PHOTO BY SARA SHEIKH / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

 

Learning in an online environment has been a struggle for many students this school year. 

 

There have been times where students have questioned themselves on a quiz or completely missed the mark on an assignment, despite their best studying efforts.

 

As a result of virtual learning, some of your old studying tricks may not be the best suited for the environment we are in. 

 

The first element to your study sanctuary is a quiet space. Once you are sitting and working in this area, all other distractions should be away and out of sight—yes that means no cell phones. 

 

Get someone else to hide your phone so you can’t find it. 

 

If you want to listen to music from your phone while studying, then turn your phone to do not disturb. 

 

With either of these suggestions, you will not be tempted to constantly go onto your phone and distract yourself from the workload ahead of you. 

 

Organize your study sanctuary to your liking. Make it inspiring to you but also clutter-free. Make sure that you know where all your stuff is so it is easier to find. 

 

 

Video by Sara Sheikh / The Sputnik Photography

 

When everything is accessible, it makes you more determined and focused on studying. 

 

Now it is time for the hard part; actually studying and getting your work done. Something that is very helpful is to manage your time. 

 

Set reminders on your phone or laptop when you have an upcoming quiz or an assignment due. It will help you get things done earlier and be more efficient. 

 

Leave studying or starting assignments the night before or the day of, in 2020. 

 

When students cram last-minute there is too much pressure and they will not be able to work and focus at their full capacity. 

 

Start studying earlier and throughout multiple days so that your brain can grasp onto information and be able to retrieve it when needed. 

 

Get a jump start on it so you can organize your information better and have others look over it because you may have missed something that you did not see.

A valuable tool for writing assignments is the writing centre, as they can proofread your assignment.

 

An important thing to keep in mind when you are studying is to take breaks in between. Do not study for three hours straight. 

 

Set up an alarm for every twenty-five minutes. Five-minute breaks are recommended to maximize efficiency. 

 

Try not to go on any electronics during this break time because it is more likely that you will forget the information you studied and instead remember the funny video you watched. Also, social media can be addicting so you might end up scrolling for too long.

 

Get something to eat or drink or do a little exercise to help stretch out your muscles from sitting around reading and gathering important information.

 

A laptop or computer presents a huge distraction as well. Using a computer or laptop is vital to virtual learning, but only use your laptop when you need to. 

 

Do not type your notes. Handwriting your notes helps your brain memorize information a lot better. 

 

It may take a bit longer to handwrite all your notes in comparison to typing them, but it will definitely be helpful in the long run.

 

Some helpful ways to help remember the information needed for quizzes is to put it all into a presentation or use flashcards. An additional step would be to try teaching it to your friends or family who may know nothing about the topic at hand. 

 

If you are able to successfully teach them and help them understand, then you have a good understanding of the information too. 

 

Flashcards may seem old fashioned, but they help you recall information faster. The faster you can recall the easier it will be for you to retrieve that information doing the quiz.

 

Try listening to classical music or even instrumental music. If you listen to lyrical songs, that just causes another distraction for you because it will want you to stop what you are doing and sing along. 

 

Classical music and instrumental music get rid of that temptation to throw a little concert in your room. They are both very calming as well and will not make you feel anxious.

 

It is soothing for your brain and will still help your brain memorize information better.

 

Now that you are equipped with a perfect study space and tips go now and ace those classes.