Feeling overwhelmed by your next assignment? You’re not alone, we’ve all been there! But with a few simple tips and tricks, you can take control, reduce stress and set yourself up for success. Here are some effective study tips we swear by here at Mezzino.
Achieve Clarity First
The first tip is to genuinely understand what you’re being asked to do. Don’t just skim the assignment or brief. Read through it thoroughly, highlight key points, and take comprehensive notes. Be absolutely clear on the core requirements and the expected response.
If you find anything confusing, don’t be afraid to ask for help! Speak to your tutor or lecturer before you start working on it. Clarifying early saves you from wasting time on the wrong thing later down the line.
Master Time Management
A successful study session isn’t about working harder; it’s about working smarter with your time. Start by mapping out a plan. Check your deadlines and work backwards, allocating specific time blocks for research, drafting and editing.
To make large projects or essays less daunting, break your work into manageable chunks. Instead of facing the task of ‘writing an essay’, break it into smaller blocks such as ‘find 5 sources’, ‘write introduction’ and ‘outline sections’. This makes the process less overwhelming, and who doesn’t love checking things off a list!
Optimise Your Study Environment
If you can’t focus, studying will become impossible. Finding the right environment for you to concentrate is vital. Be intentional when choosing a place to study, make sure it’s somewhere comfortable but where you can ‘get in the zone’. This could be the library, your desk or a Mezzino Group Study Room. Choose a space that your brain can associate with being productive.
Tackle distractions by creating a focus system that works for you. A technique that works well is the Pomodoro Timer, which involves 25 minutes of deep focus work followed by a 5-minute break. This helps to train your brain to concentrate in short, high-intensity bursts. You can also enhance your concentration by using lo-fi beats or ambient sounds to block out external noises.
Build a Foundation of Knowledge
Your writing is only as strong as your knowledge. Dive into the right resources, look into textbooks, academic articles and other reliable online materials. Don’t just collect all these resources; actively engage with them. Take notes on key arguments and concepts. You can organise these however you prefer, whether on paper, in a document or in a comprehensive colour-coded spreadsheet. Keeping all these in one place will also make referencing easier (more on that later!)
Write That First Draft
Your first draft is a practice run, not the final product. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself for this; the goal is simply to get your ideas down and develop a structure.
Once complete, take a step back, go for a walk and come back with fresh eyes. This will allow you to review, revise and edit effectively. This is the stage where the magic happens: bulk it out, edit for clarity, tighten up your arguments and fix your grammar and spelling mistakes. It all starts with that first draft.
Conquer Referencing
The dreaded plagiarism trap, unfortunately, cannot be avoided. Referencing changes across different subjects and universities, so make sure you’re clear on which rules you should be following. To make things easier, use guides and reliable citation tools to ensure you’re using the correct format.
A top tip: cite as you go. Don’t leave it all until the end; it will cause you more stress than it’s worth. Make sure to keep all your sources in one place to refer back to; it will be more manageable. Be sure to utilise help from your tutor, lecturer or peers if you’re still unsure about referencing.
Leverage University Resources
Your tuition fee pays for much more than just lectures! Make sure you use the support available:
- Library Staff – Librarians are research experts! They can often help you find high-quality academic sources faster than you can on your own.
- Tutor/ Office Hours – Your tutors are there to help clarify difficult concepts and discuss your ideas with you. Utilise your scheduled time with them.
- Support Centre – Many universities have centres that offer free workshops or 1-2-1 sessions to help with all things studying, such as essay writing, time management and referencing.
If you’re struggling with your workload, reach out to your tutor. We have some tips on dealing with burnout that can help you navigate becoming your best self again. Well done from us at Mezzino for taking these steps towards achieving your academic goals!
Good luck with your studies! By implementing these effective study tips, you will whizz through your essays and assignments stress-free.
