Before you read
Make a good plan!
When you picture all the pages you have to read in a semester, or everything that needs to be done for a major assignment, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Good planning can help counter that. You can make plans at several levels—for example an overall plan for the whole semester, a plan for each week, or a plan for each individual reading session. Below you will find inspiration for what such plans might look like. But before you read on: you may want to hear Birger Solheim’s advice on how you can become a better reader as a student:
Progress plan
A progress plan is an overview of the different activities you will carry out over a longer period, whether that is a full semester or an exam period. Your lecturer may provide a ready-made progress plan for the course; if not, making one yourself is a very useful exercise. By creating a progress plan, you give yourself an overview of which texts to read for which lectures, milestones for assignments, submission deadlines, and exam dates. What the plan should include depends on what you are planning for—preparing for a written exam, submitting a semester assignment, or working on a larger independent project. Your institution’s course pages are an important resource when building a progress plan. There you will find schedules for lectures and seminars, reading lists and learning outcomes for the course, and information about assignments and deadlines.
Reading plan
Throughout your studies you will read a great deal, so it pays to structure your reading sessions. Many students find a personal, systematic plan for reading helpful. A reading plan can specify the length of reading sessions, time for writing and processing what you have read, and breaks between sessions.
Example of a reading plan
- Decide what you are going to read.
- Put away your phone and computer (or turn off notifications if you read on screen).
- Read in three sessions of 25 minutes, with a five-minute break between each session.
- Write for ten minutes about what you have read; this can be a summary of the article or chapter you worked on, or questions about things you did not understand while reading.
- Take a 30-minute break.
- Complete three new reading sessions followed by a short writing session, as described in steps 3 and 4.
You have now spent a little over three and a half hours on six focused reading sessions, and you have processed what you read in writing!
Adjusting plans and realistic goals
Remember that the plans you make are not set in stone; they often need to be adjusted along the way. During the semester you will receive new information about the size of assignments, milestones, and deadlines. Over time you will also get to know how you prefer to work, and can adjust your plans accordingly. When you create and revise plans, it is important to set realistic goals. Perhaps you planned to read the entire syllabus twice, but realise you will not manage that because time is too tight. You can then adjust the plan so that you still get through the syllabus and instead take good notes along the way that you can use when preparing for the exam.
Tip: Be realistic
Do not set goals so ambitious that you cannot reach them. Then you risk disappointing yourself. A moderate but realistic goal can always be raised once you have more practice!
Some general recommendations
Blocking distractions
Blocking distractions means taking active steps so you are not pulled away from what you are meant to do. Social media is designed to capture our attention. It can therefore be wise to keep your phone out of sight or in another room during work periods. Working with analogue, physical materials rather than digital ones—books instead of a laptop—is also a way to stop yourself from checking news and social media. When you read and write with pen and paper, you also activate larger parts of the brain, which helps you learn and remember better.
You can also disconnect from the internet if you do not need it for your work, or use apps to limit phone and computer use.
Take breaks
Taking breaks is an important part of studying. Breaks help you maintain concentration so you get more out of each work session. They also support motivation and fresh ideas. Manage your time so you take proper breaks. Include short breaks during the study day and longer breaks in the afternoons, at weekends, and during holidays. In your breaks you might do something you enjoy—have coffee with a friend, exercise, read a good book, or watch TV.
Tip: Do not work yourself into the ground
Stop working before you are exhausted, while there is still something left to do. That makes it much easier to pick up again the next day!
Get to know your own study style
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There is no one-size-fits-all recipe. By becoming aware of what helps you work well over time, you can make your study days more effective.
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Start by finding out when during the day you work best
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Build a simple routine that puts you in study mode. For some, that means going to the library every day at 9:00; for others, making a cup of tea. What matters is the concrete signal to your brain that the study day is starting
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A good daily rhythm can be built by alternating different activities: reading, writing notes or summaries, taking breaks, moving your body, and discussing subject matter with fellow students
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Try to find a work rhythm you can use throughout the semester
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