Studying is an important part of academic success. However, it is sometimes difficult to find the time to study for every subject we need to study for. One way to ensure studying success is to create a solid study schedule. Creating a study schedule, though, can be harder than we think. Not only do you have to prioritize the subjects and courses you need to study for within a certain block of time, but you also have to juggle other responsibilities such as family, friends, and entertainment. Ultimately, though, with a little thought and a little work, you’ll have no problem creating a schedule and meeting all of your academic goals.
1. Establish short-term and long-term goals for studying.
It will be easier to create and manage your schedule if you know what you want to achieve at the end. This will also help you identify areas that you need to focus on.
Short-term goals might include passing a test in a week, finishing a paper within 2 weeks, or memorizing a presentation in 10 days. For these projects, break up your tasks by day.
Long-term goals might include getting into a certain college, winning a scholarship, or landing a certain job or internship. For these, break down your goals by week and month to make them more manageable.
2. List all the subjects you need to study.
Perhaps the first step in creating your study schedule is to list all of the subjects and courses you need to study for. Putting your obligations on paper will help you get a better idea of what you really have to do. If you have specific exams to study for, list these instead of courses.
3. Figure out what you need to do for each subject or exam.
Now that you’ve written down all of the different subjects you need to study for, you need to figure out what you need to do for each course. While your time commitment and other obligations for a specific class might vary per week, chances are you’ll find out that over the long-haul, you’ll need a certain amount of time per subject.
4. Prioritize your list.
After you’ve made a list of all the subjects or exams you need to study for and figured out what you need to do for each, prioritize the list. Ranking each class in importance will help you figure out what subjects you need to devote the most time to and which subjects should get your best time slots.
Put a number, starting with one, next to all of your subjects or exams. If you need the most time for math, give it a one. If you need the least time for SST, give it a five.
5. Divide your available time during the week into study blocks.
Before you go on, you need to divide up your available time during the week into study blocks. After you do this, you can go and assign your blocks to a subject.
The trick to creating a study schedule is to plan to study the same time every day so you actually have a schedule you can memorize without constantly checking. By creating a routine, you’ll build a positive study habit.
Check if there are times or days of the week you can always study during. For example, you may be free 3-4 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday.
Schedule study sessions in 30 to 45 minute blocks. Shorter time blocks are easier to find and to schedule than longer blocks.
Create blocks for all of your available time.