Back home, when you study either in the comfort of your bedroom or in a study hall, you likely get quite a lot done because you’re used to ignoring distractions and getting on with what you need to do. However, when you go abroad on an Erasmus+ or Turing Scheme, there’s a sense of immense excitement! There’s a new city or town to explore, friends to make, people to see and places to go. In fact, there’s so much to do that making time to study can often fall down your priority list. The thing is, studying is your top priority and that’s what you’re there to do, to enhance your CV ultimately and get the best possible qualifications. Of course, experiencing a new city, culture, language and people are all important too – but get the studying done so you’ve got time to spare to do all the things you long to do while abroad. Follow our top tips to help you study better while on your Erasmus+ or Turing Scheme mobility below.
Whether digitally or on paper, it’s good to have everything written down so you clear your mind. Put down your lectures, tutorials, societies, social events and anything else onto your planner so you know what you’ve got ahead and clearly mark any deadlines too. Once you’ve got everything in place, you don’t need to worry about when you’re going to fit things in because looking at your day, you’ll see the gaps. You can also use this planner for your fun activities, so you see when you’re going to get time to do the things that make you really happy!
By having a routine, you get into a good groove, and you know when you need to study, as well as when you have room for all those other activities you want to do. Think about when you do things best, for example, do you find that you study better in the morning or the evening? Do you find you exercise at lunchtime or when you get up? Plan around how your brain responds to studying and make sure that you use the time wisely. Once you’re in a good routine, you’ll know what’s upcoming as well and it will slot in nicely with your planner, as discussed above.
This could be in the privacy of your own room with a tidy desk, or in the kitchen at the table. It might be at the student library or at the city library. You may like background noise; you might need complete silence. Find a spot that you can call yours and make this your designated study area. You might want to try out a few areas before you find your favourite!
As tempting as it might be, if you need to study, don’t ignore it. If you’re struggling, try this. Create a ten-minute rule that you do some studying for at least ten minutes. Then take a few minutes breather. Then extend it to another 15 minutes, then take a breather, and then do another 20 minutes etc. This helps you to study for longer and you might find you don’t need the mini breaks in-between as you get into your topic, and you find your rhythm. Mostly, it’s about getting started, so don’t avoid it! It’s also good to study for 45 minutes at a time because after that, your mind might wander. So, when you’ve completed 45 minutes, make sure you do stop and do something else for 20 to 30 minutes to clear your mind so you’re ready for the next study session.
A good way to get you started is to set yourself achievable goals and when you reach your goal, give yourself a reward. It could be a coffee in your favourite coffee shop, a FaceTime with your family back home, or a bar of chocolate. Anything you like!
When you’re in lectures, make notes, if you don’t then you’ll miss something. Your notes don’t have to be detailed, you could use mind maps for example or download a recordable notes app from your phone to record what the lecturer is saying, while taking notes too. That way you won’t miss a thing!
Some people find that studying with other people really helps because you keep each other focused and you schedule breaks together. You could also test Eachother as well – to see how much you’ve both absorbed during each session.
Studying remains your number one priority but sometimes, you run the risk of studying too hard and not enjoying yourself too! Try and strike the right balance between the two so you get the most out of your Erasmus+ or Turing Scheme trip. Find out what we can do for your group of students by getting in touch with our team, we’ll organise the very best study and work placements abroad on your behalf!