Roving Reporter Dana discovers the secrets to stress-free study.
It's that time of the year when stress-meters go off the scales, and students everywhere begin the big cram. Only now, cyberspace and the recent influx of MySpace has made it that much harder.
It seems I've lost the ability to prioritise. I've got the motivation - or at least I think I do - but those essays just don't seem to want to write themselves. And exam study, don't even mention the words. With only a few weeks of semester left I can't help but feel the void of distraction.
Day 1.
Okay, so there is the presentation due mid-next week and the accompanying essay due a few days later. Sure, I'll write a list of what needs to be done and what-do-you-know, that list gets written with the upmost satisfaction. Great! That's today's effort done, now onto MySpace. I wonder if I've got any new comments?
Day 2.
No uni today, great! The alarm goes at 8am, snooze - just once, today's the day for serious study.
9.30am: breakfast and email checking - hey I can multi-task - things are looking up. Check MySpace comments. Reply. Then I head out the door to the library.
A few hours later, I leave the library with more books than I can carry, drive home and neatly stack books next to my laptop.
Now, I wonder what's happening in Hollywood? Essential gossip blogs to be read - I need that daily, no hourly fix. I wonder what Lindsay's wearing today? Stare at books - I should be reading, well at least I borrowed them from the library before they were all gone. I can read them tomorrow.
Day 9.
Last minute cram of presentation details. Okay so, it only took me about two weeks to string together ten minutes worth of words. Why can't I reach a compromise between the big bad world of cyber-communication and study? Be optimistic, think optimistic thoughts - positive affirmations. I wonder if The Secret really works. Maybe I should go watch Oprah.
Mid-year exhaustion
Does any of this sound familiar? Are you having trouble concentrating on the all-important study? Do you feel almost burnt out and in desperate need of some down time? Trust me, you're not alone.
No matter who I ask, there seems to be a general ‘fug' in the air about schoolwork. No one wants to do it. Everyone has fallen into the downward spiral of mid-year stress and apathy levels are rising. But what can be done?
It's easy as. Personally I'm one of those worrywart people, who stress to no end and stress out everyone around them - by constant complaining - but I always get everything done by the deadline.
1. Calling all MySpace devotees
First kill that MySpace addiction. Or Facebook, or Bebo or Twitter - whatever it is you kids are into these days. No don't sabotage your profile, just when you turn on that computer try to flick the habit of going straight to your profile to check who's updated what. It works wonders, how many hours a day do you spend procrastinating on social networking sites? Now be honest here - it's too many - way to many for delayed communication.
Next, kill the Internet in general. Do you have essays to write? Perhaps an English text response? Or Psychology ERA? Resist the temptation and don't turn the Internet on. Trust me, turning OFF my wireless Internet connection from my laptop is depressing. But it helps - even now as I write this the urge to flick the switch is oh-so compelling.
2. Study with friends
How about an old school study session? Chances are you are spending hours in constant communication with your friends. Text messages, email, MySpace, the telephone, Morse code, snail mail - whatever your choice - ditch the time spent in limbo and study together.
In high school, it's likely that you've chosen subjects that your best friends are in, and at university, everyone in your course is doing the same thing. So pool resources and study together. My tip: have one extra studious friend in the group. That way, you'll all hopefully cave to peer pressure and actually get some work done.
3. Think Nerdy
A friend of mine, who is currently completing year 12, recently told me about a group that has formed at her school. Dubbed the “80 plus group? - these students from all different cliques - have the common goal of aiming for ENTER scores above 80.
Making it just that bit geeky are the badges they made saying 80+, but this common goal has created a support network for the students. This is important, as often your peers are the only ones who can really understand what you are dealing with.
It doesn't last forever
Now, I know its clichéd but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. The year hasn't really been that bad - has it? There's only a few essays, maybe a few exams to go. Then holidays.
Now that's a nice equation. Why not figure out the algebra formula for SACS or essays left in relation to holidays. Good luck.
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