How to study independently?

Mikkeli, Other, Self-help

Summer is coming soon (well, you might do not really believe me, but soon or later it will be outside!), so let’s start preparation for summer studies. Earther you will choose studying from summersemester.fi or from Coursera, Khan academy, MIT open courses (you see how many variants there are?) or just an library book, today I am going to reveal useful tricks to actually accomplish your commitments for studying.

· Focus on one main resource of your knowledge. And have a commitment to finish it till the end. So, in case with summer semester just tell yourself that you will accomplish all chapters/assignments that are available there. It will help your brain to have a pleasant feeling of actual process, which you will never get if you study something from one website and something from a book. Of course, you can use other sources of information, but your will power needs to be focused on active absorbing the knowledge from one resource.

· Stop being a perfectionist! Move on to the next topic according to your study plan even if you feel like you have not finished the previous one. Just from time to time come back to that chapter and revise the material. Because you are moving to the harder material, the easy information will settle down in your memory by itself, and, what is more interesting, you will get broader view on that topic you felt uncomfortable about!

· In some cases, if you pay for your education, you feel more motivated. So, if the situation allows, pay for exam/course, and hit your procrastination.

· Find a person who will supervise you. It can be a teacher with whom you agree to have some quick Q&A sessions, so that you cannot just stay unprepared. Another variant to have check and balance sessions with people who have the same goal.

· Plan! Better small steps every day than 5 chapters before the end. Also plan what kind of topics you will cover during your study time.

Everything is possible to be learnt by yourself. At least trying to do so, you already one step closer towards your goals.