The sooner you get into a good study groove, the easier everything will be. Here are our top tips for getting the most out of studying online.
- Pick a place and time
Everyone has their own idea about the best place and time to study. Whether it’s your bedroom at night or the local library, find a study space and a regular study time that works for you and stick with it. - Study Every Day
If you study a little bit every day you’ll be continually reviewing things in your mind. This helps you understand things.
If you’re finding it hard to find time to study, cut back on some (but not all!) of your other activities. - Plan your time
It helps to have some plans in motion so you can make the most of your study time.
Set alarms – Set alarms to remind you about your study plans. A regular reminder keeps you honest and your plans on track.
Use a wall planner – Stick a calendar or wall planner up so you can see it whenever you’re studying. Mark it up with dates you’d like to submit particular assessments by. Use it to block out your regular study timetable too.
Make to-do lists – Lists break tasks down into manageable chunks. At the start of the week, make a list of the things that you need to have done by the end of the week. Make a to-do list at the start of each study session too, so that you’re clear about what you need to be doing with your time.
Set time limits – Before you start your study session, have a look at your to-do list and give yourself a set time to spend on each task. If you don’t get something done in the set time, consider whether it’s the best use of your time to keep going with it, or to start working on something else. - Discover your learning style
Most of us have a preferred way of learning. Get to know your learning style and study in the ways you learn best.
Auditory learners learn by listening. If you’re an auditory learner you could try reading your notes aloud and discussing them with other people. You might like to record key points and play them back.
Visual learners learn by seeing. If you’re a visual learner you could print the notes and use highlighters or draw diagrams to help represent key points. You could try to remember some ideas as images.
Tactile/kinesthetic learners learn by doing. If you’re a tactile/kinesthetic learner you could use methods like role-playing. - Review and revise
Thinking things over can help you to understand the concepts and help you remember when you need them the most.
Quiz yourself – Get a friend or family member to quiz you on key concepts. Quizzes are great ways to get confident about what you know and find out what you still need to learn.
Make your own study materials – Think up some practice questions or create your own flashcards to help you study. This way you learn it all twice: once when you make the study materials and once when you use them to revise. - Take breaks
It’s important to take breaks while you’re studying, especially if you’re feeling tired or frustrated. Working too long on a task can actually decrease your performance. When you take a break, make sure you get away from your desk or study space. A bit of physical activity – even just a walk around the block – can sometimes help you to look at a problem in a different way and could even help you to solve it. - Ask for help
If you’re stuck on something, or something just doesn’t seem to make sense, you can always ask for help. Talk to the support team on 1300 031 014 or on the Facebook group about the things you don’t understand. - Stay motivated
When you’re studying online it helps to keep in mind your reasons for doing all this hard work, like a course or career you’re working towards. It can help to have something in your study space to remind you of your goals. You could also decorate your study space with inspirational quotes or photos of people you admire and family members you want to make proud of you. - App it up
There are heaps of apps out there for helping students with all aspects of the study. Ask us about apps to help retain information like anatomy and physiology! - Look after yourself
You’ll study better if you take care of yourself. Make sure you eat well and get enough sleep and physical exercise. Don’t reward yourself with too many sugary or fatty snacks or push yourself to study late into the night. It’s also a good idea to make sure you drink lots of water when you’re studying online.
Remember, you aren’t alone even though you may not have students around you while you’re studying online. If you ever need assistance, just email us at support@f-i-t.com.au
