Creating a Good Study Environment for Students

A good study environment is as important as the studying itself. Imagine if you are a very clean and hygienic person who is made to live in a messy house. The effect is much the same when you sit with your best intentions to study, but you are sitting in a completely wrong place.

You've meditated, focused, or given yourself a pep talk, but the moment you sit down to study, the sounds of the children playing in the park outside thwart your best efforts to resist temptation. Soon, you are as distracted as you could possibly be and your studying has gone for a toss! What goes wrong every time, you wonder, when you are trying your best?

Well, you are in the wrong place. Where you sit to study matters a lot, when you are planning to get some serious studying done. The logical question that follows then, is how to create a good study environment? Let us take a look at some pointers that will help you concentrate.

So you didn't manage your yesterday's quota of studying, and are now lagging behind by 2 chapters. You are frustrated, pissed off yet again at yourself or whoever, for not managing to stick to your timetable, and have decided that it is not going to work today either. But no! That's wrong.

Yesterday is gone and there is no point wallowing in what you did and didn't do. Forget all about it. Start afresh today, don't think about the timetable, or let it build pressure on you. Do as much as you can and forget the rest. Once you get in the groove, you'll pick up speed.

Imagine a wedding with lots of noise, or a crowded bus, or an emergency waiting room, and now place yourself bang in the middle of these scenarios with a book and pen. Ridiculous? Exactly. No point studying where you are going to be in the middle of some activity. You know that you will definitely not be able to study properly.

Pick a suitably quiet place; If too much quietness has you feeling all lonely, then you may try playing some soft music in the background to soothe and calm your nerves, and drown out other small noises that may distract you. A quiet place is very important in order to stay focused while studying.

Choose a cool, airy place, with sufficient ventilation, maybe a little breeze even, to get a smile on your face once in a while. Make the place as cheerful as possible. Place a small plant somewhere close to your study table to add to the cheer. Eliminate all possible causes of excuses, that you know you tend to make.

Try picking a place by the window during the daytime, and at night, make sure that you have a light that shines brightly on the book that you are reading. This is usually the best study environment.

If you have to furrow your brows and hold the book very close to your eyes to try to read something, you need more lighting than you have right now. Unless you like wearing spectacles, you will want to get that extra light.

A chair or a study table can stop you from dozing off while reading boring chapters. Get a nice, comfortable chair for yourself that will also help you maintain a good posture.

Small things can really stop you from concentrating and building a flow while studying, if, after every 15 minutes or so, you have to get up to get some notes, pencils, snacks, and what not. Plan out your 2 hours, think of all the related material that you may require, and assemble it beforehand.

It's OK if you end up not using a few of the books. Get a fruit or some light snack that will keep you comfortably full, without being too heavy on your tummy. Do everything possible to avoid distractions or frequent breaks while studying, and it'll pay off.

Your friend studying more than you is a silly reason to get frustrated and stop studying altogether. Conversely, if your friend has completed less than you, do not relax and stop for the day, if you know you can easily do more. This is not a competition to see who studies how much in a day. Your friend  has his limits, and you have yours.

Do not set unrealistic expectations for yourself. It'll only get you down. Stop asking your friend constantly how much they have finished, or telling them how much you have done. Do what you can, and let others do the same. Set daily targets for yourself, that you are comfortable with, and do your best to achieve these targets.

Reading through the entire text like it's a storybook, is pointless. Read the important points, highlight important sentences, practice the diagrams and write the explanations for them in your own words instead of trying to learn the answer by rote, word to word from the text.

Use techniques like mind mapping, logical linking of points, or short forms like the very simple VIBGYOR, to remember long lists and the like. Put up charts for various formulas, etc. This will increase the speed of your studying, and help you in getting more studying done in less time. Try it.

Studying can become quite bearable, if you do it right.You won't enjoy it, but the possibility cannot be denied! Now that you know how to create a good study environment, choose a place that is right for you, a time that suits you, wear comfortable clothes, and tackle those big intimidating blocks of books head on.