1. Build a routine
A bit of routine not only brings peace of mind, but also helps you get more out of your time. Try to get up at the same time every day, even if your lectures aren’t until later in the afternoon. If you use that free morning to get some self-study done, you will have more free time in the evenings and at weekends!
Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone has to set their alarm for 07:00 am. Focus on your own rhythm and productivity. Is it difficult for you to get going in the morning, but can you easily work a bit longer in the afternoon? Then adjust your schedule accordingly. The most important thing is that you build a routine that works for you.
2. Create focus
Being productive isn’t about studying for as many hours as possible, but making the most of them. So, put your phone away, or switch it to flight mode. Also try to focus on one task at a time. Writing your project report, replying to an email in the meantime, then getting a head start on your self-study… it might seem efficient, but switching between different tasks actually takes a lot of energy. So, finish one task before moving on to the next.
It also helps to find an environment that motivates you. Perhaps studying with friends works well: a bit of healthy peer pressure can sometimes be quite motivating. Do your friends just end up distracting you? 😉 Then it’s better to study on your own. The same goes for where you study. Whether you prefer the university library, a café or just your room, try out different places and see what works best for you!
3. Make a weekly study plan
You’ve (hopefully) already added all your exams and important deadlines to your agenda. But creating a weekly study plan is just as important. At the start of each week, make a list of everything you need to do: lecture preparation, self-study, to-dos for your project meetings, or assignments you want to practise for the exam.
Especially as a first-year student, it can sometimes be difficult to work out exactly what needs to be done each week. Take the time to go through the syllabus and Canvas thoroughly for each course, and add your to-dos to your agenda straight away. Do this at the start of the week, or even better: on Friday afternoon for the following week. That way, you know what to expect, and you won’t suddenly realise halfway through a lecture that you were supposed to finish a self-study assignment beforehand.
4. Prioritise
Sometimes you simply have more to-dos than time. In that case, you need to decide what’s really important and urgent. Do you have a self-study assignment scheduled that’s due tomorrow? Then get started on it straight away. Do you also want to reply to a few emails? Those can probably wait until later in the day or even tomorrow. It might sound simple, but prioritising tasks can bring a lot of peace of mind. This way, you avoid rushing to finish tomorrow's project work late into the evening, because you started on all sorts of small, less urgent tasks first…
There is one exception, though. Does a long to-do list make you feel so overwhelmed that you can’t get anything done? In that case, you might consider ticking off a few quick and easy tasks first, so that you can focus better on the bigger tasks afterwards. Only do this if you’re sure you have enough time for both, and that you're not putting off an urgent deadline, though. 😉 You might want to set a timer for an hour, so you don’t get caught up in all sorts of little tasks.
5. Keep up with the material
Keeping up with the course content as you go can save you a lot of time and stress during the exam period. For example, after a lecture, go through your notes straight away. Fill in any gaps, and look up anything you don’t understand. That way, you can use your notes as a summary, and you will remember the material way better. Those extra twenty minutes now will save you a lot more time later!
6. Schedule time for fun activities (and rest)
Nobody can study 24/7! So, make sure to take breaks in between and plan fun activities around your studying, such as exercising, meeting up with friends or simply having a relaxing evening in. These kinds of fun distractions give you something to look forward to, helping you stay motivated and focused whilst you’re studying. Especially as a first-year student, it’s a good idea to make time for this right from the start. For example, if you join a sports association now, exercising will naturally become part of your routine, without you having to actively plan time for it every week.
7. Use different study techniques
Scrolling through lecture slides or flipping through your books for hours isn’t just boring; it usually doesn’t improve your focus either. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternative study methods you can try. Try studying with flashcards, mind maps, or even podcasts, for example. By trying a different way of learning, studying becomes a lot more fun and productive!
8. Learn in a different way
Finally, one last tip specifically for first-years. Suddenly, you’re faced with endless lecture slides, books, syllabuses, articles and a lot of self-study. Naturally, that feels quite overwhelming. You might be tempted to try to cram, repeat, summarise and read through everything from the get-go, but before you know it, you've spent hours studying without really making much progress. Of course, you’ll need to know certain things for the exam, but try not to get lost in the theory. Instead, focus on understanding the material, for example, by asking yourself: why does this work this way? What’s the logic behind it? How are X and Y connected? Truly understanding the material helps it stick in your mind much better than simple memorisation.
And for the technical subjects in particular, the keyword is: practice. You can stare at a formula for hours, but you’ll often only really understand it once you've started applying it yourself!
