Like it or not, studying is a crucial part of university life. Keeping up with class content and staying on track in your courses is essential. Despite this, getting myself to study has always been a battle, and I’ve struggled to keep up with it. To make studying feel less like a chore, I noticed that I've subconsciously started using a few tricks I've compiled here. These tips have made studying a little easier, and once you get into the flow, it can even become enjoyable.

Change your environment

One of the easiest ways to make studying instantly more enjoyable is by altering your environment. Finding a place to study that you love is key to staying motivated and getting work done.

For example, if I need to study for a long period of time, I’ll often visit a local coffee shop. There are usually plenty of people working or studying around me, which is pretty motivating and makes me feel productive as well. Plus, you can treat yourself to a well-deserved drink or snack while you’re there. If it’s a nice day, I avoid staying indoors. Studying at a nearby park allows me to be productive while still being outside in nature. You don’t have to be stuck at a desk 24/7 to stay on your studies. Sitting in a spot with lots of natural light or near a window can help boost your mood. On rainy days, I find the sound of rain to be like natural white noise, which also adds to the studying vibe.

Study to create more questions, not just find answers

Studying used to feel intimidating because I saw it as a way to master an entire topic in one go. While this is true, it can also make it feel overwhelming. Learning isn’t linear, and mastering a subject takes time. It’s a lot to expect yourself to sit down and fully grasp a concept
in one sitting. Instead of studying to finish a topic, focus on understanding smaller concepts and note any additional questions you have in the process. Don’t shy away from creating more questions, as answering them often deepens your understanding and broadens your knowledge.

Add your friends into the mix

Studying with friends can be another way to make studying feel less boring. I like to have my friends quiz me on specific topics and vice versa, as it helps me to identify areas of content that I need to focus on or things that I know I'm confident with! Explaining tricky concepts to each other is another good strategy- you know you’ve fully understood something when you can teach it to someone else. Hearing different viewpoints can also be enlightening, and you might pick up useful tips and tricks—like mnemonics that often come in handy during tests.

Don’t forget to reward yourself

Staying motivated is easier when you treat yourself in the process. This could be in the form of anything, like taking a break after studying for a set period. You could plan something fun, like shopping or going out with friends, after doing a certain amount of work for the day. Whatever works to keep you motivated while still paying attention to your own well-being, balance productivity with self-care.

Set goals and to-do lists

Setting goals and creating to-do lists help keep me on track and make large tasks feel more manageable. Breaking your workload into smaller goals lets you track progress and see what’s left to cover. Also, starting to-do lists is really helpful in organizing your time and
being able to cross things off once you're finished is really rewarding and encouraging!

Starting is often the hardest part

One thing I’ve noticed about fighting procrastination is that getting yourself to start something is often harder than doing the actual task. It's a lot easier to get things done once you're in the flow of doing them. It can be helpful to tell yourself to start the task for 5 or 10 minutes.
Often, once that time passes, you'll have gotten over the hurdle of starting and hopefully will be more in the mood to do it to continue for even longer.

Hopefully, these tips will help you get over procrastination and make your studying feel like less of a chore! You've got this :)