourself having difficulties with your studies, reflect what part of your environment you have control of and identify places you can make changes that better fit you. Do you need a new study setting? Would starting certain work on the different day make more sense? Do you study better in the morning, or evening?
Keep Your Goals in Mind
If immediate work seems off-putting and you’re struggling for motivation to get to it, switch it up and think long term for a moment: remember your overall goals and why you’re pursuing your studies-- this task is just one step to that, and you've done great so far, don’t lose sight! You got this!
Always Reach out for Help
You're not alone. We at Dominican want to support you whenever you feel you need guidance and a helping hand. From tutoring to disability services to skill-building workshops, you can find helpful resources all over campus.
Attribution note: icons sourced from flaticon.com.
Staying Focused
Procrastination can be very tempting at times. Some regular self reflection and insight can help you help yourself. If you're tempted to leave a task for later, try asking yourself:
- How will this effect me in the long run?
- Will it affect my stress, mental health, ability to get other things done?
- If you're slower at certain tasks, are you planning yourself enough time to work through them?
- If not, where can you start to do so?
Thinking critically about where you struggle with procrastination will help you identify what habits you need to change to have less last-minute assignment submissions.
