Studying in Sheffield student accommodation

Even without coronavirus restrictions remote learning and home study are becoming more commonplace within university courses. As your learning experience, dependent on your course can require some amount of independent study. Here are some tips for Studying in Sheffield student accommodation.

Even without coronavirus restrictions, remote learning and home study are becoming more commonplace within university courses. As your learning experience, may require some amount of independent study. Here are some tips for Studying in Sheffield student accommodation.

Give yourself ample preparation for studying in Sheffield student accommodation

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

It’s a fact, the amount and quality of sleep can have a big impact on both your mental and physical well-being. It also relates to how well your brain can store and process information. A healthy adult requires between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Getting a decent amount of high-quality sleep can seriously improve the quality and quantity of your study time. Subsequently helping you to stay positive and focused on the tasks you are set. As opposed to being easily distracted and feeling sluggish.

Chores out of the way

Clear out as many things in your schedule as possible, from doing the dishes to appointments. Other activities ongoing during your study time can easily lead to you being distracted from the task at hand.

Choose the best time

Everyone is different, Some find it easier to study during the day, this has the benefits of:

  • Your brain is refreshed after a good nights sleep and ready to process information
  • Natural light keeps you alert,  can help with the regulation of your sleep patterns and produces vitamin D
  • You are able to integrate group learning techniques.

Daytime learning is not for everyone, if your a night studier that has its advantages as well, including

  • Potentially quieter time
  • Fewer distractions and interruptions
  • A clearer mind for creative thinking
  • Can help improve recall of topics studying as the brain will continue to process them whilst sleeping

Brain Food

Keeping to the right diet can be beneficial to your physical health and help stimulate the brain. Eating foods such as

Berries and Citrus Fruits, Dark chocolate and cocoa products, Nuts, Eggs and Fish

Can all improve mental performance by increasing blood flow to your brain. Whilst also improving certain signalling pathways that promote cellular processes involved in learning and memory.

Packed with vitamins and minerals, some of these foods also contain slow releasing proteins to help with mental fatigue.

Most Importantly Water

Keeping your brain hydrated throughout your studying session has been proven to help improved memory and focused attention. Studies carried out by the UK National Hydration council have shown a positive correlation between learning and hydration.

Optimize your Surroundings 

Removing things that can distract you is a big help towards positive studying. Especially when coming across subjects or tasks that don’t seem very appealing to complete. Your mind will naturally wander away from things you don’t want to do to other things that can occupy your time. Stay focused by removing distractions such as:

  • Turn the TV or other devices off
  • Set your phone to do not disturb
  • Shut the door to the room where your studying
  • Put noise-cancelling headphones on, and listen to music
  • If not using your computer for study turn the monitor off, browsing the internet, Youtube and social media is a big distraction.

Tidy desk = tidy mind

All our student properties come with a desk. Although you may use it as a dumping ground. Consider clearing it off and using it for its purpose. Only put things you need on such as stationery, books and computer. Make sure you keep only the essentials on it. A clean workspace can help reduce anxiety and make room for motivation.

Air & Light

Access to daylight and fresh air can be greatly beneficial to studying. Studies have shown that natural light and fresh air sources can improve concentration lower feelings of anxiety, lead to an improved mood and increased levels of serotonin.

Techniques for studying in Sheffield student accommodation

Break down your work into smaller tasks

Looking at a large amount of work can make you feel suddenly overwhelmed and drain the enthusiasm you’ve built up away. Look into breaking your studying down into smaller tasks. Spending 5 minutes to organize your study schedule and goals will give you a clear path to achieve what you want to accomplish, just be sure to stick to it! You can achieve this by making a schedule or to-do list. Beware of going in-depth with a to-do list or one task can suddenly seem like it has hundreds.

Consider the Pomodoro Technique

the technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short 5 minute breaks. Each interval is known as a Pomodoro, from the Italian word for ‘tomato’, after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer used by this time management skill’s inventor. After between 2 and four Pomodoro’s take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

Active studying – ask questions

When studying, ask yourself questions along the way or note them down to review and look up later. Ask questions along the lines of how, why, when. Being able to provide specifics into a subject can help increase not only credibility in answers but will expand your understanding of the topic.

Circle back or ask for help

If you stuck understanding something, two options are available. spending all your time trying to understand the issue, or moving on to another section if possible. Always try to move on and return later with a fresh outlook to where you are experiencing difficulty. If afterwards you still need direction, never be afraid to ask for help.

Importantly – Set Clear goals and rewards.

So you’ve spent hours studying, now it’s time to treat yourself. Setting out rewards for accomplishing goals is a great way to incentivise yourself to actually sit and study.

About Thornsett Properties

Thornsett Properties have been supplying desks to students studying in Sheffield student accommodation since 1985. We supply housing to over 650 students studying at Sheffield Uni and Sheffield Hallam Uni every year. Thornsett Properties are property owners and not agents, meaning all our properties are managed by ourselves and not reliant on third parties. Our aim is to help you succeed whilst living and studying in Sheffield student accommodation

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