For some reason, I can't study anymore

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
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shreypete

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I've been hooked onto the internet, watching movies all day long and this has been going for more than 3 weeks now. And now, I just can't sit down and study because I get bored too soon. The worst part is that I have final exams coming up in late-May, June and July. I don't know what I could do to get back to the way I was. Did anyone else experience this before? I mean I'm not even talking about a burn-out here (which I guess seems to be more common among medical students.)

I used to bed such a good student, but these stupid movies and TV shows have ruined me. 🙁 🙁 🙁
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Try going to the library or studying with friends. Good luck!
 
Dood! I hear you! It's so easy to just start watching and before you know it, it's time for bed and you didn't study at all.

Suggestions... I hate to say it, but Nike had it right. Just sit down and do it.
 
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Change environments. When I get like this, I go to a coffee shop, preferably one that doesn't have free wireless internet. I like Starbucks because I don't have AT&T.
 
Hey dude I agree with going to a no wifi area. Figure out what stuff you will need from the internet download it and then go to a coffee shop with wireless off or unavailable. The first few times you may realized oh crap I forgot to download this and that etc. but eventually you will get in the habit of knowing exactly what you need. If you have anything you wanna google make a word doc or write it down on a piece of paper and look it up when u get back home!

P.S. I am not a med student just an undergrad looking up these forums trying to figure out how to not screw up medical school like I did undergrad by being lazy and waiting for the last minute in absolutely everything!
 
I feel ya. "Spring break" killed me. Not enough time for a break but enough time to get out of the studying groove. And this weekend cable is making it even harder with re-runs of Gladiator, The Departed, and American Gangster. Moments like these make me glad my school is P/F. But I hope I get back into the groove sooner than later.
 
Zoom-Zoom said:
I feel ya. "Spring break" killed me. Not enough time for a break but enough time to get out of the studying groove. And this weekend cable is making it even harder with re-runs of Gladiator, The Departed, and American Gangster. Moments like these make me glad my school is P/F. But I hope I get back into the groove sooner than later.
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Well the alternative to this is no spring break like us. We've been going since the beginning of july with no break. I feel burned out and have such a hard time sitting down and focusing (hence why I'm on SDN right now) but we just started another system so got five more weeks to go.

Ugh.
 
Something that really keeps me from being distracted is having a printed copy of the syllabus on hand, and not carrying my laptop around. It kinda forces you to focus on what's at hand, rather than play around on your comp.

Of course, to each his/her own 😉
 
Glad to know that I'm not the only TV/internet/movie addict.

I just made a study schedule for the entire week and I was looking over a few study techniques (just to break the routine) and I actually feel like studying now (right after I finish watching Saw VI 🙂)
 
I've gone through multiple burnout periods during my medical training, although usually eventually bounced back.

I think what will help most is finding friends to study with, like quizzing each other. It's more fun and it will force you to work.
 
Zoom-Zoom said:
I feel ya. "Spring break" killed me. Not enough time for a break but enough time to get out of the studying groove.
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Same here. I'm still trying to get back into my groove, 3 weeks in =(
 
Yeah, i'm going through a min-burnout right now as first year ends. I really hope it does not happen again at the same time in second year. I;d hate to be burned out just when i need to start getting ready for step 1.
 
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I have the fear of failure driving me through the last two weeks with extra fervor. If I didn't have to do well, I'd totally be there.


I purposefully leave my laptop and phone in another room when I study (I study at my school a lot).
 
NAGNAM said:
sometimes tv keeps me from bedding good students too 😳
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Ahaha, sorry a typo there.

To the previous poster, I don't think it's burnout. I mean I guess it was burnout 4 weeks back (when I finished my exams and couldn't study anymore) but now it's been more than a month and I've become so used to not studying that it's sheer laziness and lack of motivation on my part.
 
When you are done studying for the day make a schedule or list of things to do for tomorrow. I have the same problem but I figure that if I can get through my list or if I am ahead of schedule then I will reward myself with watching a show. Also, during the day limit the show/internet break to 15 minutes and no more than once every couple of hours. It sucks watching shows in such a chopped up way but it's what you have to do. Save any extended internet or movie watching time for the end of the day when you are done studying.

Disclaimer: This will probably only work if you are a task oriented person. I love lists (and checking things off), so this works great for me.

Hope this helps!
 
I like lists too, but it can be challenging with studying. It is hard to know how long it will take you to really have something down solid. I try to have almost a tiered list with the MUST do. Under no circumstances will I consider it a complete day unless I get those things done. It is usually reasonable enough and has flexiblity built in so at most, it'd take 3/4ths my study time. After that, it is all "bonus" stuff. If I can cover another lecture or two then it is a great day. Basically, I try to make it so I have only good study days and great study days with very few bad ones. I find that a "bad" study day tends to demoralize me a bit and makes me less eager to take on crap the next day, but more antsy about the black cloud that is an exam looming over my head.
 
idler12 said:
When you are done studying for the day make a schedule or list of things to do for tomorrow. I have the same problem but I figure that if I can get through my list or if I am ahead of schedule then I will reward myself with watching a show. Also, during the day limit the show/internet break to 15 minutes and no more than once every couple of hours. It sucks watching shows in such a chopped up way but it's what you have to do. Save any extended internet or movie watching time for the end of the day when you are done studying.

Disclaimer: This will probably only work if you are a task oriented person. I love lists (and checking things off), so this works great for me.

Hope this helps!
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Yes, I love lists and I actually will start doing them again. I used to follow this technique for the last 2 years and I think I will start again.

Great idea!
 
Yeah, I know what youre talking about. its very bad... and if you dont get over it soon, it will become harder...
Ive had the same problem before. not because of tv or anything but because of some social and political things that happend in my country last year, I started to, you know, fight the regime... and after that we didnt get what we wanted, i was too depressed to study for days... and after moving on, i started to study, but I get borred so soon. even sometimes, i cant study more than 15 minutes a day!!!!!!
I saw someone up there replied: Just do it
he ment to force it through. if you can, do it. just tell your self that i am going to do this and nothingsgonna stop me. but im sensing that if you could do that, you wouldnt be here asking this question...
But the answer to this problem is just discipline. you MUST make a "to do" list. and you MUST make sure you stick to it. beleive me, ive tried so hard to find another way, but there isnt any other way. pick some strong sentences. even sentences like: "I WILL FINISH ..." and such things will work. say it at leasy 10 times in the morning. if these things didnt work (wich im sure it will), just simply go to a psychiatrist...
I wrote a lot and im not sure if youll read this, so Ill type the next line in huge letters. sorry for that:
Just remember, a lot of people have experienced what you ae experiencing right now, and many of them have passed the situation.
But you should know, there is no immediate way to fix this, so be patient
it took you three weeks to get here, so you gotta spend at least the same time to be good as normal.
well i dont know if I helped, but I hope i did...
 
Thanks, I really appreciate all the replies on here.
 
phospho said:
same here...

i don't think I've ever been this unmotivated...

love the starbucks idea though - will definitely give it a shot first thing in the morning...
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I love studying at Starbucks.

If you register a Starbucks gift card, you get free refills on their coffee/tea/iced coffee/iced tea. You also get free access to their wireless through AT&T. (Doesn't take much, just put a few dollars on a card and go to their website and register the code on the back of it. I usually just put a 20 on it every couple weeks, because if you just use it to buy your drinks you get random rewards. Alternatively, just leave a dollar on it and use it to buy your refills, which instead of $.50 are now free.)
 
Raryn said:
I love studying at Starbucks.

If you register a Starbucks gift card, you get free refills on their coffee/tea/iced coffee/iced tea. You also get free access to their wireless through AT&T. (Doesn't take much, just put a few dollars on a card and go to their website and register the code on the back of it. I usually just put a 20 on it every couple weeks, because if you just use it to buy your drinks you get random rewards. Alternatively, just leave a dollar on it and use it to buy your refills, which instead of $.50 are now free.)
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The point is to NOT have internet.
 
Raryn said:
I love studying at Starbucks.

If you register a Starbucks gift card, you get free refills on their coffee/tea/iced coffee/iced tea. You also get free access to their wireless through AT&T. (Doesn't take much, just put a few dollars on a card and go to their website and register the code on the back of it. I usually just put a 20 on it every couple weeks, because if you just use it to buy your drinks you get random rewards. Alternatively, just leave a dollar on it and use it to buy your refills, which instead of $.50 are now free.)
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This card is awesome. I used to go to tim horton's for their internet but their coffee is weak as hell. Starbucks coffe is awesome and these refills and free internet with the card work great
 
Raryn said:
Well, now you know you can get it for free just by putting some money on the gift card (which you can then use to pay for whatever drink you were going to get anyway). Sorry?
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Oh, I've known about it. I just purposely don't get a card. If the temptation is there, I will be surfing.
 
I agree with the others.. Go to places with no wifi and study there.. silent places can help you, too.. [like libraries (w/o wifi of course)] Then, find a study partner who can help you stay motivated.. You can go to cafes also.. wherein you can also eat when you feel hungry, because as we all know, its better to study when the stomach is full.. 🙂
 
I find when I go somewhere without internet is the ONE time I find I need something, despite every best effort. That is why I started printing stuff off more often and leaving my laptop upstairs at school. I get designated breaks to brew coffee and check email/facebook and then right back down into silent study, or the "dungeon" as it is affectionately called.
 
when this happens you just gotta find a special quiet place free of distractions, where you can sit down and spend some quality time with your notes. even if you feel like you're not learning anything, just go through the motions for a while and before you know it you'll be getting in some solid study time. Set goals for a session (ie; "I'm not gonna leave until I go through X pages of Y subject.")

There is never "too much". You are superman. This is medicine not junior league soccer, if you get down and try to be normal and deal with your problems in a healthy way people will stand around kicking you in the face so just be completely awesome all the time and you'll be alright.
 
coldweatherblue said:
There is never "too much". You are superman. This is medicine not junior league soccer, if you get down and try to be normal and deal with your problems in a healthy way people will stand around kicking you in the face so just be completely awesome all the time and you'll be alright.
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This. All those lesser mortals in dental school will just have to let us be the rockstars. 😀
 
Everybody burns out in the spring. I have sihtloads of work to do and have been surfing the net for the past 3 hours :/
 
cormorant1 said:
Everybody burns out in the spring. I have sihtloads of work to do and have been surfing the net for the past 3 hours :/
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thats comforting...
im trying to force myself to just do ONE lecture today... just listen and transcribe ONE lecture.. I CAN DO IT!!! haha i am so unmotivated..
 
The internet is the real time-killer, I would try to study away from the computer that way I wouldn't be on fb/SDN/Google/check e-mail all the time
 
This bears repeating:

Get off the computer. The intarwebz has some interesting stuff. Forreals.

Be near a public computer. Uptodate can be pretty helpful when something just doesn't make sense. Also, you're less likely to spend time watching videos when everyone can hear it.

Books, slides, notes, syllabus. That's really all you need. Studying via computer... I never got very good at it.

I can't really study for more than 2-3 hours at a time,. It helps to get up and walk to the public computer to look up stuff every so often. It breaks the monotony.

Don't do the study carrel thing... yet. Those things are intense. It's like sensory deprivation in there. You gotta be on your freakin' study game to thrive in that environment.
 
shreypete said:
I've been hooked onto the internet, watching movies all day long and this has been going for more than 3 weeks now. And now, I just can't sit down and study because I get bored too soon. The worst part is that I have final exams coming up in late-May, June and July. I don't know what I could do to get back to the way I was. Did anyone else experience this before? I mean I'm not even talking about a burn-out here (which I guess seems to be more common among medical students.)

I used to bed such a good student, but these stupid movies and TV shows have ruined me. 🙁 🙁 🙁
Click to expand...

You sound EXACTLY like me!!!

When you figure it out, let me know ... I can't bring myself to study either ... I'd rather watch anime all day and read fanfiction ... and I used to study so much!
BTW What kind of shows do you watch, anyways?
 
Well I just wanted to let you guys know, I think I'm doing well now. I'm make a schedule everyday and try and stick to it as much as I can.

The fact that exams are nearing (from May 25th) has given me a reality check and I guess I'll be able to study more now (I still have to work hard on not watching any movies on the weekend.)

p.s. I watch mostly TV shows (stuff like Scrubs, Prison break, a couple of English comedies and stuff like that.)
 
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