LYNX LIFE LIBRARY

The leaves are crunchy, there’s a chill in the air, and it’s that time of year—the end of semester final project and test preparation! Whether you have final papers, final projects, or a big final test or performance heading your way, now is the time to refine your study strategies as you head into the end of your Fall 2024 semester. While it may seem a bit early to be thinking about your final big assignments, this is actually the ideal time to plan out your study time so you feel prepared and confident in your courses. 

As a UNIV 1110: College Success educator and a current doctoral student in our School of Education EdD program, I know what it’s like heading into the tail-end of the academic semester. Your classes all seem to have things due, the readings are ramping up, and sometimes it can feel difficult to figure out how to get it all completed. I’m here to share some study strategies and time management tips that I’ve been using since I was an undergraduate student that have helped me study successfully, balance my time, and successfully complete my research outside of my classwork. Another reason you should take my advice? In all my years of school (undergraduate, two master's degrees, and my doctorate degree), I have NEVER pulled an all-nighter! It’s possible! 

Time Management and Study Tip #1: Chunk Your Time Ahead of Time

If you have taken any of my UNIV courses, you have heard me yell about how helpful it can be to chunk out your time ahead of time. This can feel overwhelming, but it does not take very long to do and, in the end, it helps you be more focused in your study time each day. 

Step One: Pull out all your syllabi and list out the due dates for all of your assignments (quizzes, tests, final projects, essays, etc.).

Step Two: Put all those due dates on your calendar, in your planner, or whatever time management tracker or tool you utilize.

Step Three: Go back at least 10-14 days from each due date and schedule at least 30 minutes to one hour each day during your study time to work on that specific assignment. For example: If you have a Sociology essay due on October 20th, then starting on at least October 10th, you should schedule one hour per day and label it as "work on Sociology essay due on October 20th". 

This chunking method is helpful for a variety of reasons. First, it breaks it down into a manageable amount of time per day that you can spend focused time on your assignment. Second, it serves as an ongoing reminder of when that assignment is due, so you don’t forget. Third, it allows for you to potentially finish your assignment early, which gives you flexibility in receiving feedback from resources such as the Writing Center. 

Chunking also helps you manage your time if something unexpected comes up. If you suddenly got sick right before the essay was due, but you had been working on your essay for one hour a day since October 10th, then you are more likely to not have to stress about rushing to finish the entire essay before it’s due, and you can instead take time to rest and take care of yourself. 

Time Management and Study Tip #2: Set Specific Study Goals with Your Time

Instead of just blocking off your calendar for four hours with the label "study time", or only studying when you happen to have free time, if you use the chunking method from the first tip, you can begin to set specific goals with your study time each day. 

A helpful tip would be making sure you have a priority list for when you sit down to study. For example, you could break down your four hours of study time into specific goals to complete and list it out on your calendar, planner, or other time management tool. An example is below: 

1:00pm-1:30pm: Work on English 1020 final essay 

1:30pm-1:35pm: Quick break

1:35-2:00pm: Work on Chemistry lab report

2:00pm-2:05pm: Quick break

2:05pm-3:30pm: Study for Math 1060 test 

As you can see, not only does this chunk up your assignments, but it also gives you a focused plan for what to work on, so you aren’t staring off into space when it comes time to study. 

Time Management and Study Tip #3: Try the Pomodoro Method

The example in tip #2 is a way to incorporate the Pomodoro Method into your study time. This helps you maintain focus while also switching between subjects in between timed sessions, which has been found to help you continue to retain information while keeping your brain engaged. An example of how to use the Pomodoro Method is below: 

First 30 minutes: work on Chemistry lab report 

Timer goes off – five-minute break: get water, stretch, watch a Tik Tok video 

Next 30 minutes: work on Math 1060 homework

Time goes off – five-minute break: get a snack, text your friend back

Next 30 minutes: Read for SOCY 1111

The Pomodoro Method is a great way to structure your time and your breaks, so that long stretches of study and work time don’t feel so overwhelming. Plus, the timer allows you to hold yourself accountable to work during the timed work time, and then to take a break during the set break time. 

Time Management and Study Tip #4: Set Up Your Ideal Study Environment

The environment you study in is very important when it comes to maintaining focus and getting your work accomplished. Throughout my years in school, I’ve found that I specifically need to be listening to instrumental music to focus on my work. So, I started curating a list of songs on Spotify that helped me get into a state of flow throughout the years. If you’re interested in it, check it out here!

Some things to think about when constructing your ideal study environment: 

• Do you study best in spots with other people in them? Or do you study best in spaces where you are alone? 
• What time of day do you feel the most productive? 
• What temperature is ideal for you to study in? 
• Do you need background sounds, or do you need silence? 
• Do you need to be sitting indoors, or outside? Do you need to be at home, or outside of your house? 

Once you find your ideal study environment, it becomes easy to replicate it. For me, I know that I must be out of my house and either at my local library or coffee shop to work, and I always have my study time playlist on in the background as I work. I also know that I am a daytime study person, so I set my study time up on the weekends between 9am-12pm when I am the most productive.  

Time Management and Study Skill Tip #5: Reward Yourself

It is so important to celebrate your wins when you complete a study goal. For example, if you finish your essay for your sociology class (and if you use the chunking method, you may even finish it early!), celebrate with something that feels like a reward. For me, once I finish my final group report for my quantitative research methods II class this semester, I plan on getting myself a large PSL from Starbucks as a reward. Think about something you can do for yourself to celebrate your wins as you finish your work, because every time you complete something for college, you are one step closer to your goal of graduating! 

I hope you find these tools and tips helpful as you continue through your fall semester. I know the road may feel long, but college will go by so fast! Take a moment to breathe, celebrate your wins, and set up your time so that you are successful and balanced as you wrap up your fall semester.

Emilie Waggoner is the Director of Student Transitions at CU Denver. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs leadership, a master’s degree in management and organizational leadership, and is a second-year doctoral student in the School of Education and Human Development’s Leadership for Educational Equity – Higher Education EdD program. She researches generative AI, college success, student development theory, and anime fandom.