Top tips for studying before you start

Now that summer is fully underway and things are starting to return to what we are used to, we know that this is the best time for everyone to really take time and relax whilst still staying safe. Summer also means we are one step closer to September and everyone's first day back on campus.

If you are doing a little studying over the summer or just want to wait until September you're going to need to know how to study to the best of your ability, so here are our top helpful tips for optimal study.

1) Prep starts with your class notes

We know that sometimes it can be hard to keep class notes legible but did you know that your class notes are the first and possibly the most important step in your self-study sessions?

It's pretty simple to keep your notes engaging and easy-to-read so that you can go back to them at a later date to read through them again. Every learner has a different layout that will help them the most. Sometimes having something new like a new notebook will help to encourage you to write up some interesting notes.

Having good eye-catching and easy-to-read notes will not only motivate you to do the best you can during your classes but will also make it a lot easier to go back and read so that you can study and remember the information.

2) Find somewhere new

There are many things about the environment around you that can help or hurt you when studying and studies have shown that a new environment entirely can help you to remember information aiding your studies.

Articles like this one from UCAS go into detail about your environment changing how you study, and since our campuses are all close to the sea you are never too far away from some cool places both on and off-campus where you can explore and study.

3) Clear your brain

Life can sometimes fill your brain with so many thoughts that you can’t think about anything else. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes before you start studying to clear your space, do any chores and even meditate (we love the free app Headspace).

Once you’ve got other things out of the way your brain can fully focus on the study allowing you to learn even more than what you could have done before.

4) Plan out a schedule

Scheduling is a great way to prepare and organise yourself and your studies at all times. Having a schedule can sometimes make your life a lot easier. There are also a tonne of apps and websites available for free that can help keep you organised.

Online sites such as Visme make scheduling not only easy but can also provide colourful and pretty templates to make it a little easier to look at and create your schedule.

5) SLEEP!

A lot of research has gone into the benefits of sleep and many doctors and scientists have proven time and time again that sleep is the most important part of the day if you want to be focused and do well with whatever you aim for.

Aiming to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night will help refresh and reset your brain making it a lot easier to retain information and a good amount of sleep really aids in your mood and stress levels.

We hope that these tips will be helpful to you in the summer and over your time in college. Have a fantastic summer stay safe and we can’t wait to meet you in September.