At university, you would need to develop multiple skills and learn a few things that you did not learn in school. The first thing to crack is learning independently. In an environment where nobody holds your hand or tells you what to do, one must master the art of managing personal deadlines.
To begin with, when learning independently, you must have a goal. How much syllabus do you want to cover in a month? Moreover, you need to understand your learning style. Which subject attracts you instantly? What topics and concepts do you struggle with?
The difficult topics require more of your time and effort. Hence, you would need to concentrate more on that part. Create a timetable suitable for your schedule. Make sure to follow that to achieve your goals on time.
The blog further discusses the best ways to build independent learning skills. You may be new to it, but you need to develop your skills now. Read ahead to know more.
6 Tips to start learning independently as a student
It may sound comforting to study from your bed. However, you need to respect the boundaries between study and leisure. Not having a dedicated study space may affect the study progress. It may impact the concentration, and you may not be able to achieve the goals. Therefore, the first thing to do is to decide and set up a study place. It should be far from your bed. Here are other tips to follow:
Set clear learning goals
You cannot begin independent study without clarity. Thus, you must break long-term goals into small and achievable bits. Understand how you can implement the SMART aspect into your study.
S- Be specific about the topic or subject to cover at a time
M- measure the progress through an online mock test weekly
A-Set achievable targets which should not affect your health
R- Pick up a relevant subject/topic by prioritising
T-Set a time limit for every subject
Doing so will help you understand what you are doing and the reason behind it.
Develop a time management routine
Consistency is the key to independence and achievement. If you do not study at a fixed time every day, you may not be able to achieve goals on time. Therefore, preparing a learning timetable and following it is very important. It brings discipline to your schedule and helps you concentrate better. It is generally ideal to wake up early and study in the morning.
Yes, you can schedule breaks in between to avoid burnout. Create a timetable by giving the most hours to the most difficult subjects. Practice a subject for at least 25 minutes straight to improve concentration and progress. Sometimes, students over-stress and study without breaks. It affects their sleeping patterns and concentration.
In some cases, the health may deteriorate. Therefore, if you encounter situations like sleeplessness, anxiety and other aspects, contact an expert immediately. It may help you seek stress-relieving medications in a timely manner, which may streamline your lifestyle and study schedule. If you lack money for such an additional expense, don’t worry.
You may get quick funds for an emergency like that. It does not require detailed documentation or collateral. It may help you pay for the urgent consultation and medicines. You can repay the dues later with your part-time income.
Learn Active Study techniques
Passive reading is ineffective for important learning. You must practice Active study techniques like testing yourself without notes. It reveals how much you can concentrate and the brain’s grasping power.
The next technique to practice is space repetition. Revisiting material over time may help you learn the concept deeply. You can practice the topic while doing math or another unrelated subject.
One of the other techniques of learning is writing. Your brain remembers what you put on paper. Thus, writing proves helpful in memorising things. Thus, write whatever you study about a topic and afterwards check the gaps. It will help you know how much you know and how much you still need to cover.
The last technique is to be aloud about the concepts to the audience. There may be none. But reading the notes aloud helps you retain things. It is the best way to learn theoretical subjects, especially.
All these techniques help in improving retention and deepening concentration.
Build Organisational skills
Organisation improves clarity and reduces reliance on external support. Always keep your desk clean, whether it is in your university or the hostel. Label your subjects clearly. It is regardless of whether you have digital copies or physical copies.
Try to use sticky notes on your study table for important educational events like exams, seminars, and Mock tests. Create planners for assignments according to the date of submission. It will help you be at the top of your curriculum and not miss anything.
Review and tidy up the study materials after studying. Don’t leave books and copies in a mess after you leave the study room. It may only create confusion later.
Try to motivate yourself
Yes, it could be hard to go on at times, especially during a rough academic phase. Things may not be going smoothly on that part. However, you cannot give up just now. Every student struggles academically at some point in time. Instead of panicking, determine the best ways to counter the situation.
Would you need extra classes? What are the main concepts that you face issues with? Would private tuitioning work? Analysing these aspects is important to understand yourself and your academic future well. It will help you improve gradually and gain control over the messed-up things. Here are some tips to remain motivated:
- Link study tasks to personal goals
- Use small rewards after every task
- Track progress
- Reflect on progress lest the results
Work on problem-solving aspects
Independent students attempt questions first before seeking help. Encourage attempting tasks fully before asking questions. Try to use guidebooks, textbooks and other notes for guidance. Don’t ignore the errors. Instead, understand the reason behind them. Try to practice exam-style questions regularly.
Bottom line
These are some tips to build independent learning skills. It may help you analyse the study pattern and incorporate the right aspects in your schedule to improve concentration. Understand the subject you struggle with the most. Dedicate more time to those subjects to eventually understand the concepts and get good marks.
