Study Skills Review

We are nearing the end of our Access course already. It doesn't seem like very long ago we were only just beginning - and indeed, it would be hard to tell as much from this Study Skills blog. However, as we approach the final hurdles, it is now that the lessons learned from our time in Study Skills will really be put to the test, so today I will reflect on just what I have learned that I will be putting to good use in the coming month.

Preparation

Revision, in itself, is rather easy. It is, after all, simply looking over material you have covered previously. Effective revision is a different story though, and to make the most of my time (which is often in short supply), I have learned that I need to prepare for a serious revision session.

At the beginning of the course, Dieca stressed the importance of having a dedicated study space, free from clutter and distraction, with all the materials you will be using close at hand. This is one form of preparation that I have really come to value, as I have realised I am in fact more easily distracted that I had originally believed.

Another way I have found I need to prepare myself is setting time aside purely for study. On previous incursions into Education, I generally done my studying as and when I was in the mood for it. While I find it more enjoyable to learn in this piecemeal fashion, it has become clear to me that it is not well suited to getting through a course with a relatively high workload such as this.

Study Skills has taught me (although most of the credit should go to trail and error...) that I need to plan my studying in advance in order to get done as much as is required. It is better to force myself to do what is needed rather than doing nothing at an enjoyable pace!

Focus

As mentioned above, distractions are an issue for me. When studying alone in my home, I occasionally find myself being drawn away from my desk for various reasons, and my studying suffers as a result. By contrast, when studying alone at the library, where there is nothing to take my attention away from my work, I am able to concentrate on studying for prolonged periods. Finding a place free from distractions could be key when it comes to university and intensive studying is required, and I will certainly be in my local library several times between now and the end of this Access course.

Another distraction I find harder to avoid is company. I cannot study with other people around, whether in my house or elsewhere. As much as my social life may protest, it is clear that many sacrifices will need to be made over the coming years on that front. My work will not do itself while I'm spending time with friends and family - despite being self-evident, I have had to learn that if I have work to do, I can't spend time with friends or family!

I still have a lot of work to do on recognising when I can afford to take time off and when I should really be applying myself, as juggling work and social life is going to get much, much harder at university, as I will need to find employment and I intend to get involved with student societies. I'm not sure how much further I'll be able to improve in this area before the end of the course, but the importance of being focused on my studies is a lesson I will be sure to carry with me to university.

Motivation

This is not so much a Study Skill, but nevertheless something I have found important to the success of my study sessions: keep the goal in mind.

There have been times during this course when I have encountered difficulties, lapses in motivation and general lethargy in regards to studying. At these times, I ask myself what I'm actually doing and why I'm doing it. Worryingly, there are a few times I have almost come up short, when the answers should be obvious.

What am I doing? Well, I doubt this will be much of an issue when I reach university and am studying something I am passionate about... currently, I am doing this course simply to reach that point. While I may have a lack of interest in some of the topics covered in my various classes, remembering the ultimate goal provides the motivation to get through it; I would have no lack of motivation if I could always keep that in mind.

Why am I doing it? I could give many reasons here but the important one is 'because I want to'. No one will make me come to class or do the work because no one asked that I take up this course; it's my choice to be here.