Having a hard time getting myself to sit down and study

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harkkam

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Guys I mainly study at home because I find that studying at the library is very inconvenient and costly with all the food breaks and water breaks. At home my bathroom and a fridge full of food. Plus I can wear comfy clothes and not sit in tight jeans.

However when I am at home, I manage to find any damn excuse of why i need to do "THIS" thing before opening my books. For example

"Oh I should learn this lick on my guitar first before I study"
"Let me check my email then Ill study"
"Let me listen to this song, I promise Ill study then"
"Oh I heard about this great show on HBO let me watch it, I have to"

I keep doing this and like a few hours have passed me by. I get upset at myself and then I study for 45 min.

After 45 min my mind starts to struggle so i start surfing the net. Then again the cycle starts

"OH let me listen to this song"
"Let me read this article or post here quickly it wont hurt me"

Another hour goes by.

I squeeze in about 30 min of studying.


Ive tried everything from FEAR, to self punishment to outer regulation like going to a place where there is no computer or distraction.


My study skills stink and I need some help guys.

I dont know if I have ADHD, I always feel like I have ants in my pants but I think its really because in my heart im saying "Damn I wish I could just relax" and thats the reason for all distractions and that is not accepting my work load and wanting it to go away. IDK
 
It is called procrastination. The best way to defeat it is to isolate yourself from everything except your textbook, pen/pencil, and several pieces of papers. No computer, no tv, no cell phone, no friends, no technology. Go to the library or something.
 
Ultimeaciax said:
It is called procrastination. The best way to defeat it is to isolate yourself from everything except your textbook, pen/pencil, and several pieces of papers. No computer, no tv, no cell phone, no friends, no technology. Go to the library or something.
Click to expand...

👍 The library is where it's at.
 
Agreed. Library helps greatly, as does severing all connections to the inter-tubes (I'm supposed to be memorizing the vertebrae right now. . .).

Also I'm the same way - can't do hours at a time. I get in 4-5 hours a day but I break it up into hourly chunks spread throughout the morning/afternoon/evening/late night. Definitely helps me power through it.
 
Decide what you want more: to get an A in the class, or to watch the HBO show. Your decision will reflect which one you want more...
 
mechanictodr said:
👍 The library is where it's at.
Click to expand...

If you're like me you'll need a heavy dose of caffeine. I can't remember a single instance that I didn't fall asleep while in the library.
 
try negative reinforcement, I guilt myself into studying. when I feel the need to procrastinate I say to myself "how will I succeed with this attitude?". after a few minutes of self loathing I crack open the books.
 
Wear sweatpants, pack some food and buy a water bottle. I'm not sure what the problem is with the library.
 
I believe in "stop it" therapy.
 
I try to think of it this way: the three months or so you work on the MCAT will be an investment for the next 30 years of your life...90 days versus 10,800 days--it's a small sacrifice in the long run. Suggestion: start with 2 hours a day. You have 12 hours in a day that you are awake, so 2 hours still leaves 10 hours to do whatever you want. Hope this helps 🙂
 
find a reliable study partner. one of my good friends and i would have a study schedule and meet about 5x a week. if i didnt show up, i would feel bad...so even if i didnt feel like going, i would. and we would have an agreement that we would study for an hour straight, and then talk or take a study break for 15-20 min. we would do this for like 3-4 hours, then go hang out afterwards. so it was more like a hang out but with serious studying burst in the middle. worked well for me.
 
Make sure they're not of the opposite sex unless you want to compromise your grades.
 
Morsetlis said:
Make sure they're not of the opposite sex unless you want to compromise your grades.
Click to expand...

er, make heteronormative assumptions much? Some of us can't focus if the person is hot, regardless of the gender!
 
Hey hey I'm the gay guy here trying to make all the straight people feel at home with my jokes.
 
lol @ morsetlis


I'm on the same boat here, I'm on spring break at the moment and i haven't done jack, didn't write my speech, didn't study for the english mid term, my spanish mid term or cleaned the house. I've spent my time watching back to back law and order, white collar and csi's (i feel really lame now). I've tried everything people suggested, negative reinforcement, guilt, positive reinforcement (kit kat breaks 😛). The thing with me is i work better under pressure so i wait til the deadline is almost near, i'll start writing/studying at the 11th hour, that's just me. I hope you find something that works for you.
 
Dude I overdosed on Law and Order in middle and high school it's soooooooooooooooo engrossing, especially that gavel BONG BONG sound.

CSI has the cool drum n' bass background music and the guys are so cute.
 
Workout before you study. After you workout eat something, rehydrate, and slug a cup of something caffeinated. You should be good to go for a solid three hours, especially if you go to the library.
 
Morsetlis said:
Dude I overdosed on Law and Order in middle and high school it's soooooooooooooooo engrossing, especially that gavel BONG BONG sound.

CSI has the cool drum n' bass background music and the guys are so cute.
Click to expand...


:highfive: yep
 
When it comes to studying, I will close by laptop and go to the lounge that is down the hall from me with my mp3-player with noise cancelling headphones. As long as I am away from my laptop I get stuff done.
 
i dunno if this would work, but i think if you incorporate pain as a punishment into your daily routine of studying. as in program some random machine some how to inflict massive amounts of pain to you if you are not studying. and throw away the only thing that can undo the machine.










OMG I AM JK, DONT TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS.
 
So are you like that supervillain from Saw?
 
Hey I'm in the same sort of situation that you're in. I live at home with my parents and to go school. I can't study at home b/c too many people talking and coming in and out of my room.

I usually exercise for a little bit (unless an exam is the next day), eat and relax for an hour (never anything too heavy and usually drink tea or coffee), and hit up the quite floor of my library. I don't like to wear comfortable clothing because it makes me feel lazy when I study (no sweats, usually jeans and a hoodie). Studying isn't the worlds most fun thing to do but if you want good grades then you gotta suck it up.

Take some snacks with you. One of my friends and I figured out our best study snacks (dr pepper and kit kats--horrible I know)

Sometimes you just need a break to prevent being burnt out. I like to study for 2 hours and then take a walk around campus or go downstairs and visit with some friends. Also I don't study listening to music because it distracts me (unless I'm doing problems)

Hope this helps you out!
 
Morsetlis said:
Make sure they're not of the opposite sex unless you want to compromise your grades.
Click to expand...

I study with my girlfriend all of the time. Sometimes for 2 hours or more depending. We like to use the white boards at our library.
 
for me, what works is to actually take the breaks every now and again. if you start studying early enough you can afford to take breaks which is a sign of starting early (yes very circular reasoning). for me, i perform greatest when i've studied a ton rather than cramming a lot.

libraries and girlfriends make studying easier.
 
knightstale4 said:
I try to think of it this way: the three months or so you work on the MCAT will be an investment for the next 30 years of your life...90 days versus 10,800 days--it's a small sacrifice in the long run. Suggestion: start with 2 hours a day. You have 12 hours in a day that you are awake, so 2 hours still leaves 10 hours to do whatever you want. Hope this helps 🙂
Click to expand...

AGREED. I busted my ass studying 4-7 hours a day, 6 days a week for a full 6 weeks, and the greatest motivator was knowing that it was the means to an end--getting a leg up on the admissions game. My schedule may have been a little overkill, but if you start far enough in advance then studying a couple hours a day should be enough.
 
I can't study at the library or in my room. I usually end up going to the closest building, which happens to be the buisness one, and finding an empty class room. I also study for an hour and then take a break. If it's just memorization I usually write it over and over while watching tv 😛
 
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