Study support: Tips to help you stay motivated

1. Create a study schedule 

Studying can often feel like a never-ending task. It’s hard to know when to start and when to stop. But creating a study schedule will help you stay focused and ensure you make the most of your time.

Here are our top tips for creating an effective study schedule:

• Prioritise – once you have your exam timetable, work out how much time you will need to spend on each subject area. Set realistic revision goals and remember to schedule in time for eating, exercising, and relaxing.
• Plan – make sure you know which resources you will need to complete your revision and download them early. You don’t want to get to the day before your exam and realise you’re missing something.
• Practice – set aside some time in your schedule to complete mock exams. Doing this early on is a good way to test your knowledge and work out which areas you need to allocate more revision time for.

Remember, a study schedule that works for one person might not work for another. Make sure you think about what else you have going on and what times of the day you are typically most productive.

2. Reach out to your fellow Cheveners

A tried and tested way to help you stick to your revision schedule is to book in study sessions with your classmates. It’s harder to put it off if there’s someone waiting for you!

Why not:

• Study together – if you all tackle the content at the same time, it will keep you motivated and give you the opportunity to discuss anything you’re not sure about.
• Test each other – when you’ve been studying for a while, it can be easy to favour the areas you’re more comfortable with. Asking someone else to test you will give you a better idea of what you need to spend more time on. Explaining your answers out loud is also a good way to check that you understand what you’ve been studying and that you haven’t just been memorising it.

3. Minimise distractions 

For many students, procrastination is the biggest hurdle to overcome!

To help, try to get rid of any distractions in your study space. For example:

• turn off electronic devices
• set time limits on your apps
• let your friends know when you’ll be unavailable, so you’re not tempted by any last-minute plans!

4. Take regular breaks

As the deadlines creep closer, it can be tempting to think you need to spend every minute revising, but to keep you motivated and to ensure you don’t burn out, it’s important to take regular breaks. Taking some time to relax will also help you retain more information.

Here are some ideas of what you could get up to:

• 5-minute break – stretch, water the plants, make a cup of tea
• 10-minute break – have a dance break, meditate, take a short walk
• 30-minute break – exercise, nap, call a friend or family member

5. Treat yourself 

Make revising more motivating and less of a chore by rewarding yourself with:

• Things you enjoy – once you’ve finished revising a couple of chapters, you could watch an episode of your favourite TV show or pop to the local coffee shop.
• Things to look forward to – why not book in a celebratory meal with friends for after your last exam.
• A day off – don’t feel like you have to study all the time. Take a day off to explore the UK or take part in our events programme!

If you have any questions or require further support during the exam period, please contact the welfare team or your programme officer.