Finals season is just around the corner for Eastern Illinois University students, and with it comes study sessions.
For many students, studying can be difficult.
“Sometimes it is hard for me to focus my mind on the subject I am supposed to be studying for,” junior English language arts major Josie Moore said.
Moore said she struggles to concentrate while studying for her tests.
To stay focused she finds a spot on campus that she can designate for studying. Doing this keeps her from scrolling through social media apps, like Tik Tok, for hours instead of preparing for her exams, she said.
Being in public spaces keeps Moore from getting distracted on her phone and pushing off her studies.
A study published by Inside Higher Ed in 2019 found that around half of the people surveyed thought students were distracted by their electronics for non-educational purposes. The other half think that technology use in the classroom is unavoidable, which makes this issue inevitable.
“Tech can be an effective aid if it’s used in a focused, thoughtful way,” said EIU professor of English Randall Beebe. “I’ve found most students genuinely want to learn and do well in classes but are their own worst enemies when it comes to study habits and letting tech distract them from letting their brains grow.”
Beebe explained how although technology can be a factor for students distracted study habits, he doesn’t believe it to be the root cause.
Instead, he said he believes there are specific contributors to student study problems like social media. Some homework assignments, he said, require focused and sustained attention for more time compared to other assignments. Technology is effective to aid students in their studies only if it is used in a focused and thoughtful way, he said.
“Sometimes it can be difficult to focus,” said junior English language arts major Kathyrn Lanham. “There is always something else that desperately needs my attention, and it’s a struggle to prioritize.”
Lanham said she struggles with study habits. But she has solutions such as rewriting the notes from class so the material stays fresh in her mind.
“I set an alarm to go off at a certain point, and once that alarm goes off, it is like a cooking show: time’s up, put your pencil down, and step away from the work,” Moore said. “This prevents me from trying to cram everything in at once. It also gives me a chance to do things around the house, or to just take a brain break.”
Conversing with others is another way Moore keeps herself from getting distracted while studying.
She said that telling her friends about the concepts she is learning helps her prepare or if they know the concepts she is studying, she will talk back and forth about the topic with them.
Doing this helps her put the terms and concepts into key words that Moore understands and will remember. Otherwise, she will have her friends quiz her before an exam.
Another way Moore keeps herself from getting distracted is by changing her study environment.
She said she has a total of three places she likes to study from: Booth Library, her living room and the English lounge in Coleman Hall.
The people present in these rooms help encourage her to study. She advises EIU students to have a set place that fits their study needs to help center the mind and focus on studying, especially if a student associates a specific place on campus or at home for studying only.
Besides finding a specific place to study, what else can students do to keep bad study habits away?
“When preparing for important assessment tasks like exams, students should review material and generate a list of two categories: one, ‘here’s what I think I know about the material;’ two, ‘here’s what I don’t think I understand,’” said Beebe.
Beebe said that after figuring out what they know and don’t know about the test material, students should schedule a conference with their instructor to go over the list they made.
He continued by saying that instructors are very willing to discuss the list of problems and help students develop a strategy for preparation before the test day.
According to the American Psychological Association, students should embrace a routine to schedule when they will study or do homework so they are not putting it off until the last moment.
The association recommends students should find a way to enjoy their work, that way they will look forward to what they need to accomplish for tomorrow. It also advises students to develop realistic goals, take breaks and turn off their smartphones to keep themselves focused and eager to learn new information.
Michelle Doty can be reached at 581-2812 or at mrdoty@eiu.edu.
