Today’s blog entry is going to be a little different! I want to discuss my approach to studying, especially because good study and learning skills have proven very important during my time in the CS program here at OSU. I feel confident that strong studying practices and habits will continue to be very important throughout my future career in tech, so hopefully you will find this topic very relevant, dear reader.
One of the biggest challenges that many students find in developing good study habits is procrastination. This is the last quarter of my second undergraduate degree, and I can say I’ve honestly been all over the spectrum of good study habits. At times, I’ve struggled mightily with starting a project or studying block. Luckily, studying and working on assignments here at OSU has been much easier for me. I think this is due to a combination of my being older and more mature, along with some hard-won improvements that have come with time and experience. However, struggling with procrastination is something that never really goes away, but rather is best managed by good habits and a few tricks!
There are several tricks that help me avoid procrastination. Breaking down an assignment into several smaller components and tackling those tasks one by one is extremely helpful. Before breaking the assignment down, larger projects can often feel overwhelming. It can be hard to know where to begin or how much time I need to work on the project. Once I’ve reviewed the assignment requirements and created a step-by-step gameplan, it’s much easier to get started, and the whole thing feels much less overwhelming.
Another helpful tip is to use the pomodoro method. There are lots of great guides to the pomodoro method online, but the concept is simple. Work is done in timed increments of 25 minutes, with a five-minute break in between, then a larger break after multiple pomodoro sessions have been completed. I think this approach makes study and work easier for similar reasons to my first tip – working in short stretches is less overwhelming and intimidating rather than planning to study for hours on end without interruption.
One big takeaway from my time as a student is the importance of achieving a flow state as much as possible. When in a flow state, I am focused enough to work on a task for an extended period without getting distracted. Often, I find that the first few minutes of work or study are the hardest, and the longer I work on something, the more focused I can be. As long as I can find ways to avoid procrastination and distraction and get started, things tend to take care of themselves! This can be easy to forget when deciding to get off the couch and start working, but luckily, it’s proven consistently true for me.
Finally, I think reflecting on my reasons for pursuing the goal of a career in tech and finding ways to stay motivated is also essential for studying well. Having strategies to stay motivated and focused are essential! That’s all for today’s blog, thanks for reading!
